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How to Become a Nat Geo Photographer

Reader Question:   How do I become a photographer for National Geographic?

My Answer:   Photography is really no different than any other pursuit in life if you plan to make a living at it.   Unfortunately, there are very few full time salaried photography jobs.   All the photographers who take pictures for   National Geographic Traveler   are freelance independent business owners.

Taking pictures is an enjoyable activity, but if you decide that you want that to be your job you may find it’s not much fun anymore.   So, in order to be a successful photographer you need to be absolutely obsessed with photography. You also need to have an inner compulsion to communicate stories you feel strongly about.

As I said before, becoming a photographer is not too different than other jobs. First you need to find out everything you can about that field, then you need to figure out who the decision-makers are. At the same time you must spend all your time taking pictures so that when you finally find the right person to talk to, you have the work to back up your ideas.

As a former director of photography at National Geographic magazine used to say:”If we want to hire you, we already know who you are!”

What he meant by that is photographing for National Geographic is not a first-timer’s job.

Our editors are constantly looking at magazines, books, newspapers, and online for photographers who deliver compelling pictures time and time again. Once they start to see a photographer’s name over and over associated with good work in different media, then they might reach out to those individuals and ask if they have any good story ideas.

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Because it’s not enough to just be a good photographer. To make it at National Geographic you have to have interesting stories to tell.

Dan Westergren   is director of photography for   National Geographic Traveler   magazine. Follow him on Twitter   @dwestergren   and on Instagram   @danwestergren .

Do you have something you want to ask Dan about travel photography?   He’ll be answering reader questions periodically on the blog, so be sure to leave a comment.

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About Bob Krist

Bob Krist is a freelance photographer and filmmaker who has worked extensively on assignment for magazines such as National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler , Smithsonian , and Islands . These assignments have taken him to all seven continents and have won awards in the Pictures of the Year, Communication Arts , and World Press Photo competitions.

His short travel films have won gold and silver awards in the prestigious Lowell Thomas competitions as well as at film festivals in Iceland, Italy, and in the US.  In addition, he has directed commissioned motion work for Sony USA, TCS World Travel, The Maine Maritime Museum, Visit Bucks County.com, National Geographic Travel blog, the Jalisco Highlands Tourist Board (Mexico), and other clients. His travel documentary on Wondrium, called “Off the Beaten Path,” was recently nominated for a Webby Award.

During his work, he has been stranded on a glacier in Iceland, nearly run down by charging bulls in southern India, and knighted with a cutlass during a Trinidad voodoo ceremony. He won the title of “Travel Photographer of the Year” from the Society of American Travel Writers in 1994, 2007, and 2008. In 2000 his work was honored at the Eisenstaedt Awards for Magazine Photography in New York City.

Bob’s books include In Tuscany (Broadway Books, NY), which features 270 pages of his photographs of the region and is a collaboration with author Frances Mayes. It spent a month on the New York Times bestseller list. He also photographed the coffeetable books Caribbean and Portrait of the Caribbean and Low Country: Charleston to Savannah (Graphic Arts Center Publishing), A Photo Tour of New York (Photo Secrets Publishing, San Diego), and Impressions of Bucks County (Old Mill Productions, New Hope PA).

His latest book, published in 2020, Old Souls & Timeless Places (Brilliant Press, Exton, PA) is a retrospective of Krist’s portraiture and landscape work, reproduced in rich quad tone black and white.

An accomplished writer as well as a photographer, Bob was a contributing editor at both National Geographic Traveler and Outdoor Photographer , where he wrote  travel photography columns. His how-to book Spirit of Place: The Art of The Traveling Photographer (Amphoto Books, NY) was hailed by American Photographer magazine as “the best book about travel photography we’ve ever read.” His most recent how-to book Travel Photography: Documenting the World’s People and Places was published in the Digital Masters series by Lark Books.

He lectures on behalf of the   “Live at the National Geographic” series and recently launched a comprehensive course, The Fundamentals of Travel Photography, for National Geographic in collaboration with The Great Courses. He is a member of Sony’s Artisans of Imagery program.  

A former professional actor, Bob hosted Nature’s Best Photography , a 13-part series for National Wildlife Productions on the Outdoor Life Network, and Photography Close Up , one of Cablevision’s “MagRack” series. Currently, he can be seen as the host of the PBS special Restoration Stories. Bob lives in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with his wife Peggy. They are the parents of three sons, Matthew, Brian, and Jonathan.

