Is this a drone shot of glaciers or an abstract painting? We’re stumped, and in the best way. The way the photo is composed makes it seem like glaciers dance in veils of vapor and smoke. As if they’re taking a deep breath, exhaling centuries of memory into the open sky.
Stunning and also a bit heartbreaking given how fragile our glaciers are. These magnificent icy sentinels are disappearing rapidly each year, and with it, a vital part of the earth’s story. Pretty soon, all we might be left with are memories, wispy and fleeting the way this glacier already appears in this image.
Winterscapes in Norway
The Land of The Midnight Sun never disappoints. How can it with a moniker like that? Whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights or exploring fjords, Norway is a drone photographer’s paradise. This image captures the country’s stunning Lofoten Islands in winter. Snow-capped mountains, ice, and the sky form a picturesque backdrop.
You might not see it at first but in the distance lies the quaint fishing village of Reine, known to most people on this side of the hemisphere as “the most beautiful place in the world.” What makes this image stunning is how it captures the hush of winter. Life brims beneath the surface still, even though there’s nothing visibly going on.
Maternal Giants of the Deep
Sighting a humpback whale is probably on most people’s bucket list. Spotting one with a young calf swimming on its back? That would make anyone’s life feel redeemed – as if one could die tomorrow peacefully with no regrets. If a photograph can evoke such emotion, imagine witnessing this in real life.
The bond between mother whales and their calves is legendary, and humpback whales especially so! Calves swim closely alongside their mothers, especially in the early stages of their life. It’s a way to feed on delicious, nutritious fat from mom while staying safe from predators such as killer whales. Mother and calf stay together for about a year until the calf is weaned.
Gazing Into the Heart of the Earth
We're glad for this aerial view because can you imagine walking through forests and not knowing there’s a giant gaping hole ahead? This here is what they call a doline – a kind of funnel-shaped depression in the ground. But geographical terms just don’t cut it for this chasm that seems to go into the depths of the earth.
The doline is reportedly 666 meters deep and located at Xiaozhai village in Chongqing, China. This breathtaking chasm is one of the world’s largest sinkholes. We have so many questions. What lies beneath? Where does it go? Somehow we're torn between wanting to rappel down and wanting to continue being alive.
Perspective Is Everything
A drone shot of a boat-shaped bridge with a boat sailing past underneath? That’s quite meta! What we especially love is how the picture draws you in bit by bit, unveiling things as you go. At first glance, it seemed as if we were looking at a boat to begin with; a big yellow boat cruising calmly through the waters.
Such is the clever play on perspective. But a second glance reveals cars. Is this boat a ferry? Seems rather fancy for a ferry. Peer into the photo even more and that’s when you see a small boat zipping past. Layer upon layer of revelations. All in all, what a stunning shot! The view really is better from above.