From huge crowds of flamingoes to busy urban landscapes, take a look at the best images from this year's Siena Drone Photo Awards.
Captured after months of meticulous planning and waiting for the perfect weather conditions, this shot showcases Europe's tallest skyscraper as seen from the highest vantage point achievable with the drone. Photo By Yuriy Stolypin/Siena Photo Awards
Watch any travel or nature documentary and you'll see it: breathtaking drone shots of aerial landscapes. That's because drone imagery is fast becoming one of the most inventive photography disciplines around.
For this reason, the Siena Drone Photo Awards were set up to celebrate the best in aerial photography. The shortlist for this year's competition has just been announced and features the best images from categories including wildlife, people and urban settings.
The winners of this year's competition will be revealed at the opening ceremony of the Siena Awards 2024 on 28 September.
Here are our favourites from this year's nominations.
Abstract category
An aerial view of nature's artistry in Iceland's highlands. Grooves, rivers, and vegetation converge to form a tree-like pattern, showcasing nature's creativity as it paints an intricate artwork against the rugged Icelandic landscape. Photo By Isabella Tabacchi/Siena Photo AwardsOn Icelandic beaches, the sand turns black due to the erosion of lava remnants. The contrast between the white foam and the black sand creates stunning compositions. Photo By Ignacio Medem/Siena Photo AwardsThe Banni buffalo, unlike other common breeds, can tolerate water scarcity, and harsh climatic conditions, and survive on scanty patches of grass and shrubs. They are commonly found in places like Kutch, Gujarat, India. Here, they create abstract patterns in the salt marshes of one of the largest salt deserts in the world. Photo By Raj Mohan/Siena Photo AwardsAn aerial view of a flock of gulls photographed in Doha Bay, Kuwait, using a slow shutter speed. Photo By Mohd Khorshid/Siena Photo AwardsCaptured during the 2023 volcanic eruption of Fagradalsfjall at Litli-Hrútur in Iceland, this lava outbreak formed the image of a dragon, which was only visible when looking straight down onto the lava field. Photo By Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove/Siena Photo Awards
Urban category
Captured after months of meticulous planning and waiting for the perfect weather conditions, this shot showcases Europe's tallest skyscraper – Lakhta Center, Russia. This is the view from the highest vantage point achievable with the drone. Photo By Yuriy Stolypin/Siena Photo AwardsGuiyang City, located in Guizhou Province, China, is expertly captured in this night-time image. Its urban landscape boasts numerous towering buildings and elevated bridges that seamlessly integrate with the surrounding mountainous terrain. Photo By Xu Zhang/Siena Photo AwardsThe Qiantang River carves out large, tree-like ravines on the mudflat, while the Jiashao Bridge extends into the East China Sea, resembling a Chinese dragon in the ocean. Photo By Sheng Jiang/Siena Photo AwardsThe village of Kargapazari in the Bingol province of Turkey is blanketed with a layer of white snow during the intense winter season. From an aerial drone perspective, the village resembles an abstract painting. Photo By Huseyin Karahan/Siena Photo AwardsA neighbourhood of Irpin, Ukraine, lies in ruins after a Russian bombardment on 7 May 2022. Residents have lost lives, homes, communities and personal belongings. Photo By Carol Guzy/Siena Photo Awards
People category
Cranberries are a fruit native to Massachusetts, USA. Numerous cranberry bogs dot the landscape across the state's southeastern region. The image here shows an annual fall harvest. Photo By Brad Weiner/Siena Photo AwardsSailors from an icebreaker swim in the frozen Baltic Sea. The icebreaker stopped in the middle of the sea, allowing the photographer to stop and take this image. Photo By Gilad Topaz/Siena Photo AwardsOn the 78th anniversary of Plaza México, more than 42,000 people witness the final minute of a bullfight. Located in the heart of Mexico City, Plaza México is the largest bullring in the world. Photo By Roberto Hernandez/Siena Photo Awards
Nature category
Large flocks of flamingos dance above the mesmerizing green water surface of a lake in Kenya. Photo By Silke Hullmann/Siena Photo AwardsA geothermal pool in the highlands of Iceland resembles a dragon's eye. Photo By Miki Spitzer/Siena Photo AwardsThis amazing aerial image demonstrates the amazing natural beauty of the Icelandic landscape. Photo By Brynjar Agustsson/Siena Photo AwardsThe Fagradalsfjall Volcano, Iceland, emits its final bursts of activity, after days of eruptions. Photo By Daniel Vine Garcia/Siena Photo Awards
The unique and captivating geological formations of Factory Butte, Utah, USA. The low light in this image highlights the amazing texture of the rock surface. Photo By Xiaoying Shi/Siena Photo Awards
Animals category
Lesser flamingos, with their flight capability, occasionally assemble in immense numbers to take advantage of ideal feeding conditions at certain soda lakes. This image captures just a fraction of the over one million birds that flocked to Lake Logipi, Kenya, for several weeks. Photo By Paul McKenzie/Siena Photo AwardsA massive sperm whale lies stranded on the shores of Perth, Australia. A tiger shark floats just above in this delicate and haunting image. Photo By Toby Nicol/Siena Photo AwardsAs the sun set over the mountain slope of the Arctic, a male and female polar bear lay together, having just completed their courtship ritual. In this tender and intimate moment, they soon fell asleep, exhausted but content in each other's company. Photo By Florian Ledoux/Siena Photo AwardsDuring the migration season, a flock of flamingos passed through Kuwait. The movement of these elegant birds was monitored over a week, during which several pictures were captured showcasing the majestic formations of the flying swarms. Photo By Mohammad Alqattan/Siena Photo AwardsWhite pelicans gather in the wetland 'Estero el Soldado' in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. This wetland is a natural protected area that hosts numerous migrating birds, with the white pelicans standing out prominently against the dark-sedimented waters. Photo By Guillermo Soberon/Siena Photo Awards
Sport category
Abdul Jabbar's Boli Khela, a century-old traditional wrestling competition in Chittagong, Bangladesh, draws thousands of eager spectators annually. Photo By Sanchayan Chowdhury/Siena Photo AwardsCaptured in 2023 during the Polish Bieg Piastów Worldloppet competition 'The Night Twelve', where competitors were required to wear headlamps. The colourful ski lights resemble Christmas tree lights, while the advertising balloons look like Christmas baubles. Photo By Daniel Koszela/Siena Photo AwardsSkater Alex shows off his skills in a deserted skate park in Spain. Photo By Alex Berasategi/Siena Photo AwardsThis image captures the raw energy and thrilling drama of a bustling surf day at Pipeline, on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii, USA. Aerial perspective reveals surfers engaging with the ocean's might, as colossal waves crest and fold with tremendous force. Photo By Matt Dusig/Siena Photo Awards
James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine. He has worked on the magazine and website for over a decade, telling compelling science stories through the use of striking imagery. He holds a degree in Fine Art, and has been nominated for the British Society of Magazine Editors Talent Awards, being highly commended in 2020. His main areas of interest include photography that highlights positive technology and the natural world. For many years he was a judge for the Wellcome Trust's image competition, as well as judging for the Royal Photographic Society.
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