There’s something so beautiful about gazing at brightly colored oranges sticking out through lush green trees…that is, it’s beautiful until you realize that one orange is gazing back!

It could be some cute kid’s idea of art, or could it be a secretly hidden camera that wants you to get close enough for perfect facial recognition? No, it couldn’t be. But seeing these orange eyes might make people think twice about picking the orange…

In this small crevice that very few people will ever walk by lives this stucco man, who looks like he’s on the run – but ironically can’t move at all. At a glance, the shadow does not look friendly.

But once you realize that this little guy is stationary and not about to jump on you and ask for your wallet, the relief is that much sweeter. It’s unexpected art like this that makes us believe in the good in the world.

Few people can resist the lure of delicious McDonald’s, offering satisfaction for no effort at unbeatable prices (can anyone say “Value Menu”?) No doubt this beverage was a large, refreshing cola for just $1.

But with so little work to prepare and consume it…would it really have been so hard to just get the empty cup to the trash can afterwards? Apparently it was, for one person who left the cup inside a wall they were working on – for years to come.

Little green clovers have been a popular symbol of luck for a long time. They naturally grow with three leaves, but the occasional four-leaf clover is believed to make its finder extremely lucky.

But no one’s ever heard of a five or six-leaf clover…which made this seven-leaf clover a completely unexpected find! We’d certainly go into the rest of our lives feeling like luck is on our side if we found one of these gems.

The battle between parents, kids, and a daily dose of vegetables has been raging on since the beginning of time. Many children prefer unhealthy foods because they taste so much better, and have a stubborn streak to boot.

But if parents won’t back down, kids might resort to extreme measures to get away with skipping their veggies – like hiding them in the last place you’d ever look. This was surely an unexpected and probably smelly surprise waiting for dad.

The eternal struggle of having glasses: when they’re misplaced, they’re impossible to find without having them to help you look. Going on to bake a cake without glasses probably wasn’t the brightest idea in the first place. But finding them in the cake must have been totally unexpected.

And it’s an extra good thing that they were seen before they were eaten – we shudder to think what would have happened to the person who chomped down on them…

Oh, did you think this was something out of a fairytale? Think again. This mysterious, medieval tower sits in the middle of the forest in England, surrounded by nothing but nature and making it quite an unexpected find for travelers passing through.

As romantic as it might look, it is much more haunting than happy. These types of towers were built as prisons, reserved for those who committed the most serious of crimes. Try to escape, and you’d be even less likely to survive outside than inside back then.

We live in a world where the walls that surround us are often smooth and unblemished, making it hard to imagine and easy to forget that there’s more inside of them. But when it comes time to demolish a house, there are often many surprises in store – some less pleasant than others.

This wall came with a delightfully unexpected surprise, though: somebody had left behind a mural! It could have been anything, but fortunately it was one full of carefree beauty and childlike happiness.

As far as most human experience has taught us, fish don’t just fall out of the sky. In fact, there’s even an old saying that extremely unlikely things will happen before the heavens rain fishes. But there’s one place on Earth where that’s consistently not true: the city of Yoro, Honduras.

Each year, sometimes even twice, raging storms pick the fish up out of the sea and rain them on the town. To these tourists though, it was totally unexpected.

This might look like any other beautiful curbside shop at a glance, it’s so intricate and full of detail! But after a second glance, it’s easy to see that this is a TINY version of a very realistic-looking store.

Either The Borrowers is a true story after all, or there’s an artist somewhere with lots of talent and very small hands. Whether it’s a bread, cheese or chocolate shop, we’d love to go inside and buy whatever they’re selling.

World, listen up – we’ve been lied to. The laws of physics have been broken. They told this leaf it could be anything, so it decided it wanted to be a petal. Well, it got halfway there!

This unique plant limb is half leaf, half petal. Who knows what else it can accomplish? And that goes for the rest of us, too. This leaf is more than just a piece of rare beauty – it’s a reminder to never give up on your dreams.

Mario may most popularly be a plumber, but anybody from the ’90s will remember that he also has a side gig working as a doctor – Dr Mario! The clinic might be a serious place, but it’s hard not to smile knowing that Dr Mario is watching over you…literally.

His position slightly off to the side of the front doors makes us wonder if he was put there with the clinic’s blessing, but who could take him down after that?

A smiley face is usually a welcoming sight, happy and bright and full of kindness. But it takes on a whole different personality when it’s giant and looking down on you, hiding in an unexpected place to take innocent people by surprise.

Not to mention it’s blocking the whole sky in an alleyway this tiny! We have to wonder what business it has here, taking people by surprise in a manner that might seem more frightening than friendly.

As soon as one person decided they could fit the whole world in their hands, it was only a matter of time before another had to come along and fit the world on a pole, too.

We’d love to believe nature just made this miracle possible with its mysterious and often unexpected powers, but this was more likely the work of an artist who chipped away to rusty perfection. We love its earthy, realistic feel.

If you could go decades back in time and explain to a little girl what the future would look like, what would you tell her? That’s what one person ended up asking themselves after they dug up this unexpected discovery in their backyard: a time capsule from at least a couple of decades before.

