Instagram’s launch in 2010 completely changed the game — it allowed adventurers to share shots of their epics in real time. An average of 60 million photos posted every day means there is plenty of noise on the channel. Karate chop through the food pics with these six adventurous instagrammers: these are the people who most inspire us to get out of the 9-5 grind and straight into the good life.
The World Wanderer
Madrid-born, French-raised, world-traveling photographer Alex Strohl wanders and inspires globally. From Norway to Montana, every single shot makes us want to grab a plane ticket and see the world through his eyes. He says, “With the money that you don’t pay in rent you can pay for so many flights… To be honest, I think it’s cheaper to travel than to live a normal life.”
The Fantastical Van Dweller
Gale Straub: one part heartbreaking (in the best kind of way) photographer, one part American explorer (she’s currently traveling the country in her very own Dodge Sprinter van), and one part female empowerer. Don’t just gawk at the endlessly stunning gram posts — check her site, She Explores, for adventure stokers that will set your soul on forest fire. Warning: do not read at work. Or, please do, but be prepared to quit immediately.
The Radical Cyclist
Seattle-based, cycling-inspired photographer Nathan Kane shares his stoke for life on two wheels with gritty grams that perfectly encapsulate all sides of the ride. His feed flows over with super clean (or dirty) cycling shots, portraits that capture his subject’s very essence, and energizing adventure shots. He calls himself a “picture maker, experience compiler, storytimer.” Heck yes. And dish me up some more.
The Sea Queen
Kimi Werner, known to gramland as @kimi_swimmy, hails from the lush landscape of Maui, where her father was a freediver. She has followed in his flippers, nabbing a US National Spearfishing Championship in 2008. She wows us every day with images of knee-knocking shark swims, ballsy backpacking, and plenty more travel porn.
The True Romantic
Professional photographer Cory Staudecher spends his days creating images that make you long for wide open spaces (and Dixie Chicks tunes, apparently). While his shots of the wild certainly inspire, we also dig the love story that plays out on his Instagram. Scroll through his feed to watch his love for his fiancé Bethany Olson (who he met via social media) blossom. We can’t wait for the wedding shots.
The Cultivated Journeyer
Jeanne Rondeau-Ducharme places completely perfect comfy-chic looks straight into astonishingly beautiful landscapes. If there ever was a life ideal, Jeanne leads the way straight into the one we daydream about. We nearly can’t believe she is of our world. For the foodies, she is also a part of a collective called On Déjeune! We’re still drooling.
