The best travel photographers show us the world while we’re comfortably seated on our sofas. Adventurers to their core, these photographers take us to places inaccessible to the average person. They also show us familiar places in new lights. We might know the location, but their inquisitive eyes reveal a new perspective.
Looking at the work of the best travel photographers is a great way to find inspiration. They might inspire us to pick up our cameras and head out the door. Or perhaps it’s destination locations. Maybe it’s even inspiration for technique and composition. Either way, they get our creative juices flowing.
This article looks at the most influential travel photographers working right now. They are a brave set of explorers, there’s no doubt about that. And their work is some of the most renowned photography in any genre. Let’s dive right in.
Simply put, travel photography captures adventures and locations you visit during your journeys.
This photography niche involves so many different genres. A travel photographer must also know landscape, architecture, street, and environmental photography.
Travel and adventure photography often involves storytelling. And it focuses on capturing special moments and atmospheres.
There are many different approaches to travel photography. You can focus on people, take self-portraits, emphasize landscapes, or dive into aerial photography. Mixing these approaches can result in a unique style and, over time, get you professional recognition as a travel photographer.
With the introduction out of the way, we’re ready for these inspiring travel photographers to take us on a journey.
Michael Yamashita is one of the most influential travel photographers of his generation. With over 40 years of experience working for National Geographic, his images have been viewed and appreciated by millions.
Yamashita majored in Asian studies, and his photography work has followed that line of inquiry. His incredible photographs have opened the East to western eyes. With beautiful shots of Japan, China, Korea, and many other places, Yamashita is like a cultural ambassador bridging East and West.
Michael Yamashita: Website | Instagram
Steve McCurry is a world-renowned photographer who has traveled the globe many times over. He’s captured iconic images the wildest and most remote regions of the world. His work is a testament to the beauty of places such as Afghanistan, Russia, India, and many other countries.
His landscapes are breathtaking. But McCurry is perhaps even better known for his captivating travel portraits. These images are intense and honest, and they add a whole new level of depth to his travel photography. McCurry is a true travel photographer.
Steve McCurry: Website | Instagram
Denis Dailleux is a French photographer who has made a home in Cairo, Egypt. His work is a magnificent blend of travel and portrait photography.
More than many travel photographers, Dailleux focuses on people. The locations are important too, but only in how they relate to the people who live there. His work gives the viewer an intimate glimpse of the lives of remote and exotic towns.
Dailleux’s portraits are simply stunning. Anyone interested in environmental portraits will learn a lot from his photographs.
Denis Dailleux: Website | Instagram
This German photographer captures stunning landscapes and adventures. This is mostly when he’s surrounded by mountains and cliffs. Frauke does an excellent job at visualizing stories through her images.
Her style revolves around cold colors and a foggy atmosphere. She mostly includes herself in her photos, giving her work an extra personal touch.
Frauke Hameister: Website | Instagram
Some might consider Alex Webb more of a street photographer. Certainly, he has the style and approach of a street photographer. But the locations and people in those locations are what make his photos stand out.
Although born and raised in California, much of Webb’s work focuses on the Southern US states. His quest for people and stories has also taken him to Mexico and countries in the Caribbean like Cuba.
Alex Webb: Website
From wildlife to landscapes and night photos, Robert King is exceptional in several areas of photography. But first and foremost, he travels around the world and captures the unique views in front of him.
His passion for traveling shines through his photographs. His compositions are top-notch, often created with an extra touch of drone perspective.
Robert King: Website | Instagram
Chris is an American photographer who visits places like Norway, Iceland, Alaska, and Italy. He loves to shoot wildlife, getting unbelievably close to his models.
He uses a certain photography style for every country he visits, making each photo series unique and distinguishable. He also owns his own streetwear brand, where the designs are based on his photography.
Chris Henry: Website | Instagram
Frederic Lagrange is a French photographer with a natural eye for composition. Every image hits you like a smack in the chops. He’s done a lot of corporate work, which is excellent. But it’s the images from his voyages that really have impact.
From Kashmir to Ethiopia, Lagrange has captured it all. He’s taken pictures in more than 100 countries, and he isn’t finished yet.
His landscapes and street-style shots are beautiful and impressive. But you also need to see his travel portraits. They add even more depth to his visual travel journals.
Frederic Lagrange: Website | Instagram
Morten is a photographer from Norway, mainly taking photos of his own country’s treasures. He has a consistent style of dark, contrasty, and moody photographs.
He likes to include people in his photos, turning landscapes into lifestyle portraits. Not only that, but he also captures wildlife when he gets the chance.
Morten Munthe: Website | Instagram
Sebastiao Salgado is a trail-blazing environmental photographer. He has used his skills and the power of photography to highlight environmental issues. And he’s been doing this for 60 years, long before climate issues were mainstream topics.
We can definitely categories Salgado as a travel photographer as his work has taken him across the globe. After all, the climate crisis will effect everyone and everything on the planet.
He looks at habitat destruction, the oil industry, and indigenous peoples in remote parts of the world. After years of fantastic photography, Salgado’s work is now more important than ever.
He also shows how travel photography can be used for social and political commentary.
Sebastiao Salgado: Instagram
This English photographer perfectly combines landscape and travel photography. Wherever he travels, he tries to take a photo of the hidden gems of the place.