Judging by its fairytale case and beaded contents, it belonged to a little girl in the ’80s or ’90s, who’s somewhere all grown up today!

This does not compute. The old saying of a square peg trying to fit in a round hole suddenly seems less like a metaphor and much more real. Can a CD by any other shape still play as sweet? The answer is yes!

This square CD was made this way, and still plays music perfectly normally, even in a regular machine. We’re not sure if the square shape serves any real purpose, but at least this CD can still enjoy the right to be whatever shape it wants.

It’s hard to tell whether this Super Nintendo was being repurposed into a work of art, or an extra brick for wall construction. Video game art may be one of the biggest artistic frontiers today, but it seems like this particular attempt kind of missed the memo.

Either way, it’s better than throwing all that plastic away at least. Somebody should go fix her up so that people walking by can stop and enjoy a quick game!

When Reese Witherspoon was filming the tale of one women’s enlightening and often infuriating journey along the Pacific Crest Trail, the role required her to throw her hiking boot right over the edge of a cliff in a moment of serious angst.

The crew never found that shoe, but lo and behold, some other hikers did a couple of years later. The shoemakers even confirmed that it was indeed the same shoe, but really, who else’s red-laced boot would be abandoned in the middle of the wilderness?

Do you ever ask yourself why pennies even exist anymore? They’re not worth much, and with the rise of plastic over paper and coin payments, it’s rare to pull pennies out for just about anything these days. Many people wonder what to do with all the pennies they still have – but someone in the forest had the right idea.

These poor hikers might have found a penny fortune, but since they’re quite stuck in there, it looks like there’s no chance they’ll leave their unexpected discovery any richer.

Don’t we adults tell kids over and over how important it is to be prepared? Finally, there’s one kid who took that advice to heart. In case of an emergency, he’s prepared a runaway box to keep himself (and his family, we hope) safe.

The nerf weapon and monopoly money might not get him far, but at least he has the right idea for the future. Whoever gets to call him family will no doubt feel safer for it.

*

For many people, the shower is nothing short of a sacred space. Refreshingly hot water cleans the body on the outside, while a bit of privacy helps clear one’s head on the inside.

But just when this unassuming bather thought that their shower couldn’t get any better, they reached for the shampoo and grabbed a bottle…of delectable cab sav! Because is anyone ever truly relaxed without a glass of red in hand?

Norway is known for its vast uninhabited spaces filled with beautiful nature – specifically its epic fjords and densely giant forests. But what not as many people know is that its people also have a devoted love of trolls.

While stumbling upon a larger-than-life-sized troll might be unexpected to tourists, local Norwegians tend to breathe easier at the sight of their favorite creatures. They love trolls so much that they put them everywhere, but mostly in nature where it’s believed they belong.

Kids always want to eat candy, but that doesn’t mean that they always should. Moms, on the other hand, know better. Lollipops are made of 99% sugar (we’re not quite sure what the other 1% is), which promises an energy rush no one has time for.

So a lollipop can easily go unnoticed in the cupboard for too long – and the next time this mom saw this lollipop, ants had come to claim every last bit, but somehow leaving the plastic perfectly intact. So generous of them.

For some reason, the last place you’d ever expect to actually find a pearl is exactly where they actually come from: in an oyster! Oysters create pearls when their insides get rid of a variety of minerals and other materials that get inside the oyster. The result is just beautiful.

But not all oysters have pearls, and by the time an oyster reaches anyone’s dinner plate, the likelihood a precious pearl will be inside is slim to none. These folks were certainly – and quite pleasantly –surprised!

…It’s going to have an identity crisis. Although most people these days have all the math tools they’ll ever need in their phones or on their computers, handheld calculators were an extremely handy tool for most of the 20th century.

And in the early days of home computers, before smartphones were a thing or even a thought, somebody had bigger plans for the little mouse – which led this one to be two inventions in one.

Nothing says determination quite like a mushroom that’s grown to almost full capacity within the space of the glass bulb he was born in.

This mushroom will not be chained down by the confines the world tries to put on him! We should all be more like this mushroom, or at least help him live his best life by cracking that glass open for him to grow out of.

According to this picture, no handle can be too trustworthy. But this mashing tool’s broken handle makes us wonder: just what was so strenuous when using it that the plastic handle shattered? Ideally, you want any food that’s getting mashed to be extremely soft already before getting busy.

But whatever happened, it must have been a relief to know that the broken tool wasn’t broken after all. And we hope no one is out there with plastic shards in their hands.

Clothes may be a necessity, but fashion exists to make a statement. Usually the message is loud and proud for everyone to see, but not in this case – these Lucky jeans come with a secret, and the only people who get to know it are the people who get to take the jeans off.

Everyone knows Victoria’s secret, but Lucky’s secret remains known by only a few around the world…until now!

So that’s where the keys went! We’ve all been there, looking high and low for the place where we set our keys down just hours before. They’re rarely as easy to find as they should be. But of all the places to leave them, it’s hard to imagine how they went from the front door to the pot on the stove.

