There is something quite special about taking some distance and seeing the bigger picture. This is exactly the magnifying quality of aerial photography, which is what The Aerial Photography Awards (APA) aim to celebrate. The newly founded competition drew submissions from 96 countries. The jury awarded 106 photos in 23 different categories, but the countries that stood out the most were Belgium, which generated winners in 10 different categories, Russia with 9 winners, and the UK with 8 winning images. All of the photographs were captured using drones, helicopters, kites, balloons, or airplanes.
"For a first edition, the quality and diversity of the awarded photos demonstrate 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,” said the APA’s founder Christopher Martin.
Scroll through the stunning winning images below and enjoy the view!

Image Source: Sebastian Müller / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Prabu Mohan / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Kyle Vollaers / Aerial Photography Awards
Related: See 22 Famous Landmarks From a New Aerial Perspective

Image Source: Daniel Bonte / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Bachir Moukarzel / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Johan Vandenhecke / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Azim Khan Ronnie / Aerial Photography Awards
Related: These Aerial Shots Present Nature In Her Finest Glory

Image Source: Duy Sinh / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Yiran Ding / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Mehmet Aslan / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Reginald Van de Velde / Aerial Photography Awards
Related: These Drone Photos Are Absolutely Stunning

Image Source: Sebastien Nagy / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Azim Khan Ronnie / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Kevin Krautgartner / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Sebastien Nagy / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Hua Shang / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Marc Le Cornu / Aerial Photography Awards

Image Source: Ryan Koopmans / Aerial Photography Awards
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