23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Drone/Aerial
Sky Painted on Water

Photographed from above Lake Natron in Kenya, this high-shutter image captures a dynamic interplay between the flamingo flock, the water surface, and the sky reflected upon it. From the helicopter, the lake appeared like a vast mirror, holding the blue of the sky and drifting clouds. As the flamingos accelerated across the shallow water, their wings created sweeping white trails that sliced through the reflection, blending motion with mirrored light.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2025
Date Uploaded: 12.2025
Photo Location: Lake Natron, Kenya
Camera: NIKON Z 9
Copyright: © Yoshiki Nakamura