Yesterday’s leftover certainly won’t be high on the list of places to look for keys first, so these were most likely someone’s unexpected surprise the next day at work.

It was an ordinary day when one woman went to the bathroom to do her business as usual, until the most unexpected thing happened: she felt the strange sensation of something wet touching her skin from inside the toilet bowl.

Well, toilets do have water, but she decided to take a closer look…and found herself staring at a (debatably) cute frog! The bathroom isn’t always the ideal place for an introduction, but he’s part of the family now.

They say money doesn’t grow on trees and we might know why! Apparently, it grows inside soap bars, as this lady found a perfectly folded 20 dollar bill in her soap. At first, it looked like something strange was hiding in the middle of the bar so she decided to investigate.

Upon melting the soap away, the woman discovered that the thing she saw in the center of it was actually money. There is no way this 20 dollar bill got here by accident. We’re not sure if this soap was a part of a giveaway or some special campaign but it really is a rare find!

A woman found an empty box of cereal on the counter but that wasn’t the reason behind her surprised reaction. In fact, she found a wedding ring at the bottom of the box. At first, it seemed like she had found some random person’s ring but then she put two and two together.

The ring actually belonged to her husband who snacked on those cereals earlier. We’re still not sure how he didn’t notice that the ring fell off his finger. However, it’s good luck that she managed to find it before it was thrown away forever.

Who doesn’t love a good loaf of banana bread? We’ve seen all sorts of banana bread and cake varieties but this one is surely a first. Someone found a full-size metal spoon in the middle of the cake like it was one of the ingredients.

Whoever made this loaf didn’t pay attention to what they were putting inside it. Somehow, a spoon found its way to the dough and wasn’t discovered until it was too late. We wonder what the cake tasted like!

When the bag says “organic lettuce,” you better believe there is a real frog inside! Someone decided to stock up on some healthy lettuce but they had no idea that there was a surprise waiting for them inside.

A real frog was hiding inside the bag and, thanks to the tiny holes in the packaging, it was able to survive all the way to the supermarket. I hope someone set it free after they found it trapped in the bag!

While we are aware that there are some really big shoes out there (basketball players, we’re talking to you!), this is not really something you would expect to find at GoodWill. This grandmother managed to find the biggest shoe she had ever seen in her life.

This was a size 20 shoe that not many people get to wear. It looks more like some silly prop rather than actual footwear. Still, a pretty unusual thing to come across on an ordinary day.

Sometimes, a strange discovery does not have to be an item or a place. In this case, it’s a person. This girl went to a Coldplay concert and ended up finding her lookalike—she was even wearing the same clothes!

This seemed like too big of a coincidence, given that the two people in the picture look absolutely the same. It almost makes us think that this is some sort of a time travel proof or a glitch in the matrix, as the conspiracy theorists might say!

Having trouble hiding your candy from kids? Here’s a good solution! Just put your chocolate bars inside a bag of vegetables and you’re good to go! You can be sure that no one will come near your candy if it looks like edamame.

In this case, a woman found her husband’s Snickers stash in the fridge in some vegetable baggy. We must admit, this was a really clever idea to begin with! However, he will have to think smarter if he wants to hide his candy supply from his wife!

Here’s another situation where someone found a lookalike by accident. However, in this case, the lookalike is actually a centuries-old painting. That’s right, this girl came to a museum but she had no idea what she was about to find.

The Renaissance painting behind her portrays a woman that looks just like her! Imagine walking into a museum or an art gallery only to find a picture of yourself hanging on a wall! Things get even weirder when you realize that the photo was painted centuries before you were born.

We’ve seen all sorts of rocks in our lifetime, from large to small sizes and even those oddly shaped ones that remind you of your first pet. However, one thing we have not yet come across is a real-life fossil on a rock.

This person found a huge rock on his porch and, in an attempt to move it, he flipped it over only to find a fossil on the bottom. What a magnificent find! It will certainly be a story to remember.

Although we certainly advocate for glass recycling, it was an unexpected but totally pleasant surprise when these hikers found a whole colony of clovers who commandeered an abandoned glass bottle and moved into it.

And it only adds to the magic that the little guys seemed to have confined themselves to their new home, sticking together inside – just like humans do! Nature’s ability to adapt to the inventive world of humans never ceases to impress.

Going through the belongings of your older family members is always full of unexpected surprises, like trinkets from their time that have otherwise disappeared from everyday life – or like an old planning notebook, in this case!

There may not be much use for this outdated notebook anymore, but it certainly goes to show how different the quality of everyday items was back in the day. We wouldn’t mind these leather-bound gold-lined pages making a comeback today…

Gold coins are no longer a staple currency, so even though they’re still valuable, few people pay with them or even have any anymore. Getting your hands on one can be rare, unless they’re sought out. But whoever found this one got an unexpected bonus: it’s painted in beautiful color!

It’s an homage to Sacagawea, the Native American featured on this coin who helped pioneers Lewis & Clark navigate their journey at the age of just 16.

First, there was mother nature. Then there were humans, and humans decided that they needed to move a little more quickly than nature had made possible, so they made cars. Made of manufactured materials like plastic and rubber and metal from head to toe, a car is not the place you’d expect nature to make a home, but nothing is impossible!

