A solitary horseman, illuminated by a beam of light, stands on the snow, surrounded by eerie and jagged mountain peaks. It's an otherworldly image and it raises the question: How did a photographer manage to make such a captivating picture?

The answer: Drones!

That particular photo, titled "The Lone Horseman," by Dennis Schmelz, a filmmaker based in Germany took top honors in this year's Siena awards, a global competition that celebrates the art of aerial photography captured by drones.

The image was made in Cappadocia, Turkey — a mecca for photographers because of its rockscape with "fairy chimneys." Schmelz wanted to capture a different perspective — instead of the tourists and hot-air balloons of summer, he wanted a winter scene when snow covers the rocks.

"Silence fills the air and

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