If you're a portrait photographer who's always looking for a little extra inspiration, then you've come to the right place. We've rounded up 12 portrait photographers that will educate and inspire you all year round.
Whether you love stylish editorial photography, self-portrait photography or other portrait photography niches, we're sure that you'll find some fresh inspiration below. We've got a fun mixture of well-known portrait photographers and some lesser known shooters with lots of creative potential.
So, without any further ado, check out our favorite portrait photographers to follow in 2021 (in no particular order!)…
Portrait photographers to follow
@escapingyouth
If you love bright, punchy colors and surreal editing, then Natalia Seth from @escapingyouth should be right up your alley. Natalia self-shoots most of her imagery – but you would never be able to guess from the diverse range of images on her feed. Echoing photographic greats such as Cindy Sherman, Natalia transforms herself into a different colorful character with each shoot.
@adventuringbeth
If you've ever idly wished that you lived in a time period where it would be acceptable to go out wandering with a cloak and a candle-lit lantern, then @adventuringbeth is the Instagram account for you. Filled with dreamy shots of misty mornings and beautiful English countryside, you'll find yourself wandering whether you should wake up for a sunrise walk tomorrow morning (or you could keep nice and cozy and flick through Beth's feed instead).
@oscarmay_
Excellent portraiture doesn't have to be bold, wacky colors or mysterious fog-filled vistas. Instead, it can be expertly crafted images that beautifully capture the subject's mood and beauty. We love Oscar's classic approach to his portrait photography – and we're sure many will find inspiration from his shots.
@fablesandlouise
If you can kindly excuse the blatant self-promotion, we would be remiss if we didn't throw in one of our own images into the mix. If you love classic English countryside mixed with rustic old buildings, then don't be shy – come and say hello!
(By the way – if you're curious about what kit I use, all of my images are shot on the Fujifilm X-T200, a cracking little camera that has great usability for such a low cost.)
@moodydarkroom
Woah, did we slip and fall into 1985? Nope, Oswaldo Cepeda is just a master of light and mood. We love his retro-inspired photography that makes the most out of the studio setting he's working in.
@_ronnygarcia
Ronny Garcia is a portrait photographer that truly understands color theory – and you can see this in every image he posts. Each of Ronny's portraits are painstakingly edited to enhance the tones to perfection. Plus, Ronny will often post before and after images of his post-processing, which is the perfect opportunity to take a peek behind the curtain and see how he achieved his magic.
@studio.sheridansart
If you've ever wondered what Renaissance paintings would look like if they were photographed in a modern-day studio, then Lauren Sheridan has the answer. Her impeccably crafted portraits mix romantic costumes and styling with studio lighting and careful post-processing.
@alexandra_bochkareva_arts
Featuring whimsical portraiture filled with nature and wild animals, Alexandra's work truly delivers a fairytale-like escapism for her followers. Her images show a deep love and respect of nature – and we adore every photo of hers that pops up on our feed.
@hellokatrinaaa
We'll be straight with you, Katrina Yu hasn't updated her Instagram since May. However, it's worth scrolling through her incredible back catalogue of photos. Katrina self-shoots her own portraits and then uses her incredible editing prowess to transform them into amazing new worlds.
@swannandtheberries
With delightfully whimsical portraits filled with gorgeous pastel colors, Swann & The Berries is one of our favorite feeds to scroll through. Nature and rustic old buildings collide in her romantic and nostalgic imagery.
@bellakotak
Inspired by flowers and fairytales, Bella Kotak creates beautifully ethereal portraits that are designed to capture the most whimsical corners of your imagination. Often shooting with Phase One cameras, Kotak's attention to detail leaves no visual stone unturned. If you love basking in sheer beauty, then you'll want to follow Kotak yesterday!
@tamarawilliams1
Tamara William's super close-up portraits are a masterclass in studio lighting and the magic of skin retouching. Beauty photography is all about striking looks and vibrant skin, and Tamara delivers that in spades with every post. If you've got some old close-up portrait photography gathering digital dust on your hard drives, why not try some skin retouching tutorials to help pass the time.
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