Humpback whales can travel up to 5,000 miles on migrations. During these long-distance journeys, the majestic sea creatures can even give birth. Sometimes, they just make a new friend or two.
Photographer Craig Parry captured an interspecies swim with his camera, documenting a truly awe-inspiring moment from above. The image (seen above) shows a humpback whale swimming behind two bottlenose dolphins off the coast of Australia during the whale’s northern migration. The photo earned commended honors in the Wildlife category of the 2025 Drone Photo Awards.
Under the polar cold, the leopard seal patiently observes. When the penguins dive into the sea, the seal attacks them, guided by its instinct for survival in the vast and hostile Antarctic landscape.
Location: The Antarctic
Credit: Felipe Molina / Drone Photo Awards
The Drone Photo Awards honor the beauty of our planet seen from above. Winners are awarded across nine categories: Urban, Wildlife, Sport, People, Nature, Abstract, Wedding, Series, and Video. Photo of the Year honors went to Dennis Schmelz for his image (seen below) of an ethereal rocky outcropping in Cappadocia, Turkey.
While the awards use drone in the name, organizers welcome aerial images and videos captured through other means, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons, blimps, dirigibles, rockets, kites, and parachutes. Visit the Drone Photo Awards to see all the winners.
During the magic of blue hour, a lone rider stands atop a rocky outcropping in the heart of Cappadocia. Taken on the very first evening during Dennis’ winter trip, this photo showcases the beauty and mystery of Cappadocia in all its glory. Using his drone, Dennis managed to find a unique and breathtaking perspective that had never been captured before in this often-photographed landscape.
Location: Cappadocia (Turkey)
Credit: Dennis Schmelz / Drone Photo Awards
Sheep returning from summer pasture in the Aletsch Glacier are herded down a footpath that was blasted out of a sheer canyon wall after the glacier retreated in the mid-20th century. Prior to that, they could access the high summer pasture by walking across the ice that once filled the canyon.
Location: Valais (Switzerland)
Credit: George Steinmetz / Drone Photo Awards
The documentary ‘Collision’ by Ocean Souls Films explores vessel strikes, the leading cause of death for large cetaceans. It is difficult to comprehend why more effective measures are not taken to avoid strikes. This young Southern Right whale was struck in the head by a fishing vessel.
Credit: Philip Hamilton / Drone Photo Awards (Photo under government permit.)
Flying the drone along the remote North West coastline, Matt spotted the spectral shape of a critically endangered Green Sawfish emerge from the cloudy water and swim through a group of sea turtles, before disappearing back into the depths of the tidal lagoon.
Location: Western Australia
Credit: Matt Deakin / Drone Photo Awards
The Cono de Arita, in Northern Argentina, is a unique geological formation. The photo was shot at sunset in La Puna region, which is a very remote area with beautiful desert and volcanic landscapes. The image offers a sense of isolation and quiet.
Location: La Puna (Argentina)
Credit: Ignacio Palacios / Drone Photo Awards
In the stillness of desert winter, a lone camel traverses the dunes of Abraq al-Azzaf, southeast of Al-Hanakiyah in Saudi Arabia—where white sands ripple like frozen waves beneath a muted sky.
Location: Al-Hanakiyah (Saudi Arabia)
Credit: Ibrahim Sarhan / Drone Photo Awards
A male polar bear just dived into a hole he had dug to access a seal lair where they give birth. The seal lairs are a better shelter for the pup, but the bears are extremely talented at finding them below the thick ice.
Location: Svalbard East Coast
Credit: Florian Ledoux / Drone Photo Awards
An aerial view of two massive icebergs floating in deep blue Arctic waters deep within Greenland’s massive fjords, with their submerged portions glowing turquoise beneath the surface. A small sailboat in the distance adds scale and serenity to this striking polar seascape.
Location: Greenland
Credit: Thorarinn Jonsson / Drone Photo Awards
This is not merely an image of natural beauty; it is a visual statement. The eagle’s shadow does not simply fall on the ground—it marks it, confronts it. A silent environmental message emerges: no matter how high life flies, it remains tethered to the earth beneath.
Location: Al Jahra Nature Reserve (Kuwait)
Credit: Mahdi Gholoum
Most herons gather in wooded areas to nest, forming what’s known as a ‘heronry.’ Scientific studies have indicated that this kind of congregated breeding behavior allows the birds to receive better protection. At the same time, they can also increase their chances of finding the most abundant feeding areas.
Location: Zhuhai (China)
Credit: Su Fu Sou / Drone Photo Awards
Aerial view of Hraunfossar waterfalls, where turquoise waters contrast with the first snowfall of the season. The golden hues of autumn linger on the riverbanks, creating a stunning interplay of colors in Iceland’s ever-changing landscape.
Location: Hraunfossar Waterfalls (Iceland)
Credit: Ivan Pedretti / Drone Photo Awards
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