It’s not every day that nature and technology find a way to work together, so when it happens, it’s unexpected and truly special.

Everything represented by vast bodies of water is so romantic already: the freedom of a sunny refreshing day at the beach, setting sail away from land and all of its problems, or just getting a beautiful glimpse of this liquid yin to our land-based yang.

But can you imagine going out for a swim and having this actual picture of seaside lovers swept into your hands by the water itself? Just the unexpected magic of the world at work again.

Here’s one of the most valuable items people have accidentally discovered in usual places. This married couple moved into a new house without even suspecting that there was a treasure waiting for them.

Two years after moving in, they decided to renovate the kitchen and they found a safe in the floor. The safe contained a great sum of money, $51 080 to be precise, and a rare bottle of bourbon, along with a mysterious book. Their renovations must have really paid off!

Some drones capture the most bizarre images from above. Take this image, for example. Whoever was operating this drone was bewildered to see a giant pink bunny lying motionless on a mountainside. It was right next to his house. However, he soon learned that a Viennese art group had created the bunny as part of an art project. While it was designed to shock hikers who were passing through, it was also intended as a spot for them to relax midway through their adventures.

What strikes us most about this photo upon first glance is the symmetry between the two people on the beach and the two manta rays in the water. From a visual standpoint, it almost looks as if they are enjoying some sort of interspecies double date. The photo was taken in Sri Lanka, and in a strange way, evokes the classic tale of Noah’s ark, in which two of each animal species were brought onto the vessel before the flood.

Historians are often fascinated by what they can find from shipwrecks. They usually provide plenty of valuable information about the time in which the ship was sunk or abandoned. This shipwreck ended up in the Philippines, specifically in the Palawan province of Coron. The ship was used during World War II and it seems fitting that it would end up in this place. More shipwrecks can be found in this place that many believe is one of the most visually pleasing locations in the world.

This drone image captured a seemingly abandoned Boeing 727 that rests in the woods outside of Portland, Oregon. However, it turns out that a retired engineer bought the plane, placed it in these woods and converted it into a home. The man in question spent a lot of time and resources making the inside of the plane actually liveable. Upon completing the transformation, he was able to enjoy his huge “garden.” The space in which the plane rests is almost like a heart-shape from above.

We would forgive you if you actually thought that an abandoned ship had been left in the middle of this busy cityscape. You might be wondering: “How did this ship get there and why was it left there?” It turns out though that it only looks like a ship. The Whampoa is actually a popular shopping center in the heart of Hong Kong that many people enjoy going to for a number of reasons. There is no denying that drone images from above provide a truly remarkable sight.

There are plenty of movies and documentaries out there that put a magnifying glass over crop circles and what they could potentially mean. If you’ve ever seen Signs by M. Night Shyamalan, this photo will look extremely familiar. People have wondered how these remarkable patterns got there in the first place. Did farmers make them themselves, or could it be that extraterrestrials are sending us some sort of signal? While we don’t know for sure yet, there’s no harm in speculating.

While many of these images show the world’s diverse beauty from above, this one simply shows how annoying and invasive drones can be to us humans. This young lady was doing some sunbathing on the roof of her building when, all of a sudden, she noticed a drone hovering above her. She quickly grabbed her broom and chased the drone, yelling expletives as it flew away. Plenty of people are concerned with how intrusive drones can be in our everyday lives.

One thing that a drone can perfectly capture is a large traffic jam that must be frustrating thousands of drivers below. This photo was taken over a motorway in China during rush hour. While all the cars are somehow driving adjacently, there aren’t any real technical lanes seeing that there are no lines separating them. It’s amazing how all these cars manage to drive in such an orderly fashion. People often get out of their cars during these long, packed hours.

Out of all of the things that have been caught on a drone, this has to be the cutest thing, right? When someone sent their drone over a range of mountains, they discovered that a couple were on the edge of one of the cliffs. Lo and behold, the drone caught the perfect moment when the guy got down on one knee and asked for his partner’s hand in marriage. We sincerely hope that the person was able to share the footage with these new fiances…

When this drone image originally surfaced online, people were scratching their heads by what they were seeing. For some, it took a few minutes to realize that the photo was taken from above as the shadows played tricks on people’s eyes. Obviously, if you focus a bit more on the details, you can see that a drone was hovering over a group of zebras. You could say that this is a perfectly natural optical illusion. But once you do see the zebras, you can’t unsee them.

The world’s oceans are simply full of wonders. With such a diverse range of marine life all around the globe, there is always some majestic creature to encounter. This swimmer got incredibly close to a humpback whale, which can easily grow up to 16 meters long. Moreover, they can live up to 50 years. This drome image clearly shows how big the whale is in comparison to its human neighbor. While the snorkeler is in absolute awe, he keeps his distance just to stay safe.

Believe it or not, but the Belvedere Hotel of the Swiss Alps was once one of the famous locations in a James Bond movie. That’s right, Sean Connery graced this cute hotel for the classic Goldfinger. It appears that the hotel is located in the middle of nowhere. Specifically, though, it was built on what is known today as the Furka Pass, a windy road with tons of bends. The hotel certainly earned its title “The Jewel in the Mountains” and has been open to guests since 1882.

