5 Travel Photography Accounts to Inspire You

Photographer Sandra Holmes shares a list of the Instagram accounts she goes to for inspiration when planning trips

Slowly, the time is approaching to start traveling again. I'm one of those people who starts preparing weeks before a trip. I want to make the most of my vacation before I’ve even started packing my bags.

I begin sorting out books, guidebooks, and brochures, and use Pinterest to gather interesting information. I also read books and watch movies that immerse me in my destination's atmosphere.

This is all part of my creative routine that not only helps me organize my trip logistically, it's also preparation for documenting my travels through photography.

Wherever we’re going, we all have this desire inside us to create photo memories. Instagram is the ideal space for sharing those images, experiences, and other discoveries from our trips. If you know how to search this platform correctly, you will discover lots of incredibly valuable information.

My method usually starts with creating Instagram collections for my future destinations, whether they be real or fantasies. Collections is a feature that allows you to save photos that any user has uploaded and organize them in themed folders. I start by searching hashtags, locations, photographers' accounts, and other accounts that focus on travel... and when I find information that interests me, I save it in a collection.

What do I include in my collections? Nice neighborhoods to walk around, restaurants and cafes, experiences and activities, local customs, photography locations... This information complements the more touristy information and helps me experience a place in a way that’s more in line with how I like to travel.

To make your searches a little easier, I’m sharing a list of five travel photography accounts that you should follow on Instagram, which will serve as inspiration for your future getaways.

Emilie Ristevski

(@helloemilie)

Photographer Emilie Ristevski started out by posting photographs on Instagram. Today, she is a renowned photographer who documents her trips around the world and shares them on this social media platform.

Her images often feature pastel tones and a feeling of nostalgia that she creates through lighting–most of her images are taken during golden hour.

Another key feature in this photographer’s work is the self-portraits she takes in the places she visits, almost always with her back to the camera, wearing a hat. Her poses have inspired millions and different versions of them can be found all over social media.

Emilie defines herself as a narrator, whose goal is to tell stories and convey emotions through photography. In 2020, she published her first book, Forever Wandering, in which she compiles the best images from her travels.

Jess

(@mainichilatte)

"I love Japan, Korea, coffee, cinnamon rolls, and pistachio ice cream": this is the description you can read at the top of Jess' Instagram profile, which gives us a good clue about what we are going to discover in her feed.

On her profile, she shares key tips for organizing a trip using documentary-type images. You can tell that she has developed a great eye as a result of her travels in the way that she is able to find beauty in everyday life and manages to transport us to beautiful hidden places in each image.

Whether she takes them with a cellphone camera, digital camera, film camera, or drone, Jess’ photo diaries of her travels are always full of interesting images. Iceland, Korea, Japan, Hawaii, Indonesia, and Barcelona are just some of the places she has visited and which are featured on her blog, Where to Find Jess.

Jess has a Japanese soul so if you are interested in traveling to Japan or you like Japanese gastronomy and culture, you will love this account.

Julia Nimke

(@julianimkephotography)

Julia Nimke (@julia_nimke) is a German photographer based in Berlin. She loves taking landscapes, portraits, and lifestyle photographs. Her passion for nature and travel define her style. Her project, Folk Tales, took her to the most remote places in Europe for a year.

Each of her photographs captures a unique, one-off moment. Whether they are urban landscapes, natural landscapes, portraits, or lifestyle photographs, all her images make a great visual impact and stand out for their colors.

Follow her on Instagram and join her on her campervan trips–you'll soon be itching for new posts. As well as her social media photos, Julia teaches classes on how to capture images on Domestika.

You can see some of her best photos here.

Audrey Satan

(@audrey_satan)

Audrey Satan's account will have you hooked in no time: it’s all fashion, culture, and lots of travel. Traveling with her is a real pleasure, especially because she takes a special interest in local gastronomy. Eating is an important part of a traveling experience, which is why food photos will always have an important place in any travel diary.

As well as her account, Audrey publishes all the information about her travels in Girly Girl Magazine, a magazine she co-founded that shines a spotlight on what women have to say.

For Audrey, it makes no difference whether she’s taking a long trip to the other side of the world or driving to a spot not far from home, she will show us her destination through fresh, simple, beautiful images.

Nuria Val

(@frecklesnur)

Nuria Val is a model, entrepreneur, and photographer. Her passion and part of her job is to travel around the world, capturing the most beautiful places on the planet. Her trips have been published in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Undoubtedly, she is one of my favorite travelers because of her unique way of capturing her destinations. She has traveled half the world: California, Tokyo, Sri Lanka, Lanzarote, Argentina, and La Gomera.

She finds inspiration in nature: virgin landscapes, sunsets, road trips... With her 35mm-film camera around her neck, she finds beauty in every corner. Every image that she posts on her Instagram account is always tremendously inspiring.

This article was written by product photographer Sandra Holmes (@sandraholmes). Originally from the island of Tenerife (Spain), she has a degree in Art History and teaches the photography course, Colorful Flat Lay Photography for Instagram.

English version by @eloiseedgington.

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