(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos
Photography is a very powerful medium and a very difficult craft. Excellent photos don’t only display some facts — they tell stories, awake feelings and manage to share with the audience the emotions a photographer experienced when clicking the shot button. Taking great pictures is damn hard as you need to find a perfect perspective and consider the perfect timing. To achieve brilliant photography you need practice and patience. However, it is worth it: the results can be truly stunning.
Below you’ll find 50 brilliant photos and great pictures — some pictures tell stories, some are incredibly beautiful, some are funny and some are very sad.
All pictures are copyright of their respective owners. Please explore the further work of the photographers by browsing through their work. We’ve tried to cover different themes so that everybody will find something interesting and spectacular for himself / herself. All screenshots are linked und lead to the pages from which they’ve been taken.
Further Reading on SmashingMag: #
- Part II: 35 (Really) Stunning Photos and Pictures
- Showcase of Wonderful Photography
- 25 Beautiful Macro Photography Shots
- 50 Incredible Photography Techniques and Photo Tutorials
- 35 Beautiful Photography Websites
Great Pictures and Photos #
Water and a Girl Beautiful composition, excellent scenery, amazing play of colors.
![Great Pictures](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/15da9d15-e879-4b32-999c-07d17634cc0e/photos-01.jpg)
The Ball is Coming! Analogue shot with Seagull 6x6 (Chinese clone of Rolleiflex), made in 1983. “The gulfball is suspended on a fishing line in front of the camera. It was a stormy day. So I had to shoot 5 or 6 films for getting one image with the ball in the center position AND a light reflection on the golf club.”
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Hey Tina! When you see this: Call me! I'm not angry with you any longer ....](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/d1fbbd3f-99c1-455c-bbb8-6ff2a6d68e2b/photos-44.jpg)
Sky The sky is reflected in a drop of water. Beautiful scenery.
![Great Pictures](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/bc7e12a0-6c2f-424e-84b4-034dc521317d/photos-81.jpg)
Returning to the same ocean Beautiful sand textures, beautiful composition and somehow a very sad story hidden behind the image.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Returning to the same ocean.](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/816a406d-b635-4f76-851a-fb0e9ff62e2d/photos-82.jpg)
Tree A colorful tree from a different perspective.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/6c4aad00-aca8-4bf2-984f-2d53b68297cf/photos-83.jpg)
Gizmo How adorable is that?
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Gizmo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/23fb5210-65c0-4182-86c0-eb8b238f4836/photos-02.jpg)
Glittery Ball “The reflection in this water droplet, it looks like the glitter is stuck to the water, but NO, it is reflections from the glitter on the feather.”
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Glittery Ball](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/27282356-b904-4ed6-980a-6f46357baf98/photos-65.jpg)
Leap of Faith What does being one step away from falling into the abyss feel like? The photo is taken by Paul Perton.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Leap of Faith](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/636f1a9e-b4ad-489f-bfe0-622deca096ec/photos-79.jpg)
Astronaut Self-shot Over Earth Could this be the best self-shot ever? It’s truly out of this world.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Astronaut Self-shot Over Earth](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/31e80cf0-34b7-4a8c-9a26-25060e0f88f5/photos-54.jpg)
Autumn in red Pure beauty. No words are necessary.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Autumn in red](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/d0699f3a-3ce3-43c3-b129-9d1f3bdcc79c/photos-31.jpg)
FlickrMeeting - Genova - G3 Blue baloon, a small detail, gives the picture an incredible power.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FlickrMeeting - Genova - G3 - [Ghe semmu + DieciCento + Milanoue!!W ]](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/19d28c60-186b-4322-8a82-4863fb4604ab/photos-12.jpg)
Sea in the sea Incredible scenery. Apparently, the shot was made on the boat in the middle of the sea.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/3aca4ae5-81a1-4b87-a8be-e7eac856d01b/photos-67.jpg)
If I was an old building… “If I was an old building I would want to be by the ocean. Till’ the end of times”. Photographed at the old fishing piers of the Texas Bolivar Peninsula.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - If I was an old building..... by `foureyes on deviantART](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/b140d5da-1f13-4f03-904f-89e5d7943dae/photos-64.jpg)
Bee the Cat “It’s hard to get the right exposure, with them being white, and with the fact they don’t stay still unless they’re sleeping.”