If you are a Star Wars fan, this might remind you of the volcanic planet that Anakin and Obi-Wan fought on at the end of Revenge of the Sith. In reality, this volcanic region is located in Iceland and drone technology has now given us the chance to capture images in dangerous locations around the world, like this one. The lava in the region runs between two mountains. Maybe the best way to describe it is like a river that is on fire.

It was a great winter day for a drone to be hovering over this part of the Pacific Northwest. The snow had perfectly rested on the surface, while the trees retained their bright red color, creating a beautiful contrast from above. “The temperature was about -5ºF at sea level, but -20ºF at 14,000 to 15,000 feet. It was also extremely windy,” the photographer said. If there was an opportunity to drive straight through a winter wonderland, then this is it.

If there is one place in the world where there are plenty of amazing locations for drones to take stunning photos, then it is Barcelona. Sagrat Cor Church is undoubtedly a beautiful building to visit. Mount Tibidabo is where this church is located and it is so high up that the statues at the top are often covered in clouds. Spanish architect Enric Sagnier designed this church, which is also known as the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

A truly unique natural structure is the Katskhi Pillar, which can be found in the western part of Georgia. Back in the 9th or 10th century, a group of monks built a church at the top of this limestone monolith. It was and always will be a true challenge to get to. Somehow, someway though, they managed to complete its construction and people have been ascending the pillar ever since to pray. Followers supply Monk Maxime with food and supplies twice a week via its 131ft ladder.

One of the highest waterfalls in all of Europe has to be Mardalsfossen. Located in Romsdal, Norway, this incredible waterfall has a terrify

ing 1,175 ft drop and the clouds below create an illusion that it meets no end whatsoever. The water comes from a nearby valley and passes along the Mardola river. Lake Eikesdalsvatnet rests at the bottom of the waterfall and carries the water along. While there are plenty of good locations to take photos of the waterfall, the drone seems to get the best view.

While this might appear to be an incredibly dangerous thing to do, which it is, there are those who are able to do it without causing any damage to themselves. However, it does require skill and meticulous timing. According to the person who took this photo with a drone, the diver in question is over 60 years of age and “is the world record holder for the Guinness waterfall diving.” This photo was taken at a waterfall in China’s Yellow River in the Heilongjiang province.

It’s amazing to think that this is a photo of a real landscape. The beautiful Dubai Miracle Garden was constructed in 2013 and is full of amazing flower assortments. If you are ever in the United Arab Emirates, make sure to visit this awe-inspiring garden complex in Dubailand. It should come as no surprise then that at 72,000 square meters, it is the largest garden of its kind on the planet. Bachir Moukarzel captured this image of the Airbus A4280.

They don’t call it a bird’s eye view for nothing. Members of the aviary community have such an incredible view of the world, similar to that of a drone. But what happens when a drone is hovering over an eagle in mid-flight? That’s right, you get this kind of amazing view. However, large birds are known to be aggressive towards the drones that they share the sky with, with a reputation of plucking at their machinery. Dutch police even used eagles to take out some illegal drones.

Even the simpler photos on this list can be just as beautiful as the jaw-dropping, epic vistas. Take this photo, for example, which was taken by a drone in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Helios1412 took the photo of a woman harvesting water lilies and submitted it for 2017’s International Drone Photography Contest. Amazingly, it ended up winning second prize in the People category. The area’s fertile land means that both animals and plants thrive here. No wonder this pond area is referred to as “Vietnam’s rice bowl.”

While it might appear to be a small boat stuck on a cracked desert floor, at first, it is actually something else entirely. Drone photographer Milo Allerton named this photo “Cracked Mud Boating,” and depicts a family enjoying some time on the Burke Lake, located in Virginia. This lake is situated in Fairfax Station and spans a whopping 218 acres. Owned by the local authority, there are plenty of families and individuals alike who like to travel along this body of freshwater via boat.

One of the most densely populated capital cities in the world, Mexico City is a sight to behold from above. The most populated city in the Western Hemisphere, it has a staggering 21 million people and this photo seems to capture one of the busiest parts of the entire city. This hilly part of Mexico City is laden with homes and buildings. Of course, Mexico’s capital is home to a number of historically important landmarks such as the 13th-century Aztec temple Templo Mayor, as well as the Cathedral Metropolitana.

This beautiful area view of the red sand dunes of Saudi Arabia was taken by talented drone photographer Abdullah Al Nassar. The photo gives a fascinating look at white camels moving in a bending line in search of some water. This photo was taken in the desert area of north-east Riyadh. Seeing that the area is surrounded by towering mountains, the “Hidden Valley,” as it is also known, is a popular place for locals to visit during the weekend.

Was there ever a time that one person was surrounded by more ducks than in this photo? There are plenty of duck farmers in Asian countries such as Vietnam and the man in the middle of this photo is one of them. Here, ducks are used for both feathers and meat and it’s the farmer’s job to do daily rounds. He makes sure to feed all of the ducks and as he moves through the middle, the duck’s group up and form fascinating shapes along the water’s surface.

