Dronestagram and National Geographic Select 2016’s Best Photography

If you’re into aerial photography, you may have come across a website called Dronestagram. “Website” doesn’t quite do it justice actually. Dronestagram is a social media site dedicated to drone photography; it’s a place where like-minded pilots can view, share, and be inspired by each others’ work. For the past three years, the powers that be at Dronestagram have been running an annual photography contest. As you can imagine, the site receives an incredible array of photos from all around the world…

This year, editors from National Geographic, who know a thing or two about photography, helped to pick out the best entries from thousands of participants. The aerial photography was judged across three categories. Travel, Adventure-Sports, and Nature-Wildlife. A top three in each category was decided.

Speaking to Gizmag, Guillaume Jarret, co-founder of Dronestagram described the judging process. “For each photo reviewed, we always tried to keep in mind: What makes a great drone photo?” he said. “A good drone photo is a picture that you immediately identify as a drone photo; it is taken at a low altitude, near the target of the picture, and you must see on the picture that it is impossible it has been taken with any other device than a drone.”

This idea of images that can only be captured from above is perhaps what lies at the centre of the aerial photography craze. Drones offer a truly unique perspective, a point emphasised by the nine winning entries out of more than 6,000 that Dronestagram received.

Anyway, enough of all that. Time to enjoy nine of the best aerial shots you’re likely to see.

The Nature Category

Kalbyris Forest in Denmark, the first-place winner in the Nature category (Credit: Michael B Rasmussen)

A herd of sheep in central Romania, the second-place winner in the Nature category (Credit: Dronestagram user tehdon)

Piton de la Fournaise Volcano on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, the third-place winner in the Nature category (Credit: Dronestagram user DroneCopters)

The Adventure Category

A lone skier in the Chugach Mountain Range in Alaska, the third-place winner in the Sports/Adventure category (Credit: Dronestagram user High Angle Shot)

A group of young swimmers preparing for a competition in Cúcuta, Columbia, the second-place winner in the Sports/Adventure category (Credit: Dronsestagram user losmanesdeldrone)

A climber in Moab, Utah, the first-place winner in the Sports/Adventure category (Credit: Dronestagram user maxseigal)

The Travel Category

The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in in Umbria, Italy, the first-place winner in the Travel category (Credit: Francesco Cattuto)

A caravan of camels casting long shadows across Cable Beach in Western Australia, the second-place winner in the Travel category (Credit: Todd Kennedy)

Vacationers relaxing on the beach on Grand Canary Island, the third-place winner in the Travel category (Credit: Karolis Janulis)