If you’re super into iPhone photography like we are, you’re most likely familiar with VSCO‘s app—a photo-editing tool whose filters have a cult-like following (I’m an F2 die-hard). But most people aren’t aware that VSCO is so much more than an editing app. It’s an artist community that connects photographers and showcases their work in a stunning way online. Browse VSCO’s “Grid” feature, and you’ll find an array of incredible photos from artists big and small around the world—all hand-selected by VSCO’s own curators. When AFAR visited VSCO, co-founder Joel Flory highlighted the wealth of talent that the company has found using their platform.
So we gave them a challenge.
We asked them to come up with 25 insanely talented—yet unknown—photographers and tell us why they’re worthy of this list. And, boy, did they deliver. From Kuwait to Shanghai to Los Angeles, these are the under-the-radar travel photographers you should be following right now.
Anna Salvador (pictured above)
Barcelona, Spain
“Photographing everything from small playful interactions to wide, breathtaking landscapes, Anna Salvador excels at capturing a wide range of subjects. A graphic designer, Anna captures images that are clean, bright, and thoughtfully composed.”
Faisal Al Fouzan
Kuwait
“Faisal Al Fouzan has a talent for documenting the beauty in the people and things that surround him in the everyday life of Kuwait. At times surreal, other times enlightening, Faisal holds the rare ability to capture decisive moments that prod one to look deeply into the scene at hand.”
Dmitry Barsov
Russia
“Dmitry Barsov is a frequent traveler who shares marvelous scenes and tidbits from his explorations. Dmitry’s images take the viewer across the world from Russia to Vietnam, Sweden, Turkey, India, Germany, and more.”
Marte Marie Forsberg
Norway
“As she documents her travels, Marte Marie Forsberg sets the standard for capturing refined images of food and interiors. Marte isn’t afraid to include deep shadows in her food photography, which can stir a mood similar to the dark and vivid style of baroque still-life paintings.”
Roza
Istanbul
“Based out of Istanbul, Aysegul Karatekin revels in laid-back experiences, portraying some of the best parts of enjoying a new place. Whether flipping through old postcards, reading a book spread out near the water, or enjoying a cup of coffee on a rainy day, Aysegul captures scenes that are quiet and relaxed.”
Logan Havens
Los Angeles
“Logan Havens is a talented photographer and videographer. His travel imagery is cinematic and he has a knack for capturing close and intimate moments.”
Not So Routine
India
“Kismet Jewell Nakai’s images showcase ultra colorful and energetic scenes from India and beyond. Kismet’s perspective is creative and she excels at finding fun interactions in even the most simple, everyday happenings.”
Travel The Road (Missionaries Timothy Scott and William Decker)
Global
“Timothy Scott and William Decker are two missionaries who have a heart for connecting with people across the globe. The pair often travel to remote places, countries in great economic need, or areas recently exposed to an environmental catastrophe, like Nepal. The portraits they capture while on their travels are moving, and their subjects’ eyes seem to gaze deeply beyond the photographs.”
BecauseWeCamp
homeless, jobless travelers
“In 2011, Lynn and Noah Camp made a pact to get out of debt with the goal to save enough money to ditch their day jobs and travel the world for a year. Their photographs are full of life and reflect the couple’s adventurous and spontaneous outlook on travel.”
OnceUponaWorld
Global
“En route to travel through 22 countries in 365 days, Caroline Saint Dic shares scenic highlights of her expedition. From busy urban sprawls to peaceful outlooks that show no hint of civilization, Caroline’s photographs are diverse and showcase a beautiful range of not only the countries she visits but the in environments as well.”
Erika Pham
San Francisco
“Erika Pham, a Tokyo native who currently resides in San Francisco, has a unique eye. Through her retreats around Asia and the West Coast, Erika shares a fascinating collection of photographs. Not only is Erika able to capture iconic moments in her street photography, but she also maintains a minimal and clean aesthetic when shooting lifestyle scenes.”
Laurin Holz
Global
“Bangladesh, Germany, and Nepal are a few of the places Laurin Holz has documented on his travels. Laurin’s city photography exposes everything from historical monuments to the local street life of the places he visits.”
Cody James
New York
“Residing in New York City, Cody James is a professional lifestyle and travel photographer. Cody documents his wanderings by giving a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes moments of his travels and day-to-day life in New York.”
