Above the Horizon: 2024 International Aerial Photographer of the Year Winners Revealed
Ever scroll past a skyline shot and feel your stomach drop? The 2024 International Aerial Photographer of the Year Competition just leveled up your feed with gravity-defying images that blur the line between art and altitude. The global contest, run by the aptly named International Aerial Photographer of the Year (IAPY) organization, closed submissions in April and unveiled its winners in early June, and trust me, these are the shots you’ll be double-tapping for.
Let’s keep it breezy: the grand prize went to “Ethereal Iceberg Labyrinth” by Finnish lens maestro Elina Korhonen, who captured the Arctic’s fractured ice floes in an otherworldly turquoise haze. According to IAPY judge and National Geographic contributor Mark Jenkins, “This image redefines what aerial photography can convey—fragility and grandeur in one frame.” Korhonen’s shot stood out among more than 3,000 entries from 96 countries, so yeah, that’s no small feat (IAPY Official Website, New York Post).
Runner-up honors landed with “Concrete Jungle Pulse,” a dizzying drone perspective of Mumbai’s chaotic street grid by Indian photographer Aarav Mehta. The panel praised how Mehta’s high-altitude vantage turns urban sprawl into an abstract tapestry, a reminder that our cities look like living organisms from above. In another nod to variety, nature didn’t take a back seat: American photojournalist Sofia Martinez snagged the nature category win with “Elephant Exodus,” a haunting shot of a dusty herd cutting through Kenya’s Amboseli Reserve at dawn.
Drone enthusiasts, rejoice: the new Drone Discovery Award spotlighted the work of Chinese artist Li Wei, whose “Neon River” series beams neon-lit barges gliding down Shanghai’s Huangpu River in a rain-slicked nightscape. “Li Wei’s composition is pure poetry in motion,” noted judge and aerial guru Tony Deep (New York Post, IAPY Official Website).
Open category finalists also included Spain’s Carlos Ruiz with “Volcanic Veins,” a molten-lava vista from Guatemala’s Fuego volcano, and South Africa’s Thandiwe Nkosi, whose “Desert Canvas” frames Namibia’s sand dunes as rippling golden ribbons. Collectively, these winners show how aerial photography has evolved from mere documentation to immersive storytelling—each frame bursting with context, color, and climbs that leave you breathless.
Curious about the full gallery? Head over to the IAPY website for high-res downloads and artist interviews. And if you’re plotting your own aerial adventure, take note: submissions for the 2025 contest open this fall.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and International Aerial Photographer of the Year Official Website
New York Post slideshow page
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
