DJI’s annual photograph and video contest is again for one more yr, however this SkyPixel 2025 contest has a particular form of milestone. That is the tenth yr of the huge on-line aerial artwork contest, which is placed on by SkyPixel, the net drone group affiliated with drone maker DJI.
The competition continuously evolves to embrace the traits in drone expertise, and this yr is not any totally different. In actual fact, this yr expands past drones. In a nod to DJI’s handheld “Osmo” line of cameras, this yr’s contest consists of the first-ever “Handheld” class.
In fact, the competition nonetheless largely facilities round drones. And for folk who enter, there’s a complete prize bundle price greater than $170,000 up for grabs.
The right way to enter the SkyPixel 2025 Picture and Video contest
The entry window is open now, and it closes on Feb. 10, 2025. Now in previous years, entrants needed to add their photographs to the SkyPixel web site. However for the primary time, contestants may also submit their entries through all DJI social media channels.
In a departure from the numerous classes of previous yr, SkyPixel obtained extra streamlined because it entered double digits. This yr’s contest has been simplified to simply three separate classes: Aerial Pictures, Aerial Videography and Handheld Videography. Listed here are some particular particulars on every class:
Aerial Pictures
DJI recommends a shot “overlooking the world, framing moments of eternity. Whether or not awe-inspiring nature or grand structure, energetic sporting moments or portraits brimming with emotion – all present the attraction of the artwork of pictures.”
Entries should be shot on aerial pictures gear and entered as a single work with a single picture of a minimum of 3MB and a decision of a minimum of 300dpi.
Aerial Videography
DJI recommends movies the place you “soar by the skies and seize the magnificent fantastic thing about the earth. From pure wonders to city jungles inside cities, from impassioned sporting occasions to tranquil or colourful getaways – push the bounds and let your creativity shine.”
With this class, DJI requires you utilize precise DJI merchandise to shoot. Extra particularly, entries should be now not than 5 minutes in size. Not less than 30 seconds of footage should have been shot on DJI drones. In line with DJI, DJI FPV, DJI Neo, in addition to the Encourage, Mavic, Air, Mini, Avata and Phantom sequence are all eligible.
Handheld Videography
With these entries, DJI desires you to “maintain the digital camera and document probably the most intimate moments of life. Whether or not it’s the heart beat of town, the serenity of nature, the pace and keenness of the sports activities area, the thrill and expertise of journey, you might be free to interpret the spirit of the footage and inform your distinctive story.”
As is the case with the Aerial Videography class, DJI requires you utilize precise DJI merchandise to shoot. And once more, entries should be now not than 5 minutes in size. Not less than 30 seconds of footage should have been shot on any of the next DJI merchandise: Ronin Stabilizer, Ronin Cinema Cameras, Osmo Motion, Osmo Pocket or Osmo Cell sequence.
Maximize your odds of successful the SkyPixel 2025 Picture and Video contest
Profitable the SkyPixel 2025 Picture and Video contest is not any straightforward feat. For starters, brace your self for excessive competitors. Over the course of its previous 9 years, DJI says its SkyPixel contest has obtained a mixed 400,000+ submissions from across the globe.
That mentioned, there are some methods you possibly can enhance your odds of successful.
Embrace the theme: This yr’s theme is “Discover With out Limits.” Fairly than importing a generic seashore, attempt to tie it into the theme — even when it’s a generic seashore. In fact, be inventive and attempt to snap a photograph that leans into the ‘exploration’ or ‘no limits’ vibes.
Enter early: Whereas there may be the massive, general prize, there are additionally smaller prizes alongside the way in which. Every month will characteristic “Reputation Awards.” DJI says the winners listed below are those who “recognizing content material that explores “discover new traits or innovate artwork.”
Play to the judges: I’ll clue you in to who they’re, so you possibly can tailor your submissions to their pursuits. The pictures judges are Anne Farrar (Assistant Managing Editor-Pictures at Nationwide Geographic Journal), Weimin Chu (panorama photographer), Daniel Kordan (panorama photographer) and Luke Stackpoole (journey and journey photographer).
The video judges are: Claudio Miranda (Academy Award-winning cinematographer recognized for tasks together with Lifetime of Pi, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and High Gun: Maverick), Chenyu Jin (Director of Pictures recognized for Blossoms Shanghai and Like A Rolling Stone), Tianhong Pan (founding father of MediaStorm) and Sam Newton (journey filmmaker).
Get impressed: Use the previous winners to glean insights into what the judges like. I’ve shared one of the best drone photographs of 2023 and one of the best drone movies of 2023, highlighting the 2023 SkyPixel contest winners. And extra just lately, I shared the finest drone photographs of 2024 and the finest drone movies of 2024, once more highlighting final yr’s SkyPixel winners.
What are the prizes?
SkyPixel will announce the awards on March 27, 2026. So what’s up for grabs? This yr, three Grand Winners (that’s one from every of the classes) will win one of the best prize bundle. However that’s not all. DJI plans to offer away greater than 80 prizes over the course of the competitors.
Right here’s what’s in these prize packages:
- Picture Grand Winner prize: A Hasselblad X2D 100C, XCD 3.5-4.5/35-75mm, and an XCD F4/45P (price over $14,000)
- Video Grand Winner prize: A DJI Encourage 3 drone, a DL 18 mm F2.8, PROSSD 1TB, and two TB51 Batteries (price over $20,000)
- Handheld Grand Winner prize: A DJI Ronin 4D-8K cinema digital camera, DJI Transmission, and two TB50 batteries (price over $15,000)
Discover out concerning the different smaller prizes on the official SkyPixel web site.
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