Wildlife / Animals nominee

A flock of birds above black wastewater from nearby mining operations. This is the part of the Czech Republic that often gets the adjective “ugly”. You wouldn’t just visit. Yet, when we raise our head.. perhaps a bit higher than normally, using the drone.. we start seeing the beauty and its angels in a sense which would otherwise be hidden to us.

I use drone photography to reveal the unfamiliar within the familiar, questioning common meanings and interpretations. I choose the aerial perspective to show that exotic worlds exist right under our feet; we just need to give ourselves permission - more important than the drone itself - to look at our surroundings differently. My work is about finding the hidden beauty and rhythms around us, inviting people to see the world in a richer, unknown depth. My photos are merely the start of the journey; the viewer's own visual expedition follows.

I’m a 2022 Minimalist Aerial Photographer of the Year and recipient of 1st place awards from ND, IPA, the Royal Geographical Society and Czech Nature Photo. I was featured in National Geographic (2024) and exhibited internationally, including solo shows in Athens and the Czech Republic.