The 2018 Sony World Photography Awards showcases images from around the world. Many of these photos were taken with drones, giving us a different perspective of the world we live in. And drone photography is becoming more commonplace than ever. </br></br> Photographer Tugo Cheng explains, "Deep in the mountains in Sichuan Province of China, water and minerals creep down from the turquoise calcified ponds formed naturally in a valley, giving a colorful and abstract composition of leaking paints." </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Commended, Open, Landscape & Nature

Seen from above shows the beautiful scenery on Putrajaya in Yunnan, China, November 2017. </br></br> <a href="https://www.worldphoto.org/">2018 Sony World Photography Awards </a> -- Commended, Open, Travel

New senior middle school students have their military training at the beginning of the first year's school term, September 2017, in China. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Culture

The local cultural group held a cheongsam show at the national park in Guigang city, Guangxi Province, China, Oct. 29, 2017. "From the perspective of this aerial photo, it looks like a wonderful new kind of flowers," says photographer Lin. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Culture

"The Turkish Steps, 'Scala dei Turchi,' is a white cliff in Realmonte, Sicily, made of a soft limestone and a blinding white marl. Natural erosion has created steps on the cliff face, making it look soft and sinuous, like a 'big meringue covered with sprinkles.' Only after shooting this image, while watching it on a bigger screen, I noticed a newlywed couple in the frame kissing for their wedding photo shoot at the edge of the cliff," says photographer Placido Faranda. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Open, Landscape & Nature

Budapest's oldest ice court, in the City Park Ice Rink, is enlightened with four reflectors showing some skaters standing still and some of twirling around, Dec. 30, 2017, in Budapest, Hungary. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Motion.

An aerial view of Glacial River in Iceland. "While crossing the bridge, I noticed some pattern in the water and wondered how it would look from the sky. I stopped the car at a turnout after crossing the bridge and flew my drone to capture this image. I included the bridge and the car to give an idea of the scale. This river flows to the ocean and becomes part of the sea," comments Manish Mamtani. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Travel

The steep terrain of the mountain road leading to the Yellow River Stone Forest, reflects the geological landscape in western China, June 21, 2017, in Jingtai County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, China. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Commended, Open, Travel

Klaus Lenzen explains, "The picture was taken in summer 2017 from 35 individual images of swimmers at the triathlon in the Dusseldorf Media Harbor. I was able to take a picture of them from above, while the athletes crossed a pedestrian bridge capturing their very individual 'breathing techniques.' I was inspired by the work of Andreas Gursky, therefore I took the individual images with the highest possible sharpness. That enables me to display or print the overall picture in large format." </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Enhanced

Riding camels on Cable beach at sunset, October 2017, in Broome, Western Australia. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Travel

"If we take a look at the buildings from a different point of view, we may have a new vision which are not like buildings," comments Jin Xu. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Commended, Open, Architecture

"In the wetland areas of the Yellow Sea, several elk are seen in the sunlight as their shadows are cast on the ground forming a charming scene," says Huajin Sun, Nov. 12, 2017, in Yancheng, Jiangsu, China. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Commended, Open, Wildlife

A bird's eye view of people playing basketball. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Motion

An aerial shot of a dock on the island of Kos in Greece. The photographer comments, "The unique shape of the dock from above made me put it in 1/3 of an aerial frame. The blue sea and the light wood boards make a very nice and minimal contrast." </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Architecture

Early morning fishing in the Baltic Sea near Klaipeda, Lithuania, 2018. </br></br> 2018 Sony World Photography Awards -- Shortlist, Open, Landscape & Nature