40 epic landscapes to inspire your next trip

"One of my best friends invited me along for his first helicopter ride. I had seen Kauai from above before, but this time was very different. The experience was very emotional and special when shared with the right people. This might be my favorite photograph I have ever taken. Leaning out the door of a helicopter, above the most beautiful place on earth."

"Helicopters are an expensive, yet still rewarding, alternative to drone photography."

"The dancing aurora borealis, seen above the fjord and mountains at Haukland Beach in Lofoten, Norway. This incredible sight and experience was the result of two hours of waiting in freezing conditions! I’m glad we stayed put, because it really paid off! I think this will be one of my favourite places to capture the true light of the north."

"At the top of the fell in Finland's Riisitunturi National Park, lies a truly Finnish natural phenomenon—the tykky. Tykky is the delightful Finnish term for the snow that accumulates on tree branches, causing them to bend. They are unique to the exposed fell tops in Lapland. This photograph shows tykky in various stages of buckling, all illuminated by the gorgeous pink glow of the Arctic twilight."

"This was taken in Egypt's western desert—the Bahariya Oasis—where special geological conditions form the White Desert. The snow-white chalk landscape gives the desert another name “Snow Oasis.” This enormous and mysterious area contains fossils, crystals, springs and so many unknowns to be explored. These 65 million-year-old seabeds should definitely be judged as a global geological heritage."

"There are some places on our planet where you can be face-to-face with it's soul, beauty, and power. This is one of those places—the geothermal area in the Icelandic highlands. An absolutely amazing place that gives visitors a unique feeling of being one with our planet."

"Instead of taking the bus tour to the Rainbow Mountain, I camped the night before, about an hour and a half away, to be the first up at sunrise. That morning was full of fog, and when I arrived, I could barely see the seven-colour mountain. I waited an hour for the fog to clear, but it didn't. On my way down, I passed this lovely alpaca couple wearing the Aymara culture colors—which made the wait worth it.”

"We paddled out in our half-deflated canoe just to watch the sunset, but the overcast sky made it look like there wasn't going to be a sunset that afternoon. As we paddled back to shore, I turned around for one last glance and saw that the sun had come out just enough to catch the top of the mountains. 'Turn around!' I eagerly shouted and rushed to pull out my camera. As I was framing my shot, a boat floated perfectly into frame. I smiled, and took the picture."

"I never saw a dragon, but if dragons were alive on our planet, their nursery would probably look like this. When you see epic wonders created by nature from sand, silt, and water, it is very easy to let your mind drift to magic, which happens often in Iceland—the land of ice and fire. Aerial image taken from a small airplane."

"One of those moments while balancing on a fast-moving sled, with one freezing hand on a camera and arctic wind flushing tears from my eyes. My heart was full of joy—magical views and light beat away the cold and made me feel happy and at home. This was a moment that will stay in my heart forever and bring a smile to me when thinking back about this amazing trip in Greenland."

"A shipwreck captured from a doorless helicopter off the coast of Key West, Florida."

"Just before sunrise, when Venus's belt is clearly visible."

"Aerial view of geese in a frozen lake in Verona, New Jersey. The white ice along the border and pieces of it scattered around reminded me of images of space."

"I fell in love with this part of the world—this special cold, blue water comes from the highest Slovenian peaks and contrasts perfectly with the summer landscape. Admit it, would you like to be in the kayak right now?"

"The famous 'firefall' of Yosemite National Park is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the Horsetail Falls glows orange due to the angle of sunlight hitting the water, and will only occur when certain time and weather conditions are met. Some firefalls may glow a pale yellow, while others may glow like burning fire. I was lucky to witness the latter, combined with strong winds, creating a spectacular sight to see. I went the extra mile, up a snowy mountain, to get the eye level shot."

"Huangshan—meaning yellow mountain—is a mountain range in southern Anhui Province in eastern China. The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of China's major tourist destinations."

"Two groups of climbers make their descent from the icy slopes of Huayna Potosi in Bolivia. For many, this is their first 6,000-meter peak and an achievement of a lifetime. For everyone, their respective mountain to climb is different, but mountains like this one are no stranger to changing the way your mind works. The moment of recognition of this growth of physical, and more so emotional stature, is one of the most raw, transcendent, and blissful moments in my life, which is captured here."

"Imagine standing on a mountaintop, battling wind gusts from the north—just another day at the Faroe Islands! This shot was taken during the golden hour from Klakkur peak, which is right next to the town of Klaksvik. You have the most fantastic view of the surrounding islands from here. The island Kalsoy is quite spectacular because its many peaks are bathed in light from the setting sun!"

