11 Astonishing Photos to Inspire You

Today, the vast majority of people carry a camera with them at all times, in the form of a cellphone.

But they are hardly photographers (myself included).

Someone like myself could take photos nonstop for a month, and not get a single one that would be interesting to basically anyone. Conversely, a true photographer could see one sunset, and create the truly sublime.

We here at Lynda.com love to celebrate those people, while giving others a path to reach those heights. Which is why we have a robust photography section in our library, taught by photographers who have taken the 11 photos embedded within this article.

So, without further ado, here are 11 breathtaking photos, by three extraordinary photographers:

Paul Taggart is a Brooklyn-based photojournalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, TIME, US News and World Report and the New York Times and has done assignments in the Congo, Pakistan, Rwanda and Antarctica.

Here is some of his work:

Ben Long is award-winning photographer from San Francisco. His photography clients have included 20th Century Fox, Blue Note Records, Global Business Network, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Pickle Family Circus and Grammy-nominated jazz musicians Don Byron and Dafnis Prieto.

Here is some of his work:

Justin Reznick is a full-time professional nature photographer from Seattle, Washington, whose vision comes from years on the road and off the beaten path. Recent publications include Backpacker Magazine, Audubon, Nature's Best, Outdoor Photographer and Photography Monthly (UK).

Here is some of his work:

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

All the photos above were taken by Lynda.com course authors. Check out our photography classes to learn from them how to take your own breathtaking photos.