Back in 2016, when the International Drone Footage photography awards were first launched, this photo was first prize winner, and it’s not hard to see why. Taken from an angle that is bound to scare a lot of people with a fear of heights, a climber carefully scales down this Moab, Utah mountain face. “Two years ago I started flying drones, and I quickly realized their potential to capture stunning, never-before-seen views,” photographer Max Seigal said. “I’ve been hooked ever since!”

If you haven’t been before, make sure to add the Algarve, Portugal to your list of places to visit in your lifetime. It is a truly beautiful part of the world and this is just one example of this southern region of Portugal’s vast array of natural (and man-made) beauty. This long staircase helps direct beachgoers to one of the most secluded and beautiful beaches in the Faro area. If you are looking from the beach though, the stairs look like they’ll take you to heaven!

Don’t worry, this wasn’t constructed by aliens or simply by chance. American artist Robert Smithson is responsible for this stunning earthwork structure. Spiral Jetty was first put together in April 1970 and this drone image gives a stunning view of the artwork on the beach that it was built on. The image would be amazing to look at without the spiral, simply due to the texture and the relationship between land, water, and sky. The artwork can only be seen when water levels fall below 4,195 feet.

It is unclear where this drone image was taken. However, it is common to see women in this part of the world picking marigolds in a field. While it looks pretty normal on the ground level, there is something extremely aesthetically pleasing about seeing this from above. It must be something to do with the bright colors and the symmetry that creates some sort of peaceful quality. Many backpackers like to walk through these fields and have their photo taken.

Best known for its turquoises waters at the bottom, Cascade de Tamul is where the Santa Maria River and the Gallinas River meet to form a truly remarkable waterfall. While you can get great views while using a traditional wooden canoe called a panga, this drone certainly got the very best view. Apparently, there is also a stunning cave around the middle that is worth checking out. “Suddenly you are in a river, bluer than anything you’ve seen,” MSalazar said. “Fresh waters, nice canoes to row and an amazing waterfall.”

Different from most of the other drone images on this list, this one was taken by someone who ended up getting pranked by his friend. A drone enthusiast explained to his friend that he loves flying his drone over the countryside. After finding out where exactly he flew the drone, the friend devised an elaborate plan. The next time he flew his drone over the field, a bigfoot seemed to appear out of nowhere. However, he discovered the next day that it was just his friend dressed up!

A truly stunning image saw photographer Bryan Dumas fly his drone over New York’s iconic Central Park during one of the winter’s coldest mornings. The end result was this incredible photo. While it is surrounded by skyscrapers, the park stands out even more because of its snowy blanket. People who live in New York City appreciate having Central Park to get away from the busy city life every once in a while. The snow just emphasizes how unique this part of the city really is.

It was a great winter day for a drone to be hovering over this part of the Pacific Northwest. The snow had perfectly rested on the surface, while the trees retained their bright red color, creating a beautiful contrast from above. “The temperature was about -5ºF at sea level, but -20ºF at 14,000 to 15,000 feet. It was also extremely windy,” the photographer said. If there was an opportunity to drive straight through a winter wonderland, then this is it.

This drone image was taken in the Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten, which has its very own soccer field for people from the local community to play on. It just goes to show how far the beautiful game has come. Norway is experiencing something of a renaissance in soccer, with many believing that the current crop of players in the national team is the country’s golden generation. It is remote fields like this one that are bringing more opportunities to young, talented players.

Unlike other drone images on this list, this one shows the exact same location with a long, winding road through the middle. What makes it so unique is that the photographer took the exact same image twice, with one having been taken in the summer and the other being taken in the winter. With a bit of editing magic, the effect was created that different seasons are happening either side of the road. It is almost reminiscent of the yin and the yang.

If you haven’t seen the Landwasserviaduct in a movie or a TV show over the last 50 years, then you simply haven’t watched enough. This incredible six-arched viaduct is located in Graubunden, Switzerland and was designed over a hundred years ago by the revered Alexander Acatos.  Surrounded by snowy mountains and thousands upon thousands of trees, you can consider yourself a true traveler if you ever end up passing through this viaduct on one of the iconic red trains.

Unlike many of the other drone images on this list, this one was given a black and white filter through the power of editing. This photo was taken in Phan Rang, Vietnam, where there is a copious amount of sand dunes. The figures in the center of the image are a group of kids who are running through the dunes as a form of exercise during the early hours of the morning. The city also has plenty of green areas too.

Photographer Panvelvet captured this incredible image through some neat camera work. It was taken in Hong Kong, a country blessed with numerous, bustling metropolises and an unfathomable number of skyscrapers. This particular drone image is reminiscent of the scene from the classic Christopher Nolan movie Inception. You know the scene where the characters experience in their dreams that the shapes of city landscapes can be modified. That’s how we feel right now when looking at this stunning photo.