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Boothbay Harbor, ME San Miguel de Allende, MX

[email protected]

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National Geographic Traveller Photography Awards 2023 – the winners

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The best mages from the magazine’s annual competition , with categories for travel, wildlife, urban settings, people, food, landscape and portfolio

Thu 2 Mar 2023 11.00 GMT Last modified on Thu 2 Mar 2023 13.27 GMT

Ed Hasler, winner: Wildlife

Sam Davies, winner: Landscape

Richard Quirke, winner: Urban

Simon Urwin, winner: Food

Serge Melesan, winner: Portfolio

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National Geographic Launches 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

The 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest launches today, inviting photographers of all levels to submit their best shots to the annual competition. The grand-prize winner will be awarded ,000 (USD), have his or her photo posted on the @NatGeoTravel Instagram account, as well as earn the prestigious title of National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year. The contest is open now and entries must be submitted by May 31, 2018, at 12 p.m. EST.

For 130 years, National Geographic has ignited the explorer in all people through photography and storytelling. For the Travel Photographer of the Year contest, we encourage photographers to show us the world through their own stories of travel and exploration.

Eligible contestants can visit natgeo.com/travelphotocontest to submit their best photos in any or all of the three categories: Nature, People and Cities. The entry fee is (USD) per photo and there is no limit to the number of photos an entrant can submit. During the contest period, National Geographic Travel will periodically highlight editors’ favorite photos in online galleries on natgeotravel.com /travelphotocontest.

A panel of judges, selected by National Geographic Travel, will choose a winner in each of the three categories. One of the category winners will be named the overall grand prize-winner and the other two category winners will each be awarded ,500 (USD).

After the conclusion of the entry period from June 11 through 15, members of the National Geographic community are encouraged to vote for their favorite photo in each category from a selection of images chosen by National Geographic photo editors. The photos with the most votes will be named People’s Choice winners.

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Inspiration 20 Travel Photographers You Should Know

“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” – Steve McCurry

Intrepid and visionary, photographers have long ventured forth to document their journeys and capture the essence of the places they explore. In celebration of our 2023 Travel Photography Award , (open for entries until the end of August) we’ve curated a list of 20 photographers, past and present, whose inspiring images embody the unique allure of travel.

1. Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry , the esteemed judge of our current Travel Award , is a globally-renowned figure in the world of photography. His remarkable oeuvre encompasses some of the most iconic images of our time and showcases the awe-inspiring beauty and cultural diversity of our planet.

Born in Philadelphia in 1950, McCurry studied cinematography at Pennsylvania State University, after which he worked as a staff photographer for the local newspaper Today’s Post . However, driven by his passion for travel and photography, he embarked on a journey to India, a country that would become synonymous with his name due to the stunning images he captured throughout his career. It was this inaugural trip that sparked the epiphanic realization, “if you wait, people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view”, setting the foundation for a remarkable career and some truly captivating images encompassing every corner of the globe.

2. Inge Morath

One of the most influential photographers in the history of the medium, Inge Morath travelled extensively throughout her career, forming close relationships with the places she visited through her absolute immersion in the local culture. The remarkable images she captured, display her wonderful artistry and serve as fascinating mementos of their time, whilst demonstrating the profound potential of color photography long before it gained widespread acceptance.

3. Michael Yamashita

Few photographers convey the sheer joy of travel like Michael Yamashita . Over the past three decades, he has embarked on a journey around the world, capturing breathtaking images of its landscapes and people.

Though, throughout his career, Yamashita has photographed on six different continents, it is his work in Asia that has become particularly renowned. With an Asian Studies major from Wesleyan University and Japanese heritage, Yamashita has become an expert in the region and has photographed extensively in China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and India, capturing images that articulately convey the cultural diversity and stunning beauty of this fascinating continent.

4. Denis Dailleux

Though he has photographed various locations, Denis Dailleux is inseparably linked to Egypt , a country with which he has had a long and complex love affair, that has engendered some truly stunning imagery. His images convey a deep understanding of the Egyptian people and their culture, capturing their humanity and resilience.

He first visited the country in 1992, to join his Egyptian lover whom he had met in Paris a year earlier, and immediately fell in love with the country, captivated by its beguiling beauty and the warmth and generosity of its people.

