Mind-blowing aerial sights go viral in 2022 Drone Photo Awards PHOTO

09 September 2022 00:00

The winners of the spectacular 2022 Drone Photo Awards span an impressive array of aerial photo styles but this year’s overall winner is a truly special shot, offering a close-up view of a volcano just as it was about to erupt.

Only in its fifth year, the Drone Photo Awards has quickly become one of the world’s best aerial photography competitions. Spanning seven categories – including Urban, Nature, Wildlife and Abstract – the contest includes all kinds of airborne photography, from helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, to rockets, kites, and parachutes, New Atlas informs.

Photo of the Year. A secondary fissure happened a few hundred meters from the main crater of Fagradalsfjall volcano, during the very last eruptive phase. Captured as a storm was hitting west Iceland, with rain and strong winds. Due to the difficult conditions, a drone capture like this is unique / Armand Sarlangue

The overall Photo of the Year award went to French photographer Armand Sarlangue. Titled Big Bang, the stunning image was taken in September 2021 when the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland was erupting. Sarlangue’s incredible shot looks down on a secondary fissure opening up several hundred feet off the main crater.

Commended - Nature. A large male polar bear patrols the ice looking for any sign of seals. Ellesmere Island / Nansen Weber

The highlights from this year’s contest really illustrate how the art of drone photography has evolved from its early days just a few short years ago when every single image was a simple top-down "god’s eye" image. Now, drone photographers are experimenting with different horizon lines, and taking advantage of the unique possibilities of the medium.

Highly Commended - Urban. Capuchin is considered one of the most ancient and rooted cities in history. It hosts the pyramids of Bejrawiya. Kabuchia City, River Nile State, Sudan / Satti Mohammed

Shots like Nansen Weber’s lovely portrait of a polar bear take advantage of the way drones can approach animal subjects in ways conventional photography cannot, while Satti Mohammed’s stunning glimpse at a massive looming dust storm over an ancient African city is a reminder unmanned aerial vehicles can manoeuvre into positions too dangerous for humans.

Of course, the contest also offers some new takes on old favourite drone shots, such as the classic shadows playing basketball. And there is still plenty of life in the traditional top-down drone shot, just as long as the photographer is clever enough to pick the right target.