The Most Gorgeous Natural Places to Photograph On The Planet

Are you keen to get your camera and eyes focused on some out-of-this-world natural locations? Read on for a round-up of stunning natural sights, including lakes, waterfalls, beaches, cliffs, deserts, mountains and the best places to photograph underwater wildlife.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete amateur still learning tricks on your new DSLR or you’re a seasoned pro, all of these destinations will test your skills and give you the opportunity to capture the shots that will always evoke a feeling of wonderment. However, if you’re keen to develop your skills as a landscape photographer there are a number of experience day providers such as Into the Blue who offer lessons to help you capture the perfect shot.

In no particular order, here’s my round up of the most gorgeous places to photograph on the planet.

Lakes

You should have at least one beautiful lake on your wish list to photograph. The complete antithesis of waterfalls, lakes offer a stillness and serenity that makes photographing them a dream. If you haven’t already pinned down a favourite, check out these 15 stunning lakes perfect for any photographer from beginner to pro.

Waterfalls

There are some truly fantastic waterfalls around the world. Niagara Falls on the US and Canadian border, Victoria Falls between Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa, The Blue Nile Falls in Ethiopia, and the Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil are all heart-poundingly impressive.

My favourite for pure enchantment has to be Plitvice Falls in Croatia where 16 lakes in the national park are interconnected by a series of waterfalls. This is a must-see if you are holidaying in Croatia. See more impressive waterfalls from around the world here.

Deserts

Deserts may not be at the top of your list of stunning landscapes you want to capture on camera, but they should be. Well at least one anyway. Deserts offer unique and amazing photo opportunities and are fantastic places to visit. See some of the awesome deserts every photographer should visit here.

If you can’t stand the thought of a holiday in extreme heat, the Gobi desert is actually cold at some times of the year (warmer in summer). Check out this wonderful blog tracking a photographer’s journey crossing the Gobi desert.

Or if you want a leftfield spectacle to photograph in the desert, check out The Burning Man festival which takes place every year in Nevada’s Black Rock desert.

Mountains

There is definitely an art to capturing great photographs of mountains. See some excellent tips on mountain photography from an expert here.

Mountains that have celebrity status when it comes to photography include the obvious giants (Mount Everest, Mount Fuji, Mount Kilimanjaro), as well as Mont Blanc (Italian/French Alps), Mount Fitz Roy (Patagonia, Argentina/Chile), Mount Hua (Five Great Mountains, China), and Mount Cook (southern Alps, New Zealand).

Beaches

There really are too many beautiful beaches in the world to choose from when it comes to getting great photographs and it really does come down to personal taste. Are you wowed by a backdrop of rugged cliffs? Smitten by pretty coves? Or blown away by miles of untouched white sand? Take a peek at some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches here.

Cliffs

“Soaring, beautiful, breathtakingly dramatic … from sheer sea cliffs in Europe to the amazing peaks in Chile, [cliffs] are true marvels of mother nature.” Culture Trip sum up the beauty of cliffs so eloquently! See their pick of the 16 most epic cliffs in the world here.

The night sky

For the best night sky photographs, you may immediately think of the northern lights, which are of course a wonderful spectacle to capture on camera. However, some of the most breathtaking night skies on earth can be found above the world’s deserts.

Programme manager Dr John Barentine at the International Dark Sky-Association (IDA) says that arid environments offer some of the best dark and clear skies. The Sahara (Africa), the Namib desert (Namibia) and the Atacama desert (Chile) are all magnificent night sky vantage points.

Underwater wildlife

Of course you will require a whole different set of kit for underwater photography. You’ll also need to be comfortable with snorkelling or scuba diving. There are lots of different styles of underwater photography, lots of specialised equipment, and different aspects of marine life to photograph, so you need to work out where your unique interests lie.

A good start if you are scuba diving is to take heed from other photographers and research their hidden gems. To get started, see here for 10 of the world’s best snorkelling destinations.

The world truly is your oyster when it comes to stunning vistas to capture on camera. If you are a photographer consumed by wanderlust, it’s time to nail down your very own top 10 natural wonders of the world.