The art of photography opens up a whole new window on the world.
It helps us capture treasured memories and incredible sights, or admire majestic moments and inspiring destinations through the eyes of others. Photography has never been more accessible or popular than it is today, with people across the planet chronicling life through a lens. That means there is now a wealth of inspiring images out there for us all to discover, from quick snaps on Instagram to DSLR photoshoots.
Travel photography is one of the best-loved art forms, as shown by the popularity of our first rundown of the world’s top 100 travel photographers last year. With 8,000 likes on Facebook, the post struck a chord with intrepid explorers, snap happy camera fans and destination dreamers.
Now, refreshed and updated from last year, Chillisauce reveal the Top 100 Travel Photographers in the World, complete with their Twitter, website or Google+ details so you can keep track of their ongoing journeys. Whatever your own level of experience with a camera, check out the list below for your chance to learn from the planet’s most talented and loved travel snappers.
The Top 100 Travel Photographers in the World 2017
Bob Krist
Bob Krist truly knows how to present life in technicolour. His bright and powerful images from around the world have bagged him multiple awards and earned him a reputation as one of the most respected travel photographers around. His portraits of people encountered on his travels are captivating.
Jann Arthus-Bertrand
A nature enthusiast, he ran a nature reserve in France before moving to Kenya to study the behaviour of lions, all before he turned 31. He picked up the bug for photography as a tool for chronicling his findings, going onto become both a spirited campaigner and talented photojournalist.
Sherry Ott
Self-confessed “middle age wanderer”, Sherry Ott has made a great fist of leaving the office job behind, carving out a new life as a seasoned travel photographer. After eight years of shooting and blogging, her own site has become a vast directory of fantastic images taken in almost every landscape imaginable.
Jeff Sullivan
When we say Jeff Sullivan’s photography is out of this world, we really mean it. In fact, he’s been named Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Back down on earth, his photos are pretty incredible too with his nature snaps capturing the true, rugged beauty of the Californian landscape.
Gary Arndt
Richard Bernabe
An in-demand photographer who specialises in capturing nature at its most natural and wildlife, especially in his dramatic landscapes from the remotest parts of North America and beyond. And if you want to learn from the best he offers travel photography workshops across the globe.
Robert Caplin
Kiersten
A California native graduating with honors and getting a job at a prestigious financial firm in LA, Kiersten soon realized she was living someone else’s dream. Kiersten left her career to travel the world, volunteer in developing countries, and discover her own happily ever after.
Jack Hollingsworth
Brendan Van Son
Rebecca Varidel
Steve Baile
Australia is a land which naturally lends itself to great photography, with unrivalled landscapes, unique wildlife and beautiful coastlines. Luckily, Aussie expert, tour operator and travel snapper Steve Baile is there to capture much of this captivating country in true photographic style.
Matt Long
Trey Ratcliff
If you grow up in a place as beautiful as New Zealand then there’s really no excuse not to become a photographer. Luckily Trey Ratcliff has the skills to do the breathtaking landscapes justice, capturing everything from endless beautiful sunsets to dolphins frolicking in the surf.
Colby Brown
Denver-based Colby Brown is not only a fantastic photographer, chronicling all sorts of sides to life on planet earth, but a fantastic teacher too, running popular photography workshops both in person and online, producing books aimed at helping other photographers progress.
Jeff Lombardo
Not only is jeffsettin.com possibly the best travel photographer web address ever, but his photos are none-too-shabby either. From glamorous shots on tour with Ne-Yo to his travel photography, his pictures are a unique take on urban life in some of the world’s most vibrant cities.
James Clark
Having earned the enviable position of a “location independent digital nomad”, hard working entrepreneur James Clark spends most of his life on the go, his pictures ooze local charm and he captures moments you can only enjoy by getting stuck in to experience each place you visit.
Michel Guntern
Freelance photojournalist Michel Guntern has taken in an incredible 120 countries on his travels so far, capturing countless fantastic photos while he was at it. With his Travel Notes website helping you plan your own trip and TravelTwip.com curating the best travel snaps.
Adam Romanowicz
Matt Considine
An expert in underwater photography with awe-inspiring shots of majestic marine life, he is also an active campaigner for preserving nature through his wildlife photography. His travel photography portfolio spans continents and always captures interesting aspects about the destination.
Anthony M. Davis
Demonstrates a real skill in making even the seemingly mundane aspects of travel look interesting, while his focus on the architecture of various places makes for an intriguing collection of images. His infra-red images are unnervingly beguiling but constantly captivating.
Brandon Elijah Scott
With a fantastic eye for images, designer, blogger and travel photographer Brandon Elijah Scott creates beautiful fine art photography and is passionate about sharing his research and photography tips. His new photo-a-day feature provides fresh inspiration through his pictures every day.