He spent the next three decades visiting the country (before eventually, living there for several years), capturing its unique essence with love, tenderness, profound respect, and a masterful eye for form, light, and color.

5. Martine Franck

One of the finest practitioners of her time, and, like her husband Henri Cartier-Bresson, a major proponent of the humanist style, Martine Franck spent much of her life traversing the globe, capturing utterly compelling depictions of everyday life with remarkable grace and artistry. Her subjects and locations were as diverse as Tibetan temples, and industrial Northern English towns, whilst she also photographed her homeland extensively, notably in 1976, when she and four female compatriots, were commissioned by La Fondation Nationale de la Photographie to document their countrymen and women on vacation, during which she captured her now iconic photograph ‘Swimming Pool Designed by Alain Capeilleres, La Brusc’.

6. Alex Webb

“Most of my projects seem to start as exploratory journeys with no visible end in sight.” — Alex Webb

Renowned photojournalist, and judge of our 2020 Street Photography Award (alongside his wife and fellow photographer Rebecca Norris-Webb) Alex Webb is a master of capturing the decisive moment, rendering images filled with energy and movement that communicate brilliantly the atmosphere of the scene.⁠ ⁠ While he has photographed extensively in his homeland, Webb is best known for his vibrant and dynamic work in Latin America and the Caribbean. His images capture the region’s unique atmosphere, rich colors, and intricate details, offering a captivating glimpse into this part of the world.⁠

7. Maggie Steber

One of the finest photographers of her generation, Maggie Steber has dedicated her life to documenting some of the most important stories of our time, a mission that has taken her to some 70 countries, and encompassed everything from the African slave trade to natural disasters. Forthright and rooted in compassion, her images, which have graced the pages of many of the world’s most important publications including, National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, and The Guardian, cut to the heart of the human condition, leaving a lasting impact on viewers worldwide.

8. Frédéric Lagrange

Frédéric Lagrange is a French-born photographer whose breathtaking imagery showcases the dramatic beauty and cultural diversity of our world. Over the last decade and a half, he has traveled extensively, visiting approximately 100 countries across almost every continent, focusing particularly on secluded shores and remote areas, such as the wild and rugged Wakhan Corridor in northeastern Afghanistan. His stunning images, which have been published in The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and The New Yorker (among others) evoke a sense of intrepidity and solidify his position as one of today’s most talented travel photographers.

9. Sebastião Salgado

One of the medium’s most masterful living practitioners, Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Salgado is renowned for his powerful monochromatic images that tell the human stories behind some of the most important issues of our age.

During the course of his near-five decade-long career, he has traversed the globe, capturing extraordinary images, though it is perhaps his depictions of his homeland for which he is best known. In 1986, he travelled to the notorious Serra Pelada gold mine, to photograph some of the 50,000 workers who worked in terrible conditions. His most recent project, the landmark, Amazonia a series of stunning images of the landscapes and people of the world’s largest rainforest captured during a series of trips over the course of six years, is one of his most impressive, communicating the dramatic beauty, incredible biodiversity, and rich cultural heterogeneity of what the photographer calls “paradise on earth”, and thus highlighting the importance of its conservation at what is a crucial tipping point in the fight against climate change.

10. Pia Riverola

One of the best-known travel photographs of recent years, Pia Riverola , is renowned for her dreamy, pastel-hued renderings, which flawlessly capture the very essence of their subject matter.

Whether it’s vibrant flower markets in Mexico City, neon-lit and rain-drenched streets in Tokyo , or the lush landscapes of South American jungles, Riverola ‘s photographs exude a nostalgic and dream-like quality, displaying her masterful understanding of light and inducing a powerful sense of wanderlust.

11. Bruno Barbey

One of the finest photographers of our time, Moroccan-born, French photographer Bruno Barbey, has spent the last five decades travelling the world capturing powerful images that display his unique artistic voice and intrepidity. Over the years he has photographed in Brazil, China, India, his homeland France, and Morrocco, his birthplace, returning on numerous occasions to capture stunning, color-rich images that convey the unique essence of the country.

12. Jimmy Nelson

Judge of our recent Portrait Award , Jimmy Nelson, has dedicated the last ten years to documenting indigenous cultures around the world, which face increasing threats to their traditions and ways of life.

