MAELSTROM - PAUL HOELEN
WINNER: AERIAL CATEGORY: NATURAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2021
This image was captured from a Cessna in a remote area of southwest Australia on a recent trip trip in July 2021. It presents as is, straight out of camera. It was captured on a Canon R5 mirrorless camera with a 24-105 IS lens.
With this piece, there are multiple levels of interpretation with equal validity that invite potential for reflection on our impacts on the earth’s climate and the sustainability of the path we are on – whether it be a cyclonic storm viewed from space, a melting patch of sea ice, or a polluted landscape.
PHOENIX RISING - PAUL HOELEN
WINNER: ABSTRACT CATEGORY: SIENA DRONE AWARDS 2020
This image was captured at a mining site that became the most toxic dustbowl in America. Much work has been done to regenerate the area and bring it back to life. Migratory birds are returning, and life is beginning anew… We can see the wings of a Phoenix beginning to emerge as it rises from the fire and ash - a symbolic representation of the regeneration process currently occurring at a place of so much destruction.
The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings. It speaks of pulling yourself through all the murkier shades of life’s challenges towards the light - to emerge on the other side renewed and changed for the better. A touch of hope, possibility and healing ripples through the swirl of colours born from a broken land…
The Siena Drone Awards is the largest aerial contest in the world with entries from over 127 countries.