AERIAL 2021: TOP 20
A new category for 2021, in Aerial we wanted to see the best images captured from above. Encompassing images taken via drone, aircraft or simply from a high location, the judges were looking for imagery that stepped beyond the ordinary and presented a view of the world only a lucky few ever get to experience.
WINNER, AERIAL CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
HEATHER MCNEICE, 'SHARK BAY FROM ABOVE'
Born in Northern Ireland, Heather McNeice has called the Sunshine Coast home since 2006. Her award-winning images in her series Shark Bay from Above were taken from a fixed wing plane over the Shark Bay World Heritage site in Western Australia in May 2021, and remarkably, were captured on just her second attempt at aerial photography.
“Luckily, the only available slot was in the late afternoon, with the sun low in the sky. The light was perfect, with the setting sun casting an orange glow over the sand hills, enhancing the contrast with the aqua blues along the Coral Coast,” she says.
“As an aerial photography novice, I encountered a few challenges: the strength of the wind, having to lean out (but not too far) to avoid including the plane’s wheels and doorframe, as well as grappling with the vertical and horizontal movement of the Cessna.
When putting together a portfolio from this shoot, I based my selection on synergy of textures, colours and the flowing lines of the natural landscape to try to create a cohesive set of abstract images.”
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Petra Leary: Heather's work stood out as both a very well thought out and collated collection. The selection of photos capture the colours and abstract formations of Shark Bay perfectly, and also bring a new perspective to a location we've seen photographed many times before. The composition of each image is eye-catching, and the use of the low sun to highlight the ridges and hills, while still not losing the details of the water, makes for a perfectly balanced series.
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RUNNER UP, AERIAL CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
ALEX HAM, 'COLOURS OF THE PILBARA'
Perth-based landscape photographer Alex Ham is no stranger to Photographer of the Year – he won the Photo of the Year category in 2019 with an aerial image, which is a genre of photography he's continued to pursue in the years since.
“I’m always amazed at the way recognisable features on the micro scale can be projected on a scale massive enough to be seen from the air,” he says.
“Thousands of feet in the air is a very different perspective to view the landscape from, so I use this to search for abstract compositions that leave the viewer to interpret the scene for themselves, question the reality of what is being presented, and search for context in their own experiences.
There are a few iconic aspects of Western Australia that resonate with me when I look at the landscape from the air. Not least of these are the red dirt of the iron rich landscape and the turquoise of the clear water, and these images taken from around 2000ft feel to me like they could have only been taken in WA.
I wanted to present the rich colours but also capture the gentle curves nature creates, only contrasting with the straight lines indicative of human presence in one image. I also like the fact that I can see at least three animal shapes within the images, which is the fascinating effect that comes from the brains desire to create meaning from abstract randomness.”
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Petra Leary: I love the use of both natural and manmade divisions in the landscapes, and the high contrast, beautifully balanced and framed shots. The harsher shadows give the images great depth and a real feeling of the climate of Western Australia. At the same time, the photos could all easily standalone, but work very cohesively as a set.
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TOP 20 FINISHERS, AERIAL CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
3. Photo © Jim Ogilvie. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
4. Photo © Prithvi Bhattacharya. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
5. Photo © Heather Rose. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
6. Photo © Sebastien Bachellereau. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
7. Photo © Amanda Manning. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
8. Photo © Prithvi Bhattacharya. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
9. Photo © Steven Manolakis. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
10. Photo © Annette Kirby. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
11. Photo © Christine Bairstow. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
12. Photo © David Munro. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
13. Photo © Alexandria Hammer. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
14. Photo © Nilmini De Silva. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
15. Photo © Aaron Green. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
16. Photo © Brian Kinson. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
17. Photo © Chris Hawkins. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
18. Photo © Alexandria Hammer. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
19. Photo © Julie Kenny. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
20. Photo © Jessica Wiseman. Aerial Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.