Portrait photography experts inspire us to take better shots. Looking for new photographers to follow? Great! We’ve got a set of Top 10 lists in the works that’ll help you do just that. We’ll work our way through the major categories of photography — from wildlife, to landscapes, to street photography, to portraiture, and beyond — listing out 10 of our favorite 500px photographers in each genre.

The lists are by no means exhaustive, of course (there are many more than 10 incredible photographers on 500px for each of these genres), so don’t hesitate to drop names and links we forgot in the comments!


So far, in our quest to share some of our favorite creators on 500px, we’ve given you 10 must-follow photographers in both the wildlife and action/sports photography genres. Adrenaline spiked and heart pumping, it’s time to slow it down a bit and venture down more intimate roads. Specifically, it’s time to discover some incredible portrait photographers.

This list was, in many ways, more difficult to curate than the first two. Portrait photography is a broad category — does family photography count? what about babies? does it all have to