Tiny houses, forest trails, and local animals are all common subjects of Luke’s photography. He prefers northern locations like Iceland, Scotland, or Greenland.
Luke Stackpoole: Website | Instagram
A Frenchman born in Morocco, Bruno Barbey was always destined to travel. His early life Morocco have him an appetite for that color country, which spread to other parts of the world.
Barbey was a Magnum member who worked as a photojournalist, but also had his work published in outlets are varied as Vogue and Time magazines.
He’s documented a wide range of countries, cultures, and peoples, from Nigeria to Bangladesh.
Bruno Barbey: Website
Dave Williams is a travel photographer, writer, tour guide, and educator. He specializes in the arctic regions, but photography has taken him to many of the globe’s nooks and crannies.
We were lucky enough to collaborate with Mr. Williams for the Next Stop: Travel Photography eBook. It’s packed with examples of Dave’s best work, and it demonstrates his skills as a photography educator. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in travel photography.
Dave Williams: Website | Instagram
Jim Richardson is a US photographer, but his Celtic heritage has drawn him to Britain and Ireland on many occasions. He hasn’t forgotten his American roots, though. Much of his best work comes from the more wilder parts of the United States.
Having worked for National Geographic and Travel Magazine for decades, Richardson has an impressive body of published work. He also has a rather healthy collection of awards to his name. He remains an inspirational figure in the travel photography community.
Jim Richardson: Website | Instagram
Marcel does an excellent job at depicting what’s best in each season. He likes to include as much detail in his photos as possible. He often uses props that symbolize the current season (such as pumpkins during autumn).
His images are like a fairytale. His subjects are often magical forests, breathtaking castles, and traditional villages.
Marcel Siebert: Website | Instagram
If someone is enjoying life to the fullest, it’s Disa. Wherever she goes, she embraces the opportunities that the place gives. From tenting to petting a reindeer or chilling in a hot tub, she knows how to bring the best out of each moment.
And she captures these moments authentically and joyfully. Disa also has a portrait photography account. So check it out if you are interested in her work.
Disa Wold: Website | Instagram
Rach is a photographer from New Zealand, mainly taking photos of mountain landscapes. Her images are incredibly refined and thoughtfully composed.
She plays with colors like a true artist. The smooth transition between shades of the blue hour and cotton candy clouds in her pictures is remarkable.
Rach Stewart: Website | Instagram
Stijn loves creating dramatic images. He often uses silhouettes, sunsets, and flares to reach the desired atmosphere. He often uses a bird’s-eye view to include as much scenery as possible.
Capturing himself in his scenes is also a common part of his work. Check out this account if you want adventure photography at the most varied locations!
Stijn Sijkstra: Website | Instagram
Nazariy Kryvosheyev uses his photography to capture the moment while hiking and traveling through gorgeous places.
You can often see a patch of sky, a ray of sunlight, or a passing cloud giving his images an extra touch. He knows how to play with shadows and contrast to create his own style.
Nazariy Kryvosheyev: Website | Instagram
Thrainn is an Icelandic photographer traveling through his country. The sheer beauty of Iceland shines through his photos, from glaciers to highlands and waterfalls.
He captures details, such as close-ups of Icelandic horses, frozen grass, and landscapes. He often takes drone photos, showing the location from a unique perspective.
Thrainn Kolbeinsson: Website | Instagram
Gábor is a Hungarian photographer with a passion for traveling and adventures. His work is special because he often manages a minimalistic style of landscapes, with only two or three elements in the picture.
This makes his photographs simple yet breathtaking. One of his favorite locations is Iceland, and he is good friends with Thrainn.
Gabor Nagy: Website | Instagram
Peter is one of Instagram’s most-followed travel photographers. This is no accident. He takes a unique approach to travel, combining lifestyle self-portraits with adventure photos.
He visits a wide variety of locations. You can find photos of huge cities, northern landscapes, or even Californian beaches in his account.
Peter McKinnon: Website | Instagram
Giulio is a German photographer. He loves traveling through Europe and sharing his journey through his photography. He uses a harmonic set of colors in his pictures. This creates a warm atmosphere that defines his style.
Giulio proves that there are hidden gems everywhere. Looking at his pictures, the viewer gets an irresistible motivation to go out and discover new places.
Giulio Groebert: Website | Instagram
Alex Strohl is a Franch/Spanish photographer with a hard case of wanderlust. He never stops moving, jumping from one remote location to another.
His landscape photography skills are top draw, but he has street-style shots and portraits that give you even more immersion into his work. He makes you feel like you’re traveling with him, seeing the sights and feeling the emotions.
Alex Strohl: Website | Instagram
If you are looking for mountain landscape photography inspiration, check out this account.
From the Dolomites to Iceland, Mandy has a talent for capturing the cold yet beautiful winter atmosphere through her photos. She loves rocky surroundings, fog, and sunsets peeking through the clouds.
Mandy Rosenfeld: Website | Instagram
Looking at other photographers’ work can give you inspiration and new ideas you can implement in your photos.
That’s why it is a good idea from time to time to go through some outstanding artists’ profiles and see if you like anything about their style. When it comes to travel photography, these artists can even motivate you to go on a trip yourself!
Do you agree with our list? Please drop us a comment with your favorite travel photographer under this post!
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