Nelson ‘s adventurous spirit was ignited during his childhood through his father’s work as an exploratory geologist. His first major project involved an epic journey on foot across Tibet in 1987, while seven years later, he documented the newly-opened People’s Republic of China in his acclaimed project “Literary Portraits of China,” which was exhibited in Tiananmen Square before touring globally.

However, it was his subsequent travels around the world to photograph remote cultures using a traditional 50-year-old plate camera, that laid the foundation for the project for which he is best known. “Before They Pass Away”, comprises stunning portraits of 35 different indigenous communities across the globe, capturing their unique traditions and practices in the face of globalization and industrialization.

13. Jim Richardson

Though born in the US, Richardson is immensely proud of his Celtic roots and has spent much of his career focusing on Ireland and Scotland. The latter has been a particularly prominent subject, his fascination with the wild landscapes of the Scottish highlands and the remote islands off its western coastline, engendering a wealth of captivating landscape images that articulate its unique, rugged beauty.

14. Matthieu Paley

French-born Matthieu Paley is one of the finest contemporary travel photographers, whose practice focuses on remote areas, and those communities that call them home.

Working on assignments for National Geographic and other leading publications, he has captured profoundly fascinating photo essays on hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, Greenland’s Inuit and Afghanistan’s Kyrgyz nomads (which he did over the course of a decade), leading to a number of notable awards, including a 2017 World Press Photo award for his portrayal of a Uighur woman in western China.

15. Brooke Holm

The 2nd Prize Winner of our 2018 Color Award for her breathtaking depiction of an Icelandic landscape, Australian-American artist Brooke Holm is one of the most exciting emerging proponents of travel photography. Inspired by satellite imagery and therefore, captured almost invariably from above, her depictions of some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery are akin to paintings. Rich in color, texture and form, they offer a divergence from conventional viewpoints, showing the natural world at scale, in an attempt to subvert traditional anthropocentric narratives and advocate for coexistence with our environment and its inhabitants.

16. Galen Rowell

Equal parts adventurer and photographer, Galen Rowell spent the majority of his extraordinary life traversing some of the world’s most lofty areas, and capturing stunning landscape images that convey the beauty of the subject.

Throughout his career, Rowell undertook assignments for prestigious publications like LIFE and National Geographic, fearlessly venturing into remote and unforgiving locations, capturing them with unmatched artistry that still resonates today. His work not only showcased the natural wonders of these landscapes but also left a profound impact on the field of photography, inspiring generations of landscape photographers and ensuring his legacy lives on through his work.

17. Ami Vitale

Considered one of the most important conservation photographers of her generation, Ami Vitale has spent her career travelling the globe, traversing more than 100 countries and capturing stunning images that illuminates the often-overlooked heroes and communities whose efforts to protect wildlife and the natural world are truly inspiring. A Nikon Ambassador and regular contributor to National Geographic, Vitale has received numerous awards and commendations over the years, among them a Lucie Humanitarian Award and numerous World Press Photo prizes, which stand as a testament to her dedication and talent in her field. 

18. Jody MacDonald

Few can rival Jody MacDonald when it comes to intrepidity. The award-winning adventurer and photographer has visited over 100 countries and spent a decade travelling the globe on a 60-foot catamaran, on an expedition to uncover the most remote and untamed corners of the planet. Working on assignment for National Geographic and other leading publications, or commercial projects for the likes of Patagonia and Red Bull, MacDonald has photographed some of the harshest and most difficult-to-reach corners of the earth – from the Sahara to the Himalayas – capturing stunning images that communicate the wild beauty of our world.

19. Evelyn Hofer

Few, if any photographers in history captured the essence of cites in the manner of Evelyn Hofer , the enigmatic German-born photographer who, throughout her impressive career, travelled the world photographing its landscapes and people with rarely-matched grace and artistry.

Whether it was Dublin, Paris, Florence, or the cities of her adopted homeland, the United States, Hofer’s photographs capture the essence of the subject. Underpinned by a masterful understanding of form, light, and color, today they stand as timeless testaments to her artistic vision and her ability to reveal the profound beauty that exists within the tapestry of our world.

20. René Burri

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Here's the secret behind those stunning National Geographic wildlife photographs

"Behind the Scenes” is a five-part series focusing on the inner workings of the travel industry and how those impact the consumer’s final product. If you'd like to contribute to our future reporting and share your experience as a source, you can  click here to fill out this quick form .

