The Winners Of The First Annual Aerial Photography Awards Have Been Revealed, And The Photos Are Simply Brilliant (23 Pics)

The Aerial Photography Awards has announced its winners and best picks of 2020. The Aerial Photography Awards (or simply APA) were attended by photographers from 65 countries, of which Belgium stood out the most (residents of this country were winners in 10 categories), Russia (9 winners), and Great Britain (8 winners). The Jury awarded 106 photos in 23 different categories. The entrants were invited to submit their best images captured using drones, helicopters, kites, balloons, or airplanes, in the hope of taking a share of the US$10,000 prize pool.

The Jury includes Jeffrey Milstein, who has been exhibited in many museums; Daniel Beltrá, a winner of a few photography awards himself; Dirk Dallas, a pioneer in the drone movement; Alex MacLean, author/co-author of thirteen books; Benjamin Grant, creator of the popular Instagram feed Daily Overview; Peter Essick, who's one of the most influential nature photographers in the world; Florian Ledoux, whose work is recognized by international conservation organizations; Hulia Boz, Aussie photographer who has recently held an exhibition in New York; Abstract Aerial Art, two brothers who dedicated themselves to aerial photography; Noura Al Murr Al Neyadi, who started photography at the age of 11; Costas Spathis, a Greek aerial photographer; and, last but not least, Elena Buenrostro, pilot, trainer and leader of the Women Who Drone movement.

The title "Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020" was awarded to photographer Sebastien Nagy (Belgium, photo), thanks to several awarded photos in different categories and a high average score. Residing in Brussels, the photographer began aerial photography on the rooftops of his city. His thoughts after receiving this award: “To be honest, I had never participated in a contest before, but I had heard about this one in a very positive way, so I took part in the game. I didn't think I would win anything and it was mostly for fun. So I was very surprised when I heard the good news. It was a bit hard to believe at first as it was the Grand Prix, but I did feel real joy and pride. To be named first in a contest where the theme is what we love most, our passion, is incredible and very satisfying! This award made me want to test myself in other things and, why not, to be able to judge others in my turn one day."

The Founder of the Aerial Photography Awards, Christophe Martin, said: "For a first edition, the quality and diversity of the awarded photos demonstrates the evolution of aerial photography and the standards it has reached today. Aerial photographers prove their ability to amaze us. New visual writings are being built.

Thanks to the participants and to the Jury, the 22 categories create a panorama of the most exciting aerial photography currently being made. This is a unique source of inspiration for photographers, drone pilots, content creators who seek new perspectives.”

Enjoy the view!

More info: Instagram | aerialphotoawards.com | Facebook