The Winners of the Inaugral International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Matt Growcoot
Aerial view of a lone shark swimming through a dense, swirling school of small fish in clear, light blue water. The fish part around the shark, creating a visible path.
Top down aerial drone photo of a spinner shark creating a gateway into a school of menhaden fish in the Atlantic Ocean, Southampton, NY. | Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

Joanna Steidle from the United States has been crowned the inaugural winner of the International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition.

Professional and amateur photographers worldwide were invited to enter the first International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition. Steidle won amid 1,500 entries from around the world.

First place was based on a portfolio of at least four images. Steidle’s images show the impressive marine life off Long Island, New York, including humpback whales, spinner sharks, and cownose rays.

Aerial view of a group of rays swimming in clear blue water near a large, swirling school of fish, creating distinct shapes and movement patterns in the sea.
A fever of cownose rays approaching a school of menhaden bait fish, taken just a few hundred feet from the coast of Southampton, NY. USA. | Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a large whale swimming just below the surface of green-tinted water, creating ripples and trails of white foam as it moves.
A humpback whale diving back under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean after taking a breath of air. This was taken within 500ft of the coast in Southampton, NY, USA. | Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A large group of rays swims gracefully in clear blue water, forming a loose triangular pattern as seen from above. Their flat bodies and long tails are visible against the rippling surface.
Top down drone photography of a small fever of cownose rays stiring up some sand along their travels. Southampton, NY USA. | Joanna Steidle / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A lone conical volcano rises from an expansive desert plain, with dramatic sun rays fanning out across the sky at sunrise or sunset, casting soft pastel colors above distant mountains.
Anti crepuscular rays at Cono de Arita, La Puna, Argentina. The winner of the Inaugural International Aerial Photograph of the Year, awarded for a single image. | Ignacio Palacios / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a polar bear and its cub standing on snowy ice near a large dead walrus. Blood stains are visible on the ice around the walrus.
Polar bear on Svalbard, Norway after eating on a walrus carcass. Thanks to the drone with a telephoto lens, this rare scene could be captured without any disturbance. | Pal Hermansen / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A black and white aerial view of crowded wooden boats packed closely together on water, with many people sitting and standing, possibly at a market or gathering.
A busy waterway is filled with boats and their passengers in the morning commute as they try to pass on a river in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | Azim Khan Ronnie / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A lone tree casts a long shadow across a foggy field at sunrise, with soft golden sunlight illuminating the mist in the upper right, blending gently into darker tones on the left.
On the first day of meteorological spring, low mist hugged the frosty Oxfordshire landscape. | Christopher Harrison / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of an erupting volcano at dusk, with glowing lava flows streaming down its sides and thick smoke rising into a cloudy sky.
A cloud inversion is veiling a massive erupting volcanic crater during the 2021 Geldingadalir eruption in Iceland. | Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a dark, winding river or lake bordered by white and brown patterns, with several flamingos flying above the water near the shoreline.
Above Lake Magadi, flamingos glide over the vibrant, abstract swirls formed by algae and salt in Kenya’s Rift Valley. | Belva Hayden / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of six people wearing conical hats walking in a line across golden sand, casting long, distinct shadows behind them; footprints and tracks are visible on the sand.
Workers create a picturesque display from above as they carry rice from a large drying field in Bangladesh. | Azim Khan Ronnie / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of people in bright red suits floating on dark, icy water surrounded by large chunks of white ice, with snowy ground along the edges.
Swimmers in the frozen Baltic Sea. After a short trip, the icebreaker stopped and passengers were given the opportunity to go into the freezing cold water. | Gilad Topaz / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a rowing team in a white boat with five people, each holding an oar, gliding through calm blue water, leaving swirling patterns behind.
A team of four rowing men, heating up for a race in the Yarkon River. | Gilad Topaz / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A distant silhouette of Mont Saint-Michel rises above thick mist, surrounded by a vast, foggy landscape under a gradient sky transitioning from light at the horizon to darker at the top.