The object vaguely resembled a chicken, with its rounded body but no head. However, the white paper-mache bird was actually supposed to be a greater-sage grouse – a bird that lives in the North American plains.

National Geographic photographer Charlie Hamilton James was on assignment in Wyoming in 2018 to capture images of male sage grouses doing their mating dance, in which they quickly pop their chests in and out. 

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There was a major problem, though: the birds wouldn’t perform their intimate mating ritual if a human was present.

So James approached National Geographic photo engineer Tom O'Brien, one of the only people who could help him. O’Brien is the mastermind behind the bespoke innovations that help National Geographic photographers capture the up-close, stunning photography the publication is known for. 

“You’re insane, dude,” O’Brien remembered telling James when asked for a “robot camera bird.” 

Yet it was completed in two and a half weeks. A strong yet tiny camera was placed inside the paper-mache bird, which could travel down a 100-foot-long railroad track made of quarter-inch PVC pipe. It could go left and right, up and down, and James could control all of it over a Wi-Fi mesh network. 

“It was one of the wildest things I’ve ever done,” O’Brien said. 

Placing the camera at bird-height was also a strategic move. “Now all of a sudden they look majestic as heck,” he said. “They look powerful and big.”

Dubbed “the funky bird train,” this project was just one of many MacGyver-like inventions O’Brien makes to let photographers get up close and personal to wildlife or deal with unpredictable and extreme natural conditions. 

His innovations have been everywhere, from the Arctic to Mount Everest and, soon, the Sonoran Desert. (“How are we going to keep these cameras not boiling hot in the Sonoran Desert?”)

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National Geographic’s 007

With a background in mechanical engineering, O’Brien also dabbled in photography as a hobby since his high school years. When applying for jobs in 2016, it was between this position at National Geographic and a firm that produced equipment for intelligence operators like the CIA. 

He took the National Geographic job and is now half of a two-person department. 

“People joke that I’m Nat Geo’s 007,” he said. “I love the freedom to create and innovate … It’s something I have that many engineers don’t have. We touch so many different types of engineering, from electric to mechanical to textiles.”

O’Brien’s team just recently acquired a sewing machine. 

Located just blocks from the White House, the underground photo engineering lab has everything a photographer could need – and things they may not know they could use. 

Upstairs is a shop with machines such as 3D printers and laser cutters. In the basement, old cabinets line the walls, filled with every type of brass fastener in the English imperial system as well as drills, bolts and screws in every size. “It allows us to quickly iterate and design, and grab and go,” he said. There are drill presses, milling machines and big butcher block tables. 

To put it simply: “If you told me the world is ending and you need to build me a car, I bet we could build you a car down there.”

Then there’s the camera gear, hundreds of lenses, batteries, cameras, lights, tripods, lighting stands, underwater housing and more “bits and bobs,” as O’Brien put it. 

Out in the wild

When photographers are heading out on assignment, they first stop at O’Brien’s desk for help. 

He made an elephant-resistant camera used in Gabon, which required meeting with the elephant curator at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and watching how elephants play with enrichment toys. O’Brien built a lightweight pyrex housing that was strong enough to withhold elephant tusks. 

For an expedition up Mount Everest, the camera equipment had to be lightweight, and he had to ensure the batteries wouldn’t freeze. “With smaller batteries, the trick is you shove them inside your coat,” he said. That wasn’t possible with 10 pounds of drone batteries, so he painted lightweight aluminum black because “solar ovens work even better” at high altitudes. 

Photographer Jen Guyton was heading out to Kenya’s Masai Mara savannah to capture images of spotted hyenas . She dove into extensive research. “I tried to dig up every story that’s ever been done on spotted hyenas, what has already been done and what’s possible,” she said. 

“I try to prepare for everything and rely on nothing,” she said. Especially regarding wildlife and nature, anything can throw a wrench into plans. “You have to bend to an animal’s will.”

When she approached O’Brien, she had a “crazy idea.” She wanted to shoot the hyenas in the dark because that’s when the animals are most active. “All the photos we see of them are taken during the day.”

They decided to try out infrared – her first time shooting with the technology – and created a custom system built onto a Land Cruiser. Two infrared spotlights typically used for crime scene investigations were mounted on top of the car and two huge car batteries for the spotlights were placed on the back. Wires were everywhere. 

