The world's most spectacular views from above are showcased in these award winning images from the 2026 International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition.
Selected from 1 587 entries submitted by professional and amateur photographers worldwide, the 2026 International Aerial Photographer of the Year competition celebrates the creativity, technical skill and storytelling power of aerial photography.
Here we bring you a selection of some of the best images recognised by the judges.
A gathering of Warkaris during Maharashtra’s Wari pilgrimage forms a circular pattern around the central palkhi carrying sacred padukas. Dressed in white, devotees sit in rows, creating a powerful visual. Picture: Sanghamitra Sarkar/International Aerial Photographer of the YearThe Golden Gate Bridge framed by its own iconic steel and suspension cables, overlooking the San Francisco Bay at dawn. Picture: Marcin Zajac/International Aerial Photographer of the YearPhotographer Fabio Pappalettera explains: “I was riding in North East Italy and catching some stills of a wonderful white horse, when suddenly he rolled over to scratch his back, raising the dust – and I froze this epic moment forever!” Picture: Fabio Pappalettera/International Aerial Photographer of the YearTaken from a helicopter in the Namib Desert, Namibia. Shot in the late afternoon, a single oryx is seen walking on the dunes. Picture: Zhengze Xu/International Aerial Photographer of the YearA polar bear balances on the edge of an iceberg in East Greenland, using the height to scan the sea ice and test the wind. Picture: Rhiannon Lawler/International Aerial Photographer of the YearThis is a unique basketball court in Kharkiv, Ukraine. While constructing the court designers came up with the decision not to remove this big oak tree in respect for nature. Picture: Kateryna Polishchuk/International Aerial Photographer of the YearThe Park Royal on Pickering Road in Singapore. This photograph forms part of a portfolio that won Chin Leong Teo the second place award. Picture: Chin Leong Teo/International Aerial Photographer of the YearAt sunset in Cappadocia, Yilki horses surge across the dusty plateau. These horses are raised by villagers and later released to roam free. Picture: Kah-Wai Lin/International Aerial Photographer of the YearSalt Works Walvis Bay, Namibia. Photographer Barbara Brown won third place for her portfolio, which included this image. Picture: Barbara Brown/International Aerial Photographer of the YearAn aerial panorama of Iceland, with a gentle rainbow arching across the sky, casting soft hues over dark slopes and deep-blue waters, and a lone road winding toward distant shores. Picture: Abhijeet Sawant/International Aerial Photographer of the YearView of Cono de Arita at sunset, Puna de Atacama, Argentina. The perfectly shaped volcanic cone casts a long, geometric shadow across the vast salt flat, as light reveals its radial textures and the stark solitude of the high-altitude desert. Picture: Daniel Vine Garcia/International Aerial Photographer of the Year