A similar drone image to one that was previously shared on this list, a group of farmers can be seen from above washing each water lily meticulously. This followed by a process in which they group a certain number of lilies into a bundle. The final step is to take these beautiful bundles to the local markets. During this washing process though, the workers lay out the lilies in a beautiful, circular display. Their clothes also match the flowers.

As each year passes by, Iceland is becoming an even greater tourist location to visit than it already was. One of the attractions that people flock to from around the globe is the Gullfoss, the most famous waterfall in the entire country. With an impressive double cascade, the “Golden Falls,” as they are known as in English, is even more mesmerizing when observed from tremendous heights, like from this drone image, for example. Make sure to visit the next time you’re in Iceland.

Located in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, the Bac Lieu is a majestic part of the world for a number of reasons. The reason that is evident in this drone image is the fact that it is the salt basket of this region. Large salt fields can be found here, where workers collect to form large piles of salt that they can even stand on. When the sun is shining on them, they are almost reminiscent of little pyramids.

The largest city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, boasts some truly stunning locations, especially surrounding its many bodies of water such as the Ping River. This drone image shows two people riding scooters on one of the cities bridges. However, the most unique thing about this photo is how small the bridge and the scooters look against the crashing waves and patterns created by the waters. It is amazing how such a chaotic scenario can create something such beautiful patterns.

This drone image might not capture the natural beauty of the world the same way that many of these other images do. However, it presents a really cool view of a couple driving along the iconic Will Rogers Highway, better known as Route 66. They are enjoying themselves in a classic blue Ford Mustang Convertible, as many others have over the years. If you are ever able to drive the entirety of Route 66, then that is one huge thing to tick off your bucket list.

This drone image captures the Melissani cave on the Greek island of Kefalonia from the most unique of angles. It is a popular location, attracting many visitors each year. Due to the extremely clear, blue waters in the cave’s lagoon, many believe that the boats that reach these parts look like they are floating in the air. What’s remarkable about this image is that from above, it hardly looks like a cave, and simply like a lake that is surrounded by trees.

People often forget how close New York actually is to Canada. This drone image was taken in Alexandria Bay, a village that is home to just 1,078 people. Due to its location, the village is often a victim of high water levels. This is just one of many remote homes that were built to sustain the rising waters. It is around this time of the year (early fall) that many vacationers and boaters come to enjoy boat tours and other activities.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Mont Blanc is the mountain of the French Alps that most climbers are determined to reach the summit of. Some of the most iconic skiers on the planet can be seen in this drone image on the mountain’s summit. The Dynastar ski team can be seen walking up to the 4810m peak before they eventually ski the north face of the mountain during sunset. For light purposes, this is certainly one of the most beautiful times of the day to ski.

While the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum might be some of the more popular tourist attractions in France, one shouldn’t ignore Mont-Saint Michel. This beautiful tidal island is surrounded by empty beach space and only has a population of 50 people. It is a commune and has seen plenty of history over the last few hundred years. It is currently on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and attracts more than three million people every year.

The following drone image is a truly remarkable sight. It shows the hotel of Aman Sveti Stefan, which virtually encompasses the entirety of this islet on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. In total, the resort is believed to have about 50 rooms, suites, and cottages, as well as eight grand suites in Villa Milocer. While it is just as beautiful from the ground, the many orange roofs are an amazing thing to see from a bird’s eye view.

No, this trawler isn’t polluting the waters with what looks like acidic residues of some neon-green-like poisons. It’s just the reflection of the green fishing net in the clear waters around Vietnam.

We first thought that it looks like a watercolor painting of a shellfish. Something about the wavy outline of the net gives it an otherworldly touch. In fact, it’s as if the trawler has become a marine creature itself.

Fall is a beautiful season. When everything is colored in yellow and brown hues, and few leaves (or none) hang from trees, this is the season to enjoy nature. This photo was taken somewhere along the Western Coast of the United States.

If this is the way it looks from above, we wonder how it looks on the ground. We sure want to find ourselves walking among these trees.

This is a unique picture, no doubt. Just look at the way the shadows fall, making us believe that these aren’t exactly people who are walking their dogs on a hot summer’s day.

In a way, they seemed to be a little detached from the background, as if they don’t really belong in the picture and are nothing but momentary visitors. One might even think that they are just statues.

This isn’t just a random black and white photo of a bunch of bushes. This picture, of a grain field in Germany, is special. If you look closely enough, you’ll see that there’s a face hiding in there.

Yes — it does require a little imagination to see it, but we saw a face of an old man, hiding in there. Who knows? Maybe it’s the spirit of this grain field, manifesting itself as an old man.

If you ever got the chance to walk alone in a forest, in the middle of the winter, you’d probably recall the immense sensation of peace it gives you. Also, all you hear is the sound of your own breath and the crunching snow underneath your feet.

This is a mesmerizing picture of a forest during winter. The trees are arranged in a peculiar pattern, with this tree being in the middle.

This photo of a random road segment in the Al Qudra desert in Dubai shows harmony with nature. If you look closely, you’ll see that the road segment on the left side was built around a pair of trees.

The unique shape of the roads also reminds us of a woman wearing a niqab, which leaves only two narrow slits for the eyes. There’s definitely something enchanting about this picture.

