January 24, 2016 – SkyPixel, the world’s most popular aerial photography community run in cooperation with DJI, has concluded a two-month global competition by selecting a series of beautiful and breathtaking aerial images as the top drone photographs of 2016.
The 2016 SkyPixel Photo of the Year went to “Fishermen close the net,” pictured here. The image by Ge Zheng was shot in Fujian Province in China, in which reflections, colors and the unique aerial perspective create a startling composition from netting, poles and water. SkyPixel’s blue-ribbon judging panel selected his photo and other category winners from over 27,000 entries submitted from 131 countries.
The winning photos were selected by a jury of established photojournalists from TIME and Condé Nast Traveler, along with a host of prize-winning photographers and popular travel photographers.
For his winning entry, Zheng will receive a DJI Inspire 2 drone, a DJI Mavic Pro drone, Epson Moverio BT-300 smart glasses, Epson SureColor P400 Wide Format Photo Printer and an Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan (1-year membership).
In addition to the grand prize, SkyPixel picked first-, second- and third-place selections in three different categories – “beauty,” “360” and “drones in use.” Professional and enthusiast entries were judged separately. The image to the right was a second prize winner in the “Enthusiast 360” category – the panorama of skyline and lights is a stunning exhibition of what drones can do. The SkyPixel competition also awarded prizes to photos designated as “most popular”; winners for the Popular Prize were chosen by the number of “likes” they received on SkyPixel. SkyPixel collaborated on the 2016 competition with prizes sponsored by DJI, Epson, Adobe, Insta360 and Ctrip and media partners TIME, Condé Nast Traveler and FStoppers.
SkyPixel was founded in 2014 and has become a leading global community for aerial photographers and videographers. In addition, SkyPixel also promotes the growth of the aerial community, with an educational section featuring key experts of aerial imaging who provide tips on how to produce the best aerial photography.
See all of the winning images at SkyPixel.com.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife here.