Guyton went out multiple nights – some nights, it poured rain, so she had to bring the lights in, and caught never-before-seen images of hyenas eating and cubs playing.

Guyton also used a remote-controlled robot to get close to the hyena den while she stayed about 50 yards away to give them space. “How do you get that low angle when you can’t be on the ground with them?” O’Brien said. The camera settings could be adjusted as the daylight changed. 

“The cool thing about it was hyenas are naturally curious,” she said. The hyenas approached the robot, and one cub even offered it a stick in what seemed like a gesture to play. The images showed a completely different side to hyenas, exactly what Guyton sought. 

“I like to think of photos as entire stories frozen in time,” she said. “They capture a moment that can never be repeated in exactly the same way ever again.” 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here's the secret behind those stunning National Geographic wildlife photographs

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31 Most Famous Travel Photographers to Follow in 2024

Want to know the best travel photographers to follow on Instagram? Get inspired by these 31 incredible travel photography accounts!

Famous Photographers | Learn | By Jeff Collier

You’re about to discover 31 of the best travel photographers on Instagram in 2024.

I’ll introduce you to award-winning travel photographers who fly around the world in search of the most incredible photos.

I’ll also answer some frequently asked questions related to travel photographers in general.

You’ll find a ton of inspiration for your own travel photography in this guide.

You should also check out our related guides:

• Most famous photographers in the world
• Most famous celebrity photographers
• Most famous street photographers
• Most famous fashion photographers
• Most famous underwater photographers

Table of Contents

Who Are The Most Famous Travel Photographers in 2024?

Chris burkard.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ChrisBurkard (@chrisburkard)

Burkard is a self-taught photographer who has truly mastered the art of taking breathtaking landscapes and action-filled portraits.

• What is the Best Camera for Travel Photography?

Lauren Bath

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Lauren Bath | Australia (@laurenepbath)

Her Instagram feed showcases her unique perspective in highly saturated landscapes and atmospheric wildlife photography .

She also gives you behind-the-scenes photography insights into how she goes about capturing her travel photos.

Joshua Cripps

@joshuacrippsphotography

Joshua Cripps is a well-known American photographer , international speaker, and tour leader. His epic landscapes are somehow able to capture the feeling of being there yourself.

Melissa Hie

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ❤️ Mel’s Food & Travel log (@girleatworld)

This concept allows her to share tiny moments from around the world in fun and unique ways.

• Read more: What hashtags get the most attention on Instagram?

Lucy Rose Laucht

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Lucy Rose Laucht (@lucylaucht)

As a Leica ambassador, her passion and dedication to her craft shows up in every image, from beach scene to cityscape.

Even now, when most people take photographs with their phones, there’s still a lot to learn from film photography where every shot is precious.

• Best travel camera for blogging

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sam Horine (@samhorine)

His Instagram account features life around him, with images from the city and the natural wonders his day job brings him to document.

Chase Guttman

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Chase Guttman (@chaseguttman)

He uses a drone to shoot amazing landscape photography in a different light, and he finds beauty in the repeating patterns you can see from above.

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• What is the best lens for travel photography?

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Gab Scanu | Travel • Photography (@gabscanu)

His duo-toned landscape shots are framed with a manmade element that helps the viewer focus on the natural beauty of the outdoors and be reminded of man’s interaction with it.

Glenn Lee Robinson

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Adventure Enthusiasts (@adventurenthusiasts)

From snowy mountains in Yosemite to a bird’s eye view of Lake Tahoe, his photos highlight the sheer beauty of California’s national parks and forests.

Senai Senna

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Senna Relax (@sennarelax)

In the meantime, I like to look at his tagged locations for travel inspiration and where I want to go next.

Lisa Michele Burns

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Lisa Michele Burns (@the_wanderinglens)

The pastel colors of sunset and the misty aura of waterfalls and ocean spray fill her feed with calming energy.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Gary Arndt (@everythingeverywhere)

While he doesn’t post new images often, his reputation as a three-time Travel Photographer of the Year means that every post or reel is a must-see.

• Who are the 33 most famous architecture photographers?

Manuel Dietrich

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Manuel Dietrich | Germany 🇩🇪 | Travel | Hiking (@manueldietrichphotography)

Dietrich’s Instagram grid showcases his teal-orange-green style in a way that’s deeply inspiring. Instead of applying a filter to any photograph, he makes sure his subject fits into his style.

