Coronavirus and the lockdown bringing you down?
We assure you the next 20 images will take you to heights you have never experienced before.
These are the entries to a contest called #Aerial2020 run by photo app Agora. It asked photographers around the globe to send in their best bird's-eye shots.
In total, 9,018 photos were submitted, with the competition judges whittling them down to 50 finalists.
Scroll down to feast your eyes on the amazing shots and the winning image is the first one.
A magic morning in the Netherlands
I was waiting for a long time to capture this typical Dutch scene with low fog. And finally, on the May 10, the weather forecast looked perfect: no wind and low night temperatures are the ideal ingredients for low fog. My alarm went off at 4:00 am to drive to the Zaanse Schans; when I got there the fog was everywhere except around the windmills. I decided to check first some other spots, after 1 hour I came back and wow! The wind had turned and blown the fog in the direction of the windmills. I had only 50% battery left on my drone and took off to find a unique angle to capture this place. When I looked on my phone to see the drone view it was like a dream! Photograph: @by_ewold/Agora Photos
Wind farm
See the sailboat for scale! Photograph: @henrydo/Agora Photos
Globos
Air balloons dot the clouds in Spain. Photograph: @sance/Agora Photos
Floating in the air!
This is a cable car ride inside Zhangjiajie National Park. Within the park, there are altogether more than 8,000 cliff mountains, towering into the sky. During our ride, it was a misty/cloudy morning which is why this scenery looks even more mysterious. We couldn't believe our eyes when we raise above the clouds and this view appeared. Photograph: @sjoerdbracke/Agora Photos
Desert sunset
On this ancient rock formation, you can see how the drought slowly scraped out these patterns and structures. Imagine the time that has been needed to create this. Layer by layer... that's just mind-boggling. You'd expect that this is a huge mountain range, but look at the green trees for scale reference. Photograph: @johandroneadventures/Agora Photos
The Eye of Sarumon
Aligning the sun and the building gives a Lord of The Rings vibe. This is one of the most iconic buildings in Hong Kong, and it looks spectacular at sunset. This is the building that Batman leaped off from in The Dark Knight, and has become a recognizable point of interest for this reason. Photograph: @blairsugarman1/Agora Photos
Like chess
I have always dreamed about seeing the famous architecture of Barcelona and its symmetrical neighborhoods. Over the years I've seen a lot of aerial photos of the city, so I thought I had an idea of what was awaiting me, but when I flew my drone to see it for myself it just caught my breath. Barcelona is truly an amazing place that is unlike anywhere else. Photograph: @mikhail_derevyanov/Agora Photos
The dreamscape
A city without clouds is like a musical without music. I captured this shot during the sea of clouds season which only happens once a year. One has to wake up super early and keep monitoring the latest weather forecasts for a chance to capture such low clouds floating through the city. Hong Kong is like a magical dream: I want to show the world that this city is not just a cold concrete forest, but a city with a warm, beautiful soul. Photograph: @jsrpixel/Agora Photos
Lost in the city
This is one of the weirdest sceneries I've ever imagined. Yes, it is a shopping center, but from above it looks like a boat in the middle of countless identical residential blocks. Photograph: @poletaev.photo/Agora Photos
Crazy road
A winding road in Tianmen Mountain, China. Photograph: @rakia10/Agora Photos
The road back home
I wanted to convey some nostalgia, mystery and of course the grandeur of mother nature. Look at how small the car is in front of the beauty of our Mother Earth. Photograph: @odysseaschloridis/Agora Photos
Pindi Bypass
The Pindi Bypass in Pakistan. Photograph: @talhaarshad124/Agora Photos
Rice paradise
I had to wake up at 5.30 am to take this shot. The early morning light bathing the rice terraces with the 2 volcanoes in the background made my day. Photograph: @carlesalonsophotography/Agora Photos
Magical mood
One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen: it was a cold sunrise, but certainly worth it. On top of the rock, you can see a church overlooking the village of 70 residents. The strongest tides in Europe rule here, with the water going back kilometres. Photograph: @arnold_maisner_photo/Agora Photos
Warm summer evening in Budapest
A charming aerial shot of Budapest on a warm summer evening. Photograph: @jprphotos/Agora Photos
Chasing waves
An amazing shot of a surfer riding the waves in Perth, Australia. Photograph: @blakehobson/Agora Photos
Early morning trip
I went for an early morning trip to the Pyramid of Austerlitz to capture the scenery with my drone. Photograph: @markcure/Agora Photos
Who doesn’t love train trips?
After spending 3 hours in this place, I’ve managed to capture the train passing the viaduct. It is one of my favourite places to shot breathtaking moments, it makes me reflect on the journey of life. Photograph:@andreieye/Agora Photos
Overcrowded
This is a public beach next to a five stars hotel. The hotel had its own private beach right next to it, which was empty. I was initially interested in capturing that contrast. The crowd density was so high, I had to gain quite a lot of altitude to make it fit in the frame. At that point, those indistinguishable people started to create a pattern that I found even more powerful and fascinating. Photograph:@will_tm/Agora Photos
World’s best airport
Changi airport in Singapore. Photograph: @jordisark/Agora Photos