Kelly Harmon
Californian Kelly Harmon is on a mission to hit more than 100 counties, chronicling her travels with some fantastic photography along the way. Stunning images of inspiring destinations include Thailand, Antigua, the Masai Mara, Laos and Cambodia to create a bucket list of must-see places.
Flickr | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Kelly-Harmon-Photography-LLC-158743174205193/ |
Gray Cargill
Her www.solofriendly.com website is full of practical and inspiring tips for those looking into travelling alone as well, including unique ways of including yourself in your photos when sightseeing on your own.
Barbara Weibel
Did what most people only dream of by ditching the corporate life in favour of travel, writing and taking pictures en route. Her travels are all about searching for the meaning in her life and her images express that desire to seek out the cultural values in the places she visits.
Davide Petilli
Claudio Giovenzana
Italian photographer Claudio Giovenzana has been on the road for five years now and is passionate about sharing the extraordinary pictures he takes along the way. His images of Mexico are particularly worth admiring.
Martin Bolo
Argentinian snapper Martin Balo is a prolific Tweeter and a prolific traveller too, focusing on the cosmopolitan nature of some of the world’s most exciting cities, while his sunset and sunrise shots are simply stunning.
Melody Fury
Food enthusiast Melody Fury is inspired by rich tapestry of tastes and flavours the world has to offer and specialises in food photography. From food markets to gourmet restaurants and everything in between, her love of food and its connection to local cultures provides a tasty take on travel photography.
Martin Vogt
Martin captures rawness in the familiar and uniqueness in the unexpected. From housewives in South-Asia, random architectural venues to world-renown celebrities, he has dedicated his work to telling untold stories. Through photography he creates visual documents of the beauty and diversity he experienced or wanted to experience.
Melissa McKinley
Travel the world from the comfort of Twitter by following Melissa’s tweets, an unbeatable resource for all things happening in the world of travel, full of tips and advice and regularly pointing people in the direction of inspirational articles and images from around the web.
Matt Gibson
Canadian snowboarder and outdoors enthusiast Matt Gibson likes to push life to its limits and his adventurous photos reflect this. If you like to spend days at your desk dreaming of carving up the powder snow then Matt’s pictures can transport you there in an instant.
David Clapp
Devon-based British snapper David Clapp quickly developed into a landscape specialist and now teaches workshops and writes about the art of producing beautiful landscape pictures, honing his own craft in some of the UK’s most under-appreciated landscapes as well as in countries around the world.
Bruce Murray
Aspirational travel writer and photographer with a knack for finding those extra special places and giving candid, informative reviews of his experiences. Worth a follow on Twitter too where he’ll share plenty of features and pictures from across the web to inspire your travel daydreams.
Daniel Nehabedian
A well-travelled freelancer with a multicultural background and a diverse and creative approach to photography. Only picked up his first DSLR camera in 2007 but quickly turned his new passion into a new career. Daniel speaks five languages too and he is passionate about educating people through his pictures.
Daniel and Audrey
Husband and wife team Daniel and Audrey live a life of freedom that most couples only dream of and have been travelling the world for five years. With 75 countries covered so far and counting, their photography shows their taste for delving deep and off the beaten track.
Nellie and Alberto
Alberto and Nellie are the talented founders of WildJunket Magazine, dedicated to seeking out the most extraordinary destinations and journeys, written and captured by passionate bloggers. Alberto has impressively led the way with his vast gallery of photos from adventurous locations across the globe.
The Blonde Gypsy
The iPhone is a powerful photographic tool in the right hands and the charmingly titled ‘Blonde Gypsy’, aka Larissa, is one of the best in the business, sharing her unique and inventive mobile photography from some impressive destinations. She’s great at sharing tips and secrets on getting the best out of your mobile.
Iain Mallory
Ex-army officer Iain Mallory likes to push things to the limit, including his photography. His pictures are a great outlet for his adventurous spirit and display a creative streak too, from his unique collection of washing line photos in Cuba to extreme BMX riding pics in Canada.
Kah Kit Yoong
The ‘Magic Hour’ in the website address refers to ambitious travel photographer Kah Kit Yoong’s ongoing quest to capture those perfect moments where changing light transforms the breathtaking views around the world into something truly sublime. And the results are simply extraordinary.
Rolf Hicker
With more than a quarter of a century’s experience of nature, wildlife and travel photography, it is fair to say that Rolf has earned his reputation as one of the world’s best. From getting up close with polar bears, whales and red pandas to capturing awe-inspiring sunsets or dramatic waterfalls, Rolf has photographed it all.
Elia Locardi
With a background in design and post production, Elia has a deep rooted interest in producing beautiful things. But since giving up the paycheck world in which he once lived, he has found a new freedom travelling the world full-time, sharing photography techniques and discovering new things to photograph every day.
Sean Bagshaw
With pictures published from landscape calendars to well-read magazines, Sean Bagshaw’s work has provided inspiration to a widespread audience. His twin passions of travel and photography led to him pursuing photography and he is always willing to go the extra mile for that perfect shot.
