As Instagram‘s been kicking around for upwards of eight years, the platform has slowly made way for a new breed of celeb: the influencer. You know, the 11/10’s who do mundane activities for a ripper salary? They cop a lot of flak, but it’s mainly from people like me who are just mad jealous that they aren’t ever gonna be universally appealing enough to convince strangers to follow (and subsequently fund) their job/dope lyf.
It’s a sad reality.
Before this newfound type of celeb reached peak saturation, Insta was the place to be for photographers just trying their danged hardest to get their work seen. Luckily, they’re still around and thriving, it’s just a tad trickier to hunt them down.
If you froth photography, aspire to learn from the masters or just like pretty photos because you’re only ‘uman, we’ve cut out the middleman and have rounded up some ace camera connoisseurs below. Keep an eye out for one of the photographers who’ll be hosting a Masterclass in Melbs.
Jordan Hammond
Jordan Hammond‘s photography creates one of those instances where you sit there noticeably puzzled, staring blankly at your screen, wondering how the flying fox you’ve managed to stay in the one place for such a long time.
It’s almost the definition of wanderlust photography, and it’s guaranteed to make you lust for travel. Lust hard.
James J. Robinson
James J. Robinson‘s entire Instagram feed more or less consists of people who were born cool, doing cool things in cool places under cool lighting while making you feel eternally uncool. Pretty cool.
Hatice Korkmaz
Hatice Korkmaz, the self-professed Colour Queen, has a damn good reason for her title. Did you even know nature could be that vibrant? I didn’t, but that may be more related to being raised in a cookie-cutter suburb pulled straight out of Pleasantville.
Just a thought.
Tatsuya Tanaka
Tatsuya Tanaka‘s work is everything I look for on Instagram – a seriously clever photo with captions consisting of witty wordplay. What more do you greedy buggers want?
I have the sudden urge to buy 40 bags of potato chips and frolick around on top of them in my bedroom, but the last time I did that I was considered “wildly unstable” and “unworthy of being in a committed relationship”. Ugh, double standards.
Brydie Mack
Jack-of-all-trades Brydie Mack has a knack for spotting beauty, so if you have a spare minute and feel like scrolling through countless stunzo snaps of beautiful women (and a few men thrown in for good measure) then track her down.
Her Instagram page. Track her Instagram page down. Don’t go full stalker mode on the poor girl, pls. It’s sad that I even have to clarify that.
Robert Jahns
This is a bit of a sneaky entry, only because Robert Jahns is both a photographer and a digital artist, so he has the capacity to create some ultra-realistic images despite them not being entirely factual.
Still, it’s undeniably jaw-dropping and he’s regarded as one of the top digital artists in the world. Excuse me while I try to make the Guinness World Records for wallowing in self-pity.
Luke Shadbolt
Luke Shadbolt has been popping up in the news a fair bit recently as he’s recently married his boo, fashion influencer Nicole Warne. See everyone, influencers and photographers can not only coexist harmoniously on Instagram, they can even fall in love and take unbelievable wedding photos that put everyone else’s to shame (see: Luke’s Instagram feed).
Mike MacKinven
It’d be deadset criminal if we compiled a list of photographers and left out astrophotography. Mike MacKinven is a prime example of an A-grade astrophotographer who forces us to quietly contemplate our own existence, wondering why we even bother living when we’re such an insignificant part of the universe.
His photos can force you to dig depressingly deep.
Sarah Bahbah
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfwmi5QnBcA/?taken-by=sarahbahbah
Sarah Bahbah has mastered the art of relatability, with a number of her art series’ involving snaps (usually of noteworthy people) which include a painfully accurate quote underneath.
If you want to laugh, cry, feel empowered and pissed off all in equal measures, have a peruse of her Insta feed. You’ll want to moodily storm away from a soulmate you don’t have.
Chris Cincotta
The owner of this shot, Chris Cincotta, is the brains behind Humans in Melbourne and Melbourne I Love You, with his own stall in the heart of Melbourne city.
Chris is also hosting a Photography Masterclass in Melbs, so register your interest below if you wanna get the low-down on Photography 101 – but also content creation, social media management and all that Insta-Fame jazz.
WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO A PTV TALK LED BY A PRO PHOTOGRAPHER!
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