A magical moment with the incredible Mont-Saint-Michel rising over the clouds. | Nicolas Giroud / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a conical sand dune casting a long, sharp shadow across a flat, barren desert landscape, with textured ridges radiating from the base of the dune.
In the high Andes, evaporation, minerals, and salt shape waters in turquoise, brown, and white-forming natural patterns that feel like abstract art shaped by earth, sun, and wind. | Francisco Fernandez Garcia / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a straight dirt road dividing two bodies of water—deep red on the left and light pink on the right—with contrasting colors and salt deposits along the edges.
The wonderful salt lakes of Western Australia, whether natural or man made (salt extraction operations) are stunning when viewed from the air. Hutt Lagoon’s Pink Lake, WA, Australia. | Daniela Tommasi / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of two seals resting on a floating piece of ice surrounded by dark blue water. The ice is irregularly shaped and partly transparent, with visible patches and textures.
These two seals are lounging peacefully on a drifting slab of ice in the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon in southern Iceland. | Fabien Guittard / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of the Golden Gate Bridge with only the towers visible, rising above thick, low-lying clouds or fog at sunrise or sunset.
Two towers alignment during low fog at sunset at Golden Gate Bridge, USA. | Jay Huang / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of flocks of flamingos gathered along the shore of a colorful, layered body of water, with bands of brown, orange, and blue-gray hues, and groups of birds casting shadows on the landscape.
Like a squadron of pink bombers, these flamingos fly in perfect formation over an otherworldly landscape around Lake Magadi, Kenya. | Wayne Sorensen / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A grid of dark, repetitive balconies on a high-rise building, with one central apartment lit warmly, drawing attention amid the otherwise dim, blue-toned facade.
Looking out for my hotel neighbor late at night in Bangkok, Thailand. | Vitaly Golovatyuk / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a soccer field surrounded by dense forest with vibrant autumn foliage in shades of red, orange, yellow, and green. The colorful trees form a striking border around the rectangular field.
Aerial view of soccer field in fall forest in Moscow. | Vitaly Golovatyuk / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of molten lava in a volcanic crater, with cracks and glowing sections resembling a fiery skull-like face amid dark volcanic rock and drifting smoke.
Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano as it cooled. The cracking pattern of the lava formed a skull, creating an eerie natural illusion for a few moments. | Daniel Vine Garcia / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A cone-shaped volcanic hill rises sharply from a flat, dark plain, casting a long triangular shadow across the landscape. The hill’s upper slopes are highlighted by golden sunlight, contrasting with the surrounding darkness.
Arita Cone, Arizaro Salt Flat, Salta, Argentina. | Juan Lopez / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A misty sunrise over a historic Chinese town shows multiple arched stone bridges spanning a river, with traditional buildings and a pagoda reflected in the calm water. Silhouetted people stand on one of the bridges.
Three bridges in Huzhou, China. | Vitaly Golovatyuk / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of a crowded junkyard filled with old airplanes, ships, boats, shipping containers, and various debris, all tightly packed together in a chaotic pattern.
The Collective uses aerial images to create fictional yet plausible scenes of excess, reflecting on humanity’s impact and urging a shift toward sustainability and environmental awareness. | Cassio Vasconcellos / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
Aerial view of numerous abandoned airplane bodies and parts scattered across a dry, brown surface, creating a dense, chaotic pattern of fuselages, wings, and tails.
The Collective uses aerial images to create fictional yet plausible scenes of excess, reflecting on humanity’s impact and urging a shift toward sustainability and environmental awareness. | Cassio Vasconcellos / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A long, straight highway stretches into the distance, disappearing into dense yellow fog. The road is elevated above a flat, golden-hued landscape with a few vehicles visible.
Cross Sea Bridge. | Xiaohui Li / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A stone church tower with a pointed roof rises from the middle of a calm, turquoise lake, casting a clear reflection on the water’s surface. The scene appears serene and surreal.
A 14th-century church tower in Italy stands submerged in an artificial lake near Curon Venosta, due to dam construction in 1950. | Pawel Jagietto / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year
A person wearing a conical hat stands amidst large, flowing green fishing nets, creating an abstract, textured pattern from an overhead perspective.
A Vietnamese artisan weaves a fishing net by hand, surrounded by flowing green threads, a tradition passed down through generations. | Chris Ha / The Inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year

There’s an electronic flip book available on the website where you can find more information about the competition.

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