From the picture, you can easily tell that it was taken somewhere in Asia. But, to be more precise, we can reveal that it was taken on the Nhu Y River in Vietnam in Hue City. The girls on the boats are wearing traditional dresses called Ao Dai.

They’re releasing floating candles on the river as a form of prayer for peace and happiness. This is part of an age-old spiritual tradition.

This could easily be an inspiration for a scene in Lion King: a herd of hippos who are happily bathing in muddy waters somewhere in Tanzania.

The only way you can tell that these are hippos (and not some giant random grey blocks) is the pink parts, presumably their eyes and ears. In any case, it seems like they are having the time of their lives in this murky pool.

There’s something very soothing about this picture. Perhaps, it’s the color contrast, which passes from bright yellow-green to a light-blue. We imagine that this picture was taken somewhere around the Mediterranean coast, but we don’t know exactly where.

Given the color of the green rocks and their yellow hues, we think that this picture was taken a couple of hours before sunset. The angle of the sun’s rays could have given the rocks their yellow hues.

This giant truck looks like an animal, possibly a cat, that’s simply taking a few minutes to rest after a long journey. In fact, the more we look at it, the more we think of a ginger cat that is busking in the sun.

This is perhaps only because of the color of the material that was spilled. We guess that trucks also need some rest, especially in Russia.

You can easily tell from the picture that it was taken in Kuala Lumpur, in the Philippines. How could you tell? The twin skyscrapers in the middle are easily recognizable. These are the Petronas Towers, which were built in 1999.

They’re considered the tallest twin towers in the world, reaching a staggering height of 1,483 feet. This photo was taken right when the lightning struck, in the middle of a tropical storm.

August is the harvest season in Vietnam. Vietnamese farmers go out into the fields with sickles to harvest the grass. They cut the grass and divide it into bundles, as you can see in the picture.

It’s planted roughly six months before harvest and grows until it’s taller than an average adult’s head. In West Vietnam, the grass has a variety of uses: from making wickers to hats and even cushions.

Iceland is known for its beautiful cliffs and fjords. Even though it’s a harsh country in terms of terrain and climate, it’s still worth visiting. This picture is of the Reynisdrangar beach (don’t even try to pronounce it).

The beach consists of what looks like black needles. According to the legend, the beach was formed when two trolls were trying to drag a three-mast ship to the shore. When day broke, the trolls turned to stone.

No, this picture wasn’t photoshopped nor was this island artificially created by humans or anyone else for that matter. This is Gaz island in the Brijuni archipelago in Croatia.

Only a handful of other islands in the world share the same shape as this island. The shape of the island was the inspiration for the logo of the Brijuni National Park, which the island is part of. The island is a tourist attraction as it has various archeological sites.

We’re not sure what we’re even looking at here. It seems like one side is entirely scorched while the other is flourishing. In the middle, there seems to be a red umbrella.

There’s definitely something surreal and eerie about this picture. We believe it sends a strong message, though: there’s always hope, and one should never give up, no matter how hard things are.

There’s something enchanting about the desert. It seems like time moves a lot slower there. Just imagine a caravan, as it slowly plows through the sandy terrain. While it leaves tracks, the sand covers everything eventually.

This shows that no matter how much time and effort humans would invest, the desert will always win. This roundabout is the perfect example of it. It’s been covered in dust, possibly because a sand storm recently passed over it in that area.

There is no denying that Christ the Redeemer is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in the world. This gigantic statue watches over Rio de Janeiro and attracts millions of visitors every year. Despite images of the statue being readily available online, these drone images capture Christ the Redeemer from some truly unique angles. The shot from above is especially different from what we are used to seeing in travel brochures. It also shows just how big it actually is.

While Amsterdam has plenty to offer for tourists, there are many other beautiful parts of the Netherlands worth visiting. Take Fort Bourtange, for example, which is located in the village of the same name in Groningen. This stunning star-shaped fort was constructed about 300 years ago. These days though, tourists are able to visit it as it reopened as a historical museum. While it is a beautiful place to see from the ground, this drone image truly captures the sheer grandeur of its design.

One part of the world that seems to have plenty of remote, winding highways is Romania. This drone was hovering over one of them and captured this incredible aerial image. With red, burnt orange, and gold autumn leaved trees coming from every angle, this meandering road still manages to stand out like a sore thumb, in stark contrast to the forestry that surrounds it. This type of drone image perfectly shows how nature and man-made structures can find some sort of balance.

The historical significance surrounding Russia’s Mir mine is unquestionable. One of the largest excavated holes on the planet, it has been active as a diamond mine for over half a century, while open-pit mining was discontinued in 2001. This aerial shot from a drone shows just how big Mir Mine is compared to its neighboring villages. Completely man-made, it also shows the huge impact that humans have had on this landscape over the years.

One of the more intimate drone images on this list got a closeup image of a lion looking up from the ground. It is believed that the “king of the jungle” in this image was disturbed by the sounds the drone was making and couldn’t keep its eyes off it from that point onward. All cats have this in common. As soon as they notice something out of the ordinary, they put everything else to one side and give it all of their attention.