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Instagram is often touted as a great way to discover the world. The whole planet is seemingly within easy reach, just a few hashtags away. But searching for genuinely insightful travel photography on Instagram is a tricky business.
In the last few years Instagram has become flooded with identical influencers and copycat accounts. As the excellent Insta_Repeat account shows, many seem more intent on pleasing an algorithm and being part of a popularity contest than creating meaningful travel photography.
Yet there are travel diamonds amongst Instagram’s rough. There are intrepid travelers and story tellers out there who forego the selfie sticks and use Instagram to show us what the world really looks like.
Here are some of the best travel accounts on Instagram that we love for reminding us that there’s a world out there to explore, which is surely what Instagram really ought to be about.
A master photographer, Frédéric Lagrange’s Instagram account is as far removed from the ten a penny identikit influencer travel accounts as possible.
Lagrange’s photography is stunning. He has travelled extensively, and has documented huge swathes of the globe through his hugely inspiring photos.
A frequent traveller to central Asia, Lagrange recently published a huge photobook of his travels to Mongolia, a country he first visited in 2001. For a frequent dose of genuine wanderlust and pure inspiration, Lagrange is a must follow.
Roam reminds you of what makes travel so alluring and exciting, of the potential and possibilities that it can bring. The photos from Roam Magazine’s Instagram feed all feature alongside the many inspiring and superbly written pieces on their web site.
The deep connection felt by Roam’s authors and photographers with the places they travel to is always evident in the writing and photography. They’ve also compiled their own list of seven Instagram accounts from around the world to follow.
For genuinely left of centre suggestions on places to visit whenever you venture abroad it is always worth checking in with Atlas Obscura.
Focusing on some of the more obscure and odd places in the world, Atlas Obscura continually finds places that evade guidebooks and most conventional travel itineraries.
Recommendations usually range from fascinating abandoned buildings to more spectacular delights that tend to be hidden from the hordes.
Jack Moriarty’s photographs are visually stunning; they’re arguably too good for the likes Instagram.
So often deciding to not to give away any details regarding their locations we are often left with just the stunning locations and technically flawless photos that Jack serves up in his beautiful anonymous postcards from somewhere.
Without knowledge of where we’re looking at it means we simply have to admire the beauty of the place itself.
In a similar vein, Chase Burnett’s photos are also mostly rural, if further north and in a much colder climate. Based in Alaska, Burnett’s photos have a stronger emphasis on man’s attempt to conquer the great outdoors.
The enormity of Alaska’s environment evokes how small you can feel when surrounded by such spectacular nature of this magnitude.
Maxar Technologies’ feed is filled with thought provoking satellite images of the earth.
Images are collected from their own satellites and many of the stunning results are posted to Instagram.
The earth’s diversity is displayed in all its glory, from endless urban sprawl to active volcanoes spewing out molten lava and almost everything in between.
From this unique vantage point we’re able to see the world from a completely different perspective and marvel at the many impacts that nature and mankind has on the planet.
Some of the best accounts on Instagram are the many Everyday accounts that document daily life in various countries all over the world.
There are a huge number, from individual countries (such as Everyday Japan and Everyday Iraq) as well as regions and continents, such as Everyday Middle East and Everyday Africa.
Though not technically travel accounts each profile sheds light on the reality of life in their respective nation. Each account hosts photos from multiple photographers, revealing a diverse snapshot into a part of the world that you might not normally see.
They all capture the small moments in the everyday that we can all recognise; going to work, a night out with friends or spending valuable time with family.
Two of our favourite Everyday accounts are Everyday Iran and Everyday Chile. Both feature superb photographs and give a real insight into life in each country.
Hopefully our favourite Instagram travel accounts will provide some real travel inspiration. Please also check out our Instagram page and give us a follow. We have a strict no selfie policy.
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