Aerial photography platform SkyPixel received 27,000 entries to its 2016 competition. Here are the winning shots plus some of our favourites. Here: Dam near perfect. Second prize in the same category was of the Huia Dam in Auckland, New Zealand. Hong Kong-based SkyPixel was launched in 2014. (Photo by Brendon Dixon/SkyPixel)

Participants react as they climb a greased pole to collect vouchers for gifts during a “Panjat Pinang” event organised in celebration of Indonesia's 71st Independence day in Jakarta, Indonesia August 17, 2016. (Photo by Darren Whiteside/Reuters)

Wai Ching Jason Poon of Hong Kong competes in the Men's 1m Springboard preliminary round during Day One of the 14th FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center on July 16, 2011 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

International photographic competition, which runs in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, awards special prize for the best close-up images. Here: Winner – Mayflies by Petar Sabol, Goričan, Croatia. (Photo by Sabol Petar/International Garden Photographer of the Year)

Over the years a large population of grey herons have made an unlikely home in urban Amsterdam. Julie Hrudova documents how the birds integrate into city life. Here: Hundreds of herons come to the city during winter to find food and shelter. (Photo by by Julie Hrudova/The Guardian)

The Boeing 747-8 cargo plane pilot has seen thunderstorms, shooting stars and sunsets from up above the clouds and has looked down on mountaintops, carpets of cloud and cities lit up at night. The incredible pictures give a glimpse of the view from the pilots are treated to every day. Here: Shooting stars over India. (Photo by Christiaan van Heijst/Caters News Agency)

Portrait beautiful woman on the beach, Landing aircraft above the beach at Phuket Airport. Mai Khao beach, one of the most popular beaches among tourists in Phuket. (Photo by Southtownboy/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen over the sky near Inari in Lapland, Finland on February 14, 2019. (Photo by Alexander Kuznetsov/Reuters)