The Best Shots From the 2026 Aerial Photographer of the Year Contest

The best aerial photography reminds us that we don’t have to go all the way to space to experience a small helping of the overview effect. The 2026 Aerial Photographer of the Year contest celebrates the best photos taken from the air; here are a few of my favorites:

Photo credits:

1. Paweł Jagiełło, Ak-Say Canyon, Kyrgyzstan.
2. Azim Khan Ronnie, a rowing team in Switzerland.
3. Chin Leong Teo, the Park Royal Hotel, Singapore.
4. Azim Khan Ronnie, workers harvesting/drying red chili peppers, Bangladesh.
5. Savadmon Avalachamveettil, the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage crowd, India.
6. Marcin Zając, Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco.
7. Chin Leong Teo, crosswalk in Tokyo.
8. Daniel Viñé Garcia, Cono de Arita, Argentina.

You can see more photos from the winning photographers at the contest’s website, Colossal, PetaPixel, and DIY Photography. (via colossal)

• best of
• best of 2026
• drones
• photography