Rick Sammon
Rick Sammon’s photography work has taken him to nearly 100 counties across the world, with his talents taking in a wide range of subjects. His work and experience is so respected that he now hosts workshops in some dramatic destinations, including Death Valley, Iceland, Provence and even on safari in Kenya and Tanzania.
Chase Guttman
Lucie Debelkova
From Mongolia to the Middle East, Iceland to Alaska, Lucie Debelkova doesn’t let long journeys or tough conditions get in the way of capturing beautiful landscape images. The Prague-born photographer is on a constant mission to learn and hone her skills while discovering beautiful sights as she explores the world.
Troy Flloyd
Troy Floyd rediscovered a burning passion for travel after a trip to Australia inspired him to give up his well paid job in 2009 in favour of a new life of discovery. After quickly sharpening up his skills he quickly adapted to his new life as a travelling photographer and luckily for the rest of his he regularly shares his stunning work, blogging as he goes.
Twitter |
Victor Lacken
Irish photographer Victor Lacken is now based in Amsterdam where he runs a thriving production company, offering inspiring and impassioned photojournalism and film-making services. His work often focuses on capturing the humanity and personal stories of the places he visits, while from a technical point of view he’s a HDR specialist.
Meleah Reardon
Seattle-born, UK-based Meleah is a travelling photographer who also specialises in High Dynamic Range (HDR) images to create unique images of architecture and landscapes. Very proactive in sharing her work for others to enjoy too, with much of her work available under Creative Commons licences.
David Sanger
Professional photographer David Sanger has made an enviable living travelling and taking pictures for the past two decades, taking the sorts of inspiring images that you will find in travel books and magazines the world over. Also the publisher of inspirational free iPad travel magazine TRVL.
Laurence Norah
Like many with a deep-rooted wanderlust, Laurence packed up the corporate life in favour of setting out to explore the world. He now takes dramatically beautiful, and at times haunting, photographs and shares them on his popular blog, which is filled with plenty of tips and insightful posts too.
JD Andrews
A prolific tweeter, so much so that he has even bagged a ‘Shorty Award’ – the so-called ‘Oscars of Twitter’. With nearly 125,000 followers, there are plenty of people keen to keep tabs on JD who has spent 20 years traversing the globe making tourism and travel videos and taking fantastic stills too.
Trenton Palmer
An intriguingly titled ‘aerial cinematographer’ by trade, which is essentially providing aerial filming and photography through the use of remote control helicopters and sounds like possibly the coolest job in the world. Also enjoys a handy side hobby of iPhone photography which gives you an insight into the darn cool places he visits.
Matt Dawson
Freelance travel photographer and recently-published travel writer Matt has been on the move constantly for the past five years since ditching his IT job. That decision is certainly paying off as he gets to combine his twin passions of travel and photography on a daily basis. Born in Sydney, but you may currently find him in Peru.
Aric S. Queen
Last year embarked on a unique journey across the USA on behalf of National Geographic to discover the untold stories that are changing communities for the better, tackling the 5,321 miles in just six weeks. His travels uncovered some inspiring tales and some incredibly personal pictures too.
Cole Rise
Erica Kuschel
Camera whizz Erica Kuschel travels the world with her thrill-seeking husband Shaun, with the pair of high school sweethearts having left the daily grind in Texas behind in favour of a life of excitement and adventure. Follow their lives through Erica’s lens for their unique perspective on the world.
Michael Hodson
Now in a state of permanent transit, attorney by trade Michael Hodson started his worldwide travels back in 2008 in a bid to circumnavigate the globe without boarding an aeroplane and now he blogs and shares photographs relentlessly as he continues to search for the world’s most impressive destinations.
Robert van Koesveld
His skills have seen him carve out a career as a full time photographer, with a focus on travel and cultural images, most notably in Bhutan and China. His own photography blog is called ‘Learning to See’ which sums up his approach to using images to discover something new in the world.
Pat Corlin
From haunting portraits of beautiful owls in the wild to calming shots of sunsets over Cambodia, colourful pubs in Ireland to snow-capped mountains in Nevada, Pat Corlin’s photography stirs up plenty of emotions, but most of all make you want to dive right in and see the places for yourself.
Alfie Goodrich
A photography career that has spanned more than two decades and an interest in the art that goes back to the age of seven, Alfie has certainly learned a trick or two. He now passes on his years of experience to others with workshops and classes from his home in Japan while adding to his add to his ever-impressive portfolio.
Ron Niebrugge
From playful bears to icebreakers in the frozen ocean, snow-capped mountains to roaring waterfalls, Alaska is a land that presents more than its fair share of unique photographic opportunities and professional nature and wildlife snapper Ron Niebrugge is seemingly on hand to capture them all.
