solidified lava in Sicily, Italy
a hot air balloon over Cappadocia, Turkey
Cheia Road in Transylvania
migrating birds in California
a purple harvest in Saint-Julien-d'Asse, France
kids train surfing in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Picture from The Zenith in Busan, South Korea
Cádiz streets in Spain
lantern festival in Jujing, China
a scenic fall drive in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire
textiles in Rajasthan, India
nature view in Hong Kong
a marketplace in Bogotá, Colombia
green onion farm in Majalengka, Indonesia
a medina in Chefchaouene, Morocco
a glacial river in Iceland
a salt lake in Death Valley
Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong
Shiprock, New Mexico
salt miners in the Afar Region of Ethiopia
Chichibu City, Japan
houses in Al Buraymi, Oman
prayer at a mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh
waterfall in Kaldalon Valley, Iceland
flamingos flying across Southern Spain
a bridge crossing the Tianshan Mountains in Shihezi, China
Washington Park in Dubuque, Iowa
La Crosse, Washington
a red umbrella on a beach in South Ari Atoll, Maldives
a market boat floating in Bangkok, Thailand
picnics in Singapore
a man crossing the Baral River in Nātor, Bangladesh
Mount Bromo, Indonesia
Burj Khalifa view in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
a fishery in Nemuro, Japan
snowcapped Schluderns, Italy
Christmas in Zagreb, Croatia
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Rockefeller Center, New York City
a library in Stuttgart, Germany
seals chilling on the arctic beach, Iceland
1 of 41
Sicily, Italy"I shot this picture in Sicily, with my drone. Those waves of lava are from Etna's big eruption back in 2002, this eruption was so spectacular that was recorded by Lucasfilm and integrated into the landscape of the planet Mustafar in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III"
Photograph by Placido Faranda, National Geographic Your Shot

41 Breathtaking Views From Above

Experience a bird's-eye perspective of places around the world from the 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.

ByNational Geographic Staff
June 26, 2017

Humans always dreamed of flying. Thanks to the Wright Brothers, we're able to hop from one destination to the next in just a few hours. People take to the air to learn about new cultures and travel to unexplored places all over the world. Photographers always look for new perspectives. Without flight, we wouldn't be able to see the world's full picture.

The 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest featured submissions with amazing aerial views—from scenic streets in New Hampshire to city lights in China. Take a look at some of our editors' favorites and get read to join the next competition.

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