12 breathtaking drone photos of the Earth (13 photos) (photo)

The Drone Photo Awards, now in its fifth year, announced winners in nine categories, including Nature, City, Abstract, Sports, and more. Voting included images taken using any type of aerial photography, including drones, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, parachutes, and even kites.





2,624 photographers from 116 countries participated in the 2022 Drone Photo Awards.



"Fertility." Photo by Christian Trustrup/Drone Photo Awards 2022

"Squid nets." Photo by Tuan Nguyen Tan/Drone Photo Awards 2022



"Water lily harvesting." Photo by Shibasish Saha/ Drone Photo Awards 2022



"Water Festival." Photo by Thet Naing Yu/ Drone Photo Awards 2022



"I'm Married!" Photo by Wenyuan Kuang/ Drone Photo Awards 2022



"Duotian." Photo: Ningtai Yu/Drone Photo Awards 2022



"Beautiful Life - Princess Taiping." Photo by Jingkun Yang/Drone Photo Awards 2022

Arman Sarlang was the clear winner. He has been working as a photographer for the past 16 years and teaches photography workshops. He is motivated by traveling to the most remote places and capturing the artistic expression of the natural world. He believes photography can be one of the best ways to raise awareness of the importance of conservation.



"The Big Bang." Photo by Armand Sarlangue/ Drone Photo Awards 2022

Armand Sarlangue's photo, titled "Big Bang," depicts a secondary fissure that formed several hundred meters from the main crater of the Fagradalsfjall volcano during the final phase of the eruption. It was taken as a storm with rain and strong winds lashed western Iceland. Due to the challenging shooting conditions, this drone capture is considered unique.



© Yuri Borshchev "After the Sandstorm."

Second place in the competition went to Yura Borshchev, a photographer from St. Petersburg. His photograph, "After the Sandstorm," depicts a basketball court after a sandstorm in the United Arab Emirates: sand partially covers the field, allowing the viewer to see its original shapes and colors. It is one of the greatest finds in the author's collection of sports courts photographed in 2021.



"Fading Faith." Photo: Fabian Balint/Drone Photo Awards 2022

Sixth place goes to "I Think It's Around Here Somewhere" by Fabian Ortiz, in the Wedding Photography category.



Wedding Photography category, image titled "I Think It's Around Here Somewhere." Photo: Fabián Ortiz/ Drone Photo Awards 2022

Here's how the photographer describes the image:

"Even if you wander through the most inhospitable places, as long as you walk hand in hand with the right person, you can reap the fruits of love, just as sweet wine is grown in La Geria, a place of volcanic and hostile lands on the island of Lanzarote."

The selection closes with a photograph from the East.



"Harvesting Salt at a Salt Farm." Photo by Saurabh Sirohiya/ Drone Photo Awards 2022

12th Place - "Harvesting Salt at a Salt Farm." Photo by Saurabh Sirohiya. Workers toil in a salt pan, evaporating excess water under the scorching sun. At the end of the day, the salt is collected in baskets: "It's really hard work," the photographer says.