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Without wings, we humble humans mostly view the world from the ground. If you’ve flown in an airplane or braved a skyscraper, you know the world looks quite different from above.

The second annual Aerial Photographer of the Year Awards give us the feeling of flight with spectacular images of Earth shot high above our humble planet. Azim Khan Ronnie earned top honors for a portfolio of work (see image below) shot using the DJI Mavic 4 Pro and DJI Mavic 3 Classic drones.

“From above, everyday scenes reveal patterns, geometry, textures and relationships that are often invisible from the ground,” Khan said. “Aerial photography allows me to tell stories about people, nature and the environment from a perspective that inspires curiosity and offers a deeper understanding of the world.”

Vitaly Golovatyuk took home first place for Aerial Photograph of the Year (awarded for a single image) for his photograph (see below) taken at Elk Park, outside Dongtai City in Zhejiang Province, China. “After several days exploring the area during sunrise and sunset, I photographed this bird on a tiny lake surrounded by red grass,” Golovatyuk said. “The clarity of the sky’s reflection creates a striking illusion, as if the bird is suspended weightlessly in the air.”