Laurence and Jessica Norah

View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Laurence Norah (@lozula)

As full-time photography bloggers, they share their expertise in planning trips and documenting them.

Their Instagram feed is an approachable portfolio of experiences that almost anyone can learn from and emulate on their next big trip.

Colby Brown

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Colby Brown (@colbybrownphotography)

One feature of Brown’s photograph descriptions is the camera settings or equipment he uses. For most shots, he lets you know which lens and body he used, which is helpful when you’re ready for an upgrade.

Richard Bernabe

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Richard Bernabe (@bernabephoto)

His adventure photos from around the world move people to think about conserving the natural environment that he is so good at capturing.

• Read more: How do I start adventure photography?

Alex Strohl

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Alex Strohl (@alexstrohl)

His Instagram feed is more like a collection of mini blog posts behind the scenes of taking and producing images that you can share with the world.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sam (@sam.vox)

Don’t miss out on Vox’s reels which provide a behind-the-scenes look at the day’s work. Some photos are taken with a small point-and-shoot which proves that the best camera is the one that you have with you.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Art Wolfe (@artwolfe)

His extensive archive of Instagram images showcases why he’s known as a master of color, composition and perspective.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Bob Krist (@bobkristphoto)

Because of his experience, his Instagram travel photographs have a range of styles and subjects that I – and many others – look to for inspiration.

Timothy Allen

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Timothy Allen (@timothy_allen)

Paul Nicklen

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Paul Nicklen (@paulnicklen)

Nicklen’s skill in composing his photos is something I study before going on a trip and again before I edit my shots. His use of framing and composition takes his photos from snapshots to masterpieces.

Michael Yamashita

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Michael Yamashita (@yamashitaphoto)

His books, workshops, and lectures help him share his passion for historic explorers and the landscapes that they would have seen in ancient times.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Yosigo (@yosigo_yosigo)

Whether it’s a trip to the beach or an abandoned parking garage, he has the ability to portray the modern world in a fresh light.

Navaneeth Unnikrishnan

View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Navaneeth Unnikrishnan (@navaneeth_unnikrishnan)

Ami Vitale is a renowned photographer who has travelled to over 100 countries and published a book showing pandas being released into the wild.

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by PhotoShelter (@photoshelter)

Jord Hammond

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by JORD | TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY (@jordhammond)

Eric Rubens

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Eric Rubens 🌅 Travel & Photography (@ericrubens)

Though the colors in his landscapes must be highly edited, his skill in knowing what to highlight and when to stop makes his dreamy seascapes something special.

• Read more: Who are the most famous landscape photographers?

Elia Locardi

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Elia Locardi (@elialocardi)

From a once-in-a-lifetime photo of the Northern Lights to a series of shots documenting the city’s skyline, he knows how to draw you into his world.

Matjaž Krivic

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Matjaz Krivic Photography (@krivicmatjaz)

The emotion of the trip is evident in every shot, which he shares on his Instagram feed.

FAQs about Travel Photographers

What is considered as a travel photographer?

Anyone who uses a camera to document the world and showcase what makes a location unique. Instagram travel photographers may have a defined vision or may take inspiration from an area’s landscape, food, people and history.

Is it hard to be a travel photographer?

It takes dedication, and it can be hard at times. My favorite photographers are skilled with both a camera and a computer, and they work almost as hard at marketing themselves and teaching others as they do in capturing the perfect picture.

Are travel photographers in demand?

Yes! The travel industry is not slowing down, which means that the demand for new photographs and videos of exciting locations around the world is still high.

Does travel photography pay well?

Instagram travel photographers may be paid by brand sponsorships and marketing agencies for the trips they take. They can make money selling prints of their work directly online or through galleries . Many even guide trips and have online classes teaching others how to recreate their style.

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Jeff Collier is an experienced film photographer who enjoys experimenting with modern digital photography equipment, software and apps. He’s also an ex-world champion triathlete and avid cyclist, clocking hundreds of km each week in the beautiful Tweed Valley of northern NSW, Australia.

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• Spring reality TV
• The Traitors
• Survivor 46
• Tournament of Champions

Photographer tells the stories of people whose images capture—and shape—the world

“With my work, I don’t just take pictures,” Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Muhammed Muheisen tells a mother and her child in their apartment.