"This wild horse in Northern New Mexico was all by himself, walking towards the giant Shiprock formation. I really love this shot because it conveys the scale of this place. Shiprock rises 1,500 feet into the air, surrounded by nothing but barren, flat desert plains. Watching the horse walk in front of this beautiful formation was something I had to capture."

"What could I ask more? The golden colours, beautiful sunset, grazing zebras, grass cover, and glowing dust created by the fleeting safari vehicles—blissful and magical."

"It was in late March 2018 when I reached Henningsvær village, situated in the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. The Lofoten Islands are a beautiful group of islands crowded with life, colors, and small islands. It almost looks like the small islands are fragments of an explosion—an explosion from Festvagtind, the highest mountain around this village. This central mountain is the epicenter at 541 meters high. It's a true viewpoint for this infinite northern sea."

"The sun peaked out in between periods of snow to warm Cathedral Rock during a large storm in Sedona, Arizona. The town received more than 15 inches of snow during this late season winter weather event."

"Taiwan is covered with [temples], and they can be located anywhere. Sitting on a steep cliff, above a rushing river, this temple was secluded and only accessible by a bridge located in Taroko National Park. The area is well maintained by the Taiwanese indigenous people who live in specifically designated areas by choice."

"I headed back to Northern Norway to photograph and to enjoy a holiday in February 2019. This place is called Segla Mountain in the Senja Islands. This is a wonderful place that I would love to visit again. Amazing mountains, northern lights, adventurous hiking routes—all make me feel fantastic. I spent three hours with friends climbing this mountain in the winter cold. We felt so tired and took a break on the way. I tried to capture this moment with my phone."

"Wonderful sunset at Lago di Limdes in the Dolomites."

A caravan of camels on the Giza plateau, Egypt.

"Standing on the black sand of Stokksnes beach and hearing the waves crash, while the sunrise lit the sky on fire—a moment I will never forget."

"A pair of bull elephants collide, trunks entwined, tusks locked, with dust flying in a battle for dominance in Ngorongoro, Tanzania."

"On this day, temperatures dipped below freezing and I was initially disappointed to see the entire location covered with a thick mist when I arrived before dawn. I mainly have taken landscape photos with an ultra-wide angle lens. On this occasion, I opted for 85mm lens to frame the shot. When the sun rose, it lit up the falls beautifully and cleared away some of the mist."

Snowy mountains meet the desert in Arizona during an unusual low-elevation snow in late February 2019.

"A three-levelled waterfall south of Luang Prabang, Laos. This shot was taken mid-afternoon, downstream from the more popular upper falls."

"Easily the most spectacular place I have ever visited. Tulparkul Lake was a designated stop on our 2017 journey through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The lush, rolling green hills were surrounded by endless clear blue lakes—all set at the foothills of 7,000-meter peaks."

"Hale means 'home' in Hawaiian. It has been my mission to keep my hale clean! This past year has been filled with beach cleanups, and I have future projects in the works to keep this beautiful land pure. This shot was taken after I healed from a foot injury. It felt as if nature decided to give me a welcome back. This rainbow hung around for over an hour and reminded me of how precious this world is."

"Cloud art—interesting clouds came out near the mountain."

"Moraine Lake is easily the most beautiful lake in Banff National Park. I have come here many times and always get excited to photograph this beautiful spot. Set in the rugged valley of the Ten Peaks, Moraine Lake is surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, and rock piles, creating a scene so stunning, it almost seems unreal. It is generally very calm in the morning with good reflections, and also very popular with both photographers and tourists alike."

"Fall season in Banff in Alberta, Canada, is one of the best times to spot wildlife in the landscape. I was lucky to be attending an artist residency during that time of the year and witnessed the harmony between humans and animals that exists on this sacred land. This shot was taken on a beautiful snowy day, as I was taking a walk on the trail close to my residency. I suddenly found myself inside the white dream of a deer."

"Late morning in eastern Iceland, as a parade of clouds lingered over the peaks of Stokksness mountain."

"The storm raged all night long, and in the early morning a small mist hung over the lake, giving it even more charm, until the sun came out of the clouds."

"Three minutes: That's the time it took for this epic landscape to appear right in front of me. The time was 5:54 a.m. and I was pretty sleepy, when suddenly the universe composed this beautiful landscape. I pressed the camera shutter seven or eight times and then it was gone."