Scott Turner
Shanghai
“Scott Turner is an American photographer currently living in Shanghai. In 2014, Scott embarked on a 32-day, 600km trip by horse, visiting remote regions in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The images he captured of the people, horses, and landscapes of Kyrgyzstan are breathtaking.”
Eric Chu
Hong Kong
“For his cityscapes, Eric Chu finds compelling vantage points that give a heightened sense of both scale and form. He has a talent for capturing the chaos and beauty of the urban life.”
Joseph Greer
Portland, OR
“Joseph Greer’s images are beautiful, no matter if they are expansive scenes or intimate moments from his personal life. Documenting his excursions in places around the Pacific Northwest as well as Colorado and Hawaii, Joe has a strong compositional aesthetic and implements nice earthy tones to his photographs.”
Bryan Schutmaat
Ausin, TX
“Reminiscent of the all-American Midwest photography of the 1960s and 1970s, Bryan Schutmaat’s images carry on this legacy of color photography. Bryan’s photographs unearth a fading beauty as he visits the outskirts of rural communities along lonely US highways.”
M. Wriston
USA
“M. Wriston is captivated by exploring places off the beaten path. From broken and abandoned buildings to scenes of nature, M. Wriston visits America through a lens disconnected from civilization and large cities.”
Fifi
North Africa
“Based in North Africa and frequently wandering the streets of Morocco, Fifi’s photos are bright and precisely composed. Weighted against the bright blue backdrop of Morocco’s decoratively painted city walls, Fifi incorporates a vivid spectrum of primary colors to interplay within the scenes she captures.”
S. Fawn Deviny
Phoenix, AZ
“S. Fawn Deviny’s photographs have a tender feel to them, illuminating beauty even in the most subtle of details. Whether photographing food, environments, or portraits, S. Fawn pays close attention to lighting and form in her polished images.”
Christina Rizk
Cairo, Egypt
“Based out of Cairo, Egypt, Christina Rizk is a freelance photographer whose documentary work spans a range of subjects in and around the Middle East. Christina’s photographs showcased on her Grid provide sincere snapshots into her everyday life in Egypt.”
Puno
Venice, CA
“Jennifer Puno knows how to experience and enjoy the sunny California lifestyle. Whether capturing delicious eats, visiting the beach, or taking clean interior shots of carefully decorated stores, Jennifer’s photography prowess is on point.”
Lavinia Cernau
Romania
“Residing in Romania, Lavinia Cernau captures scenes that feel timeless and hearken to an old world aesthetic. Her images contain cobblestone pathways which seem to intertwine through rustic courtyards and cafes. Beyond the city scenes, her images of nature are sublime and enchanting.”
Vveiwei
Australia
“Wei Huang seems to be able to photograph any scene to make it feel peaceful, bright, and airy. Documenting everything from museum installations to architecture, city alleyways to a well plated eatery, and even her adorable fluffy cat, Wei gives a lighthearted perspective on the beauty of her surroundings in Australia.”
Adrienne Pitts
New Zealand
“Freelance photographer and creative director Adrienne Pitts has a unique eye for capturing fresh and exciting moments. Traveling worldwide for various clients, Adrienne still manages to document the little surprises and wonderful details that come up during her trips.”
Kimi Juan
Philippines
“Based out of the Philippines, Kimi Juan documents her island adventures. Kimi has a talent for photographing landscape scenes that feel both simple and immense. Having a great sense of light and color, Kimi captures beautifully exposed images.”
Takuya Kikuchi
Japan
“Takuya Kikuchi photographs his surroundings in Japan in a way that evokes intrigue. Through Takuya’s lens, one is able to experience both the monumental and tiny things in Japan that make it such a wonderful place to explore and experience.”
Gallerytov
Korea
“Eunjin Kim brings simplicity, shadows, and hand-drawn notes together to create beautiful arrangements. Eunjin’s creativity isn’t limited to drawing; her clean and nicely framed documentation of her surroundings provides a bright nuance to her experience in Korea.”
Capucine Fachot
Paris, France
“Being a history writer and travel photographer, Capucine Fachot documents the beauties of both modern day humankind and the beautiful artifacts it has left behind. Capucine’s images act wonderfully as a travel diary to her adventures and as observations from the historic places she visits.”
>> Next: How to Photograph People When You Travel (Without Being Disrespectful)