He’s sitting on a bed next to Oksana and her child, Kolya, Ukrainian refugees living in Bucharest—though she says, “I don’t feel like a refugee. I don’t like the word ‘refugee’.”

Muhammed tells them, “I like to know more about you—to hear your story—if you don’t mind.” And so begins a conversation, facilitated by a translation app, that’s captured by another photographer, Emmy-winning director Rita Baghdadi.

This is one of six portraits that make up National Geographic’s Photographer , which is airing on NatGeo Mondays at 10, though all episodes are now on Disney+ and Hulu. It’s outstanding.

Each episode pairs a different photographer and filmmaker, showing us the person behind the lens, and allowing us to see them work at a particular moment in their lives.

Both the photographers’ work and the television show’s footage are striking— gorgeous and revealing images that sometimes linger, and other times slip past in rapid montages that made me want to pause or go seek out their work to look at it more closely.

Seeing these images—whether those are unseen early images or prize winners—is, of course, crucial to understand the people who took the photos.

Like Muhammed, though, Photographer is more interested in its subjects’ stories. There is more narrative than dissection of craft; this is not a show that is focused on the type of lenses or equipment the photographers use, or even how they’re composing images.

We meet most subjects as they’re working, and then quickly move into interviews with them as they share their story, illustrated by archival photos—of them, or photos they’ve taken.

These parts can come across like a 1980s filmstrip, still images accompanied by audio, which has the effect of keeping the subjects slightly at arm’s length, especially early in an episode.

The series comes fully alive when it’s just spending time with the photographer: Muhammed hanging out with people, talking, not taking photos. Campbell Addy gesturing subtly to indicate how models should move in a studio, anxiously directing models on location in Ghana, and later running into a gallery with a broad smile as he sees his exhibition for the first time.

The first episode, directed by series executive producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, follows a couple as they take a sailboat through the Bahamas to photograph wildlife on their way to take photos of a ship that is drilling for oil.

Their focus on conservation, and protecting the spaces and people they’ve photographed, is diffused throughout the episode.

Each episode slips comfortably into its subject’s POV. The photographers’ choices—of subject, of technique—get attention, as does the effect of their work on the world and on them.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Muhammed Muheisen photographs refugees around the world; Paul Nicklen photographs wildlife, while his partner Cristina Mittermeier photographs indigenous people; queer celebrity photographer Campbell Addy, who was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, now explores sexuality and spirituality in his photos .

Other episodes focus on Anand Varma, who uses technology to capture nature up close ; portrait photographer Dan Winters; and adventure photographer Krystle Wright.

The contact some of these artists have had with the world has led them toward activism outside the frames of their images. Muhammed, for instance, has created a foundation with his wife to help refugees, Everyday Refugees , to “document, educate, help and empower as many as possible” and tells us, “My intention is to get to know the people, hear their stories, and find out what they need—how I could be of help.”

The way Photographer shares its subjects’ perspective is shaped, of course, by the photographers behind the lens of the episode itself, though that remains off camera, keeping the focus on, well, the photographers.

The work of the reality TV show production and the photographers themselves combine to create spirited portraits of people who are producing exceptional and influential art.

When he was working in Iraq as a photojournalist, Muhammed tells us, “I spoke to some soldiers who had no idea what the hell they are doing there. That really changes everything you believe in. You start to look at the world from a different angle.” Photographer certainly helped me to do that.

Photographer

Beautifully crafted stories of visual storytellers. A

What works for me:

• The imagery, both the photographers’ work and the TV show’s footage
• The intertwined exploration of the photographer’s work and their lives

What could be better:

• Even more immersion in their lives, especially earlier in the episodes

All reality blurred content is independently selected, including links to products or services. However, if you buy something after clicking an affiliate link, we may earn a commission, which helps support reality blurred. Learn more.

About the writer

Andy Dehnart is the creator of reality blurred and a writer and teacher who obsessively and critically covers reality TV and unscripted entertainment, focusing on how it’s made and what it means.

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To share our perspectives and exchange ideas in a welcoming, supportive space, there are rules for commenting here. By commenting below, you confirm that you’ve read and agree to those rules.

Happy discussing!

See the Total Solar Eclipse’s Shadow From Space

Satellite images from NASA and NOAA showed the moon’s shadow moving across North America.

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PATH OF TOTALITY

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