Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective to see the world in a completely different light. From mesmerizing landscapes and winding coastlines to busy cities and fascinating natural patterns, aerial photography reveals beauty that often goes unnoticed from the ground. And honestly, some of these views are hard to believe until you see them.
The 2026 Siena Drone Photo Awards celebrate this extraordinary way of seeing our planet and bring together talented photographers from around the world. Part of the prestigious Siena Awards, the international competition recognizes outstanding aerial photographs and videos captured with drones, helicopters, aircraft, balloons, and other flying platforms.
What makes this competition so exciting is the incredible variety of perspectives. Familiar places become abstract works of art, natural landscapes turn into stunning patterns, and everyday scenes reveal unexpected beauty. Creating images like these takes more than flying a drone. Timing, composition, patience, and a creative eye all play a huge role.
Here are 35 unforgettable winning photographs from the 2026 Siena Drone Photo Awards. Scroll through, enjoy these remarkable views, and get ready to see our world from an entirely different angle.
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#1. Photo of the year: Shipbreaking on the mudflats, Bay of Bengal by George Steinmetz
"An old LNG carrier in the final stage of disassembly for scrap metal on the mudflats of the Bay of Bengal. Breaking a ship like this takes about a year, with a crew of 60 men using blowtorches and winches to drag the larger pieces ashore for cutting into smaller pieces."
#2. Urban – 1st classified: Mother Nature by Abdullah Benayan
"In early May, as summer approached, a massive dust storm swept toward Mubarak Al-Kabeer in Kuwait. The sky turned orange and thick, swallowing the horizon and blanketing the area. Visibility vanished, and the stillness felt eerie, as if the world were fading away."
#3. Urban – Runner up: Where Two Eras Meet by Sanghoon Park
"Mulmangol, a hillside settlement built by refugees in the aftermath of war, stands in contrast to the modern skyline rising beyond it. Here, in the same district of Busan, two vastly different eras of the city exist side by side. Seen from above at night, both landscapes share the same sky while revealing different stories."
#4. Urban – Highly commended: KIŞIN GEOMETRİSİ by Serdar Kiran
"A flawless winter geometry unfolds from above as fresh snow blankets a historic courtyard. The perfect symmetry of ancient Ottoman domes frames the silent court, while vibrant red umbrellas burst through the white canvas like crimson blossoms frozen in time."
#5. Urban – Highly commended: Perfect Symmetry by Jakub Migdałek
"Top-down view of the Rędziński Bridge submerged in dense morning fog reveals one of Wroclaw’s icons from a perspective never seen before. The thick fog completely absorbs the surroundings. This deliberate isolation forces the viewer to focus on the perfect symmetry and pure geometry."
#6. Wildlife – 1st classified: Hidden In Plain Sight by Awais Ali Sheikh
"For several minutes, the mountain face appears empty. Then it reveals its secret: perfectly camouflaged among the rocks, two snow leopard cubs rest quietly on the rocky cliffside—a fragile bond between predator and landscape."
#7. Wildlife – Runner up: Guard of the Crèche by Seyit Konyalı
"A lone adult flamingo stands out among thousands of newly hatched chicks gathered in a natural crèche area on the salt flats of Tuz Lake. Flamingo chicks are raised collectively in these nurseries, where a few adults supervise, protect, and guide them during their most vulnerable stage."
#8. Wildlife – Highly commended: Hey, wait for me! by Rick Beldegreen
"As Rockhopper penguins emerge from the ocean, they preen at the water’s edge and then take off running across the beach to their rocky nesting area. One penguin is left behind to finish preening before a dash to catch up."
#9. Wildlife – Highly commended: Slime Time by Abstract Aerial Art
"A large saltwater crocodile slithers in the wetlands of the Mary River floodplains. Seen from above, the crocodile’s powerful form carves an elegant, almost serpentine path through the exposed mud flats."
#10. Wildlife – Highly commended: Bunker Breach by Joanna Steidle
"A small school of bluefish makes its way over a school of menhaden bait fish, which appear across the entire background. Menhaden are a keystone species on the northeastern coast of the United States and feed on plankton and algae, forming very tight schools to protect themselves."
#11. Wildlife – Commended: Floating Bear by Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove
"A polar bear, on the prowl for his next prey, was swimming inbetween the shards of ice near a remote, calving glacier front. The polar bear paused every now and then. He floated around while scanning the area and sniffing to find food inbetween the glacial slush ice."