![Mind-Blowing Photos - bee](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/92db724b-a0dd-40f3-9310-8073d7e69c1c/photos-43.jpg)
Glow Smoke from a leaf pile.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - g l o w by Haneck - DPChallenge](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/aed2ed42-891a-4e64-87fa-d4ec903ddfe1/photos-75.jpg)
Swimming pool Taking a look at the swimming pool. From a quite different perspective.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/1a0f0f31-3022-4b04-9ab1-4b8f61266407/photos-68.jpg)
Reflect A reflection from the louvre’s pyramid.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - reflect](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/3832a0e1-d41c-4b65-bcf9-4e6151b7bbb7/photos-48.jpg)
Seagull on a sign This seagull seems to have its own personal understanding of human’s rules.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Seagull on a sign](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/99432665-c99f-4115-98db-66bb55c4473f/photos-16.jpg)
Marshmellow girl A beautiful composition.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/88f2a428-daed-4214-98ab-3205e9426f31/photos-23.jpg)
Refashioned Dahlia Photo taken at Duncan Garden in Spokane, WA.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Refashioned Dahlia](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/270bfda1-f7dd-489c-bc76-77f31af834e7/photos-45.jpg)
Bird and Meat
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/fe404ead-addf-40ab-88b5-52cc22e090e1/photos-24.jpg)
Water drop A photo taken at the exact right time. Available as a desktop wallpaper in various resolutions.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Another 17 Fantastic Free Wallpaper Images | Crestock.com Blog](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/7479401c-e010-4e27-9074-ea1cfabfcf8b/photos-13.jpg)
Mt. Fuji
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Mt. Fuji](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/749fef98-9b3d-46f0-99b2-4f38a59c2572/photos-22.jpg)
Two ways at looking at a fish
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/75df4881-e03b-46e4-9e3c-39296e17699d/photos-37.jpg)
Blessed fog A shot of Grande Madre di Dio in Torino, Italy.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - blessed fog](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/802e052c-3e55-4eca-b66c-864304f8caad/photos-04.jpg)
Family of bugs
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/b73fe2c3-da64-47fd-afe4-68204438b1d5/photos-32.jpg)
Pigeon Point Lighthouse “Once per year at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse they shut down the weak insipid modern (presumably electric) light and switch over the the 5 kerosene lamps and fresnel lens of the original, as it was 135 years ago.”
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Pigeon Point Lighthouse](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/22d595a2-eff9-46eb-ba85-89b3a21b2ef4/photos-52.jpg)
Fire Shot Location: Changa Beach, Coquimbo.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FIRE SHOT](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/2c981360-2cbb-47f5-a73d-72ad955f6e2a/photos-47.jpg)
A conversation Fox, bird and snow. This picture is titled “Good afternoon, my name is chikiricuatro”.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/a609f575-c1f6-4215-8485-c4adbba7c73d/photos-19.jpg)
Shanghai - Acrobatic Picture taken during an acrobatic show in a Shanghainese theatre.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - CHINA - Shanghai - Acrobatic](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/b0899326-f8b4-40d7-8b8c-58ac7909a583/photos-50.jpg)
Northern lights as seen from space
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Digg - Northern lights as seen from space (Pic)](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/fb3b1e6d-edea-491d-85da-6cb93905fe48/photos-53.jpg)
Crystal clarity
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/739be37e-2593-46f2-b44a-ca935693541d/photos-20.jpg)
Skier’s Paradise “Climbing partner at 17,000’ on Denali carrying his skis down to around 16,200’ where he will be able to ski down the rest of the way to base camp at 7200’.”
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Skier's Paradise](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/4bdb6a2c-b48f-4a81-8bba-c47c24aea8fa/photos-05.jpg)
Bird and Water
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/14fb81c1-2624-4244-8dec-df62c7958ab7/photos-34.jpg)
Photograph Taken at the Exact Right Time
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Sawse - Stir it Up! » Blog Archive » 25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/05302f2b-959f-4088-9a61-48108ccec3a2/photos-51.jpg)
All alone. This shot is taken on a Norway’s cliff Prekestolen (also known as Preacher’s Pulpit).
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/8ab6ffb4-eed3-4fba-9966-d74210796433/photos-33.jpg)
Looking out of the window
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/842155c1-8809-4e31-997f-57989eec662d/photos-41.jpg)
Above the clouds The shot taken during the flight from Vienna to Frankfurt, approaching Frankfurt.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - above the clouds](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/5d6c3be7-9ca9-4e8d-9b22-50be6a406748/photos-14.jpg)
The Waves
![Mind-Blowing Photos - teahupoo_1.jpg (JPEG-Grafik, 1280x821 Pixel)](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/e5445308-75e9-4a89-bd8c-e7bd9373bf67/photos-71.jpg)
![Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/27f3fa4c-19dc-4412-a4d1-30f1c13345d4/photos-56.jpg)
Cockfight Taken by Jan Sochor.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Cockfight – Photo Essay – Jan Sochor](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/14e2a30f-44f5-4d73-847b-5e860625db30/photos-85.jpg)
Polar lights Öxarárfoss in Iceland - Aurora Borealis taken by Arnar Valdimarsson.
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/4da812ab-657a-42b3-b177-42908af15fe5/photos-39.jpg)
Concentration
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/f47b4af5-252b-4766-b83b-51a8575bb59a/photos-26.jpg)
Cat and deer
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/ad624313-8b97-452e-a5e9-db9960bb0f90/photos-36.jpg)
Here floats a bubble in the air…
![Mind-Blowing Photos - he floats a bubble in the air...](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/f48037b4-5a4b-4746-915b-5af308a5f7fc/photos-86.jpg)
A girl portrait
![Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/24384daf-ed64-41c1-b40d-035131128fa4/photos-21.jpg)
— Comments 1179
Omg! stunning photos indeed!
Fantastic Article!! "smashing";) I like the Train-Picture most! Great Idea.