I talked s*** about drone photography, but this breathtaking award-winning aerial composition has converted me

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US-based photographer Kah-Wai Lin recently came 3rd at the International Aerial Photographer of the Year 2026, and his winning image has completely changed my perspective on drone photography

Herder droves a group of wild horses amid clouds of dust.
(Image credit: Kah-Wai Lin, United States / The 2nd International Aerial Photographer of the Year))

When I first started at Digital Camera World earlier this year, I wrote an opinion piece shooting down drone photography – to the displeasure of many readers.

Well, since then, I’ve seen so many fantastic images taken with drones that my opinion has gradually shifted, but this image from US-based professional photographer Kah-Wai Lin has me fully converted.

Lin’s image was recently awarded third place in the single image category at the 2026 International Aerial Photographer of the Year (IAPOTY) Awards. This was the second edition of the competition, and Lin walked away with $250 (approximately £190 / AU$360) and will be featured in the awards book showcasing all 101 finalists.

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I think the top-down drone perspective is what makes this shot so special. Yes, you could easily capture the essence of this image with a frame taken at eye level, but it wouldn’t depict the immersive nature of the dust cloud surrounding the herd of wild horses, nor the ethereal, golden-yellow sunlight illuminating the scene.

At sunset in Cappadocia, Yilki horses surge across the dusty plateau. Raised by villagers and released to roam free, they embody resilience and tradition, moving like a river of fire beneath the fading Anatolian sky (Image credit: Kah-Wai Lin, United States / The 2nd International Aerial Photographer of the Year))

Lin captured this image using a DJI Mini 4 Pro in Cappadocia, Turkey. Yılkı (wild) horses have been domesticated for over a millennium in the Anatolia region – formerly known as Asia Minor – which makes up a large portion of modern-day Turkey.

Since ancient times, Turkish villagers have tamed wild horses for agricultural work and transportation, the traditional enduring today mainly for tourism purposes.

The photographer opted for a 6.7mm focal length (24mm full-frame equivalent), f/1.7, ISO 100 and a 1/160 sec shutter speed, which I think perfectly balances freezing the animals’ movement while allowing a sliver of motion blur which almost leaves a dry, dusty sensation in your mouth.

Congratulations to Kah-Wai Lin on his commended image. The composition really is outstanding and it’s given me a fresh perspective on drone photography.

This year’s overall AIPOTY winner was Azim Khan Ronnie, who snagged the competition crown with a majestic series headlined by a fantastic shot of a fisherman among a colony of feeding migratory birds.

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Alan Palazon
Alan Palazon
Staff Writer

I’m a writer, journalist and photographer who joined Digital Camera World in 2026. I started out in editorial in 2021 and my words have spanned sustainability, careers advice, travel and tourism, and photography – the latter two being my passions.

I first picked up a camera in my early twenties having had an interest in photography from a young age. Since then, I’ve worked on a freelance basis, mostly internationally in the travel and tourism sector. You’ll usually find me out on a hike shooting landscapes and adventure shots in my free time.

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