#12. Sport – 1st classified: Gates of Steel by Yhabril Moro
"The mountain became a shared study. The chosen line traced the delicate boundary between light and shadow, with the jump from the wind-carved cornice set to bring the intended image to life. Precision, trust, and technical mastery serving a vision shared between rider and photographer."
#13. Sport – Runner up: Crossing Paths by Umut Can Karahasanoğlu
"Skaters glide across an illuminated ice rink, transforming a familiar winter scene into a dynamic pattern of lines, shadows, and intersections. Individual movements appear random, yet together they create a fleeting geometry that exists only for a moment before dissolving and reforming again."
#14. Sport – Highly commended: Skiers in line by Bernard Brault
"Sommet Saint-Sauveur is a ski resort located in Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, offering a variety of slopes for all levels, from beginner to advanced. The skiers gather in line, waiting their turn for the chairlift that will carry them to the summit."
#15. People – 1st classified: Carpet Fields by F. Dilek Yurdakul
"Fields of handwoven carpets transform into a striking visual tapestry, blurring the boundary between land and craft. Laid out under the sun to dry, each piece carries the labor, tradition, and memory of Anatolia. What appears as an abstract composition is, in fact, a living landscape shaped by generations."
#16. People – Runner up: Evening Meal by Beytullah Eles
"In Gaziantep, as the weather warms up, people’s living spaces shift to the rooftops: it’s where they sleep, eat, and socialize with neighbors. Here, too, is a family gathered around the dinner table."
#17. People – Highly commended: Devotion by Amirmahdi Najafloo Shahpar
"Muslim women pray in orderly rows as the sun rises on Eid al-Fitr in the Iranian city of Hamedan. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated by Muslims around the world with special prayers and gatherings."
#18. People – Highly commended: Drawn by the Sea by Shyjith Onden Cheriyath
"A handler leads a herd through the water while another guides from the side. The resulting splashes and ripples reveal the energy of the ritual, where healing is achieved through movement and immersion."
#19. Nature – 1st classified: Flamingos moving in Maharlu Lake by Ali Azar
"Maharloo Lake, near Shiraz, is a pink salt lake known for its vivid colors and abstract patterns. Yet these striking shapes result from urban wastewater inflow, drought, and groundwater overuse. This photograph highlights Maharloo’s transformation and the growing water and environmental crisis."
#20. Nature – Runner up: Valley of Forgotten Rivers by Ollie Watts
"After an overnight storm in Kyrgyzstan, fresh snow clings to the surrounding mountains while forgotten river channels wind through the golden valley, revealing the quiet scale and beauty of this remote landscape."
#21. Nature – Highly commended: Rainbow Mountains by Abbas Rastegar
"Hormuz Island, known for its Rainbow Valley, has more than 50 colored soils. Just hours after a three-day storm, under a freshly cleared sky, these colors shine brighter than ever."
#22. Nature – Highly commended: Tumpak Sewu’s Majestic Waterfall by Colas Decloitre
"The stunning Tumpak Sewu cascades like liquid silver from the cliffs, with the majestic Semeru Volcano rising in the distance, sending smoke into the sky as the landscape unfolds in all its natural glory."
#23. Abstract – 1st classified: Creatures of the Tide by Mohammed Al Balushi
"Fishing nets, spread across the sand to dry, transform into dark organic forms resembling sea creatures washed ashore. Tiny figures move between them, revealing the immense scale of a daily labor that sustains an entire coastal community."
#24. Abstract – Runner up: Controlled Aquaculture by Bartłomiej Machul
"Floating cages on a pond create a safe environment for fisheries and biochemistry research. From a bird’s-eye view, this regular layout takes on a powerful abstract character. Nature and technology blend seamlessly, turning scientific infrastructure into a fascinating work of art."
#25. Abstract – Highly commended: Swarm by Mark Gray
"An extraordinary array of colors and textures mimics a swarm of insects at beautiful Lake Tyrrell in Victoria, Australia. From this perspective, the outline of Australia is clearly visible, standing as a powerful testament to the beauty of nature."
#26. Abstract – Highly commended: Sulfur Bloom by Miki Spitzer
"Fed by Iceland’s melting glaciers, these braided rivers carve their way across vast black sands formed by centuries of volcanic activity. As the water flows through sulfur-rich deposits, it turns luminous yellow, creating delicate patterns that resemble the petals of a blooming flower."
#27. Wedding – 1st classified: Treble clef by Tim Demski
"The groom, a professional guitarist, wanted a special photo for their wedding. Captured from above, using an enormous veil and his collection of guitars, this image shows how music surrounds their life together and gives it even more meaning."
#28. Wedding – Runner up: Between Earth and Sky by Oli And Steph Prince
"The morning of their wedding began above the clouds. Having camped high in the Quiraing overnight, they watched rivers of mist drift through the landscape as the first sunlight illuminated the hills around them."
#29. Wedding – Highly commended: Mariachi march by Tim Demski
"This amazing couple of professional dancers had an epic wedding full of incredible entertainment. One of the highlights was a genuine Mariachi band from Mexico, inspiring a unique shot of everyone parading together from a completely different perspective."
#30. Wedding – Highly commended: Island of Salt by Shimon Perlstein
"At the lowest place on Earth, a couple stands on a salt island in the middle of the Dead Sea, formed as the water level continues to drop. Surrounded by turquoise waters and white mineral edges, the scene reflects a changing environment where the retreating sea reshapes the landscape."
#31. Series – 1st classified: Shifting sand, beach dream by Francis Leroy
"Once upon a time, there was a beach stretching between land and sea, a fragile frontier shaped each day by tides, wind, and wandering sand. In summer, waves gently erased the footprints of carefree holidaymakers who came to rest beneath the sun. Yet this shore was also a silent witness to climate change. Year after year, the sea crept a little closer, storms grew stronger, and the delicate balance slowly shifted. Scientists warn that before the end of the century, nearly half of the world’s beaches may disappear. Soon, all that will remain of this beach is a dream."
#32. Series – Runner up: My Arctic by Martin Gregus
"This immersive photographic project, five years in the making, captures life in one of the planet’s most remote and fragile environments. Traveling on foot, by boat, and by plane across the Canadian Arctic, Martin documented the interconnected world of sea ice, tundra, wildlife, and light—revealing how animals, landscapes, and people adapt to extreme conditions. The project explores resilience, coexistence, and the rapid changes reshaping the Arctic today."
#33. Series – Highly commended: Glacial Veins by Carlo Alberto Conti
"This series explores Iceland’s glacial rivers from an aerial perspective, revealing landscapes that appear almost abstract. Meltwater flowing from glaciers spreads across vast volcanic sands, carrying sediments that create intricate branching patterns and organic forms. The contrast between milky glacial water, dark volcanic terrain, and vibrant mineral colors produces striking visual compositions shaped entirely by natural processes."
#34. Series – Highly commended: The Last Scream of Central Anatolia by F. Dilek Yurdakul
"Central Anatolia reveals drying lakes once known as the region’s ‘evil-eye beads,’ expanding sinkholes, and land reshaped by drought. Rising temperatures, climate change, water-intensive crops such as corn and alfalfa, and uncontrolled groundwater extraction are accelerating this crisis. As wetlands disappear, flamingos, migratory birds, and other species lose their habitats and die. Furthermore, the multiplying sinkholes pose a growing threat to local communities."
#35. Series – Highly commended: On Fresh Ice by Florian Ledoux
"A young polar bear known as Grinch explores the freshly formed sea ice in mid-March. The aerial perspective reveals just how thin and fragile the ice is at this early stage of the spring season. Yet, like all polar bears, she has already learned to read the ice, testing its strength and navigating safely across its shifting surface. That year, the fast ice, a vital habitat and refuge for many Arctic species, formed unusually late around the Svalbard archipelago, highlighting the changing conditions faced by wildlife that depend on it."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What are the Siena Drone Photo Awards?
The Siena Drone Photo Awards are an international photography competition celebrating exceptional aerial photographs and videos. Organized under the Siena Awards, it recognizes creative photographers who capture landscapes, wildlife, architecture, and everyday life from extraordinary perspectives.
Who organizes the Siena Drone Photo Awards?
The Siena Awards, an international photography awards platform based in Italy, organizes the competition. It celebrates photographic creativity across multiple genres, including aerial photography, documentary, nature, portraits, and visual storytelling through different photographic approaches.
What equipment can photographers use for the competition?
Photographers can submit aerial images captured using various flying platforms, including drones, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, balloons, blimps, kites, and parachutes. The competition celebrates creative aerial perspectives rather than limiting submissions to drone cameras alone.
What makes aerial photography special?
Aerial photography reveals patterns, shapes, textures, and perspectives that are difficult to appreciate from ground level. It transforms familiar landscapes into striking compositions, highlighting natural beauty, architectural symmetry, human activity, and fascinating details from above.
What can we expect from the 2026 Siena Drone Photo Awards winners?
The 2026 winning collection showcases remarkable aerial perspectives captured by talented photographers worldwide. Expect breathtaking landscapes, fascinating patterns, creative compositions, and unusual views of nature, architecture, and everyday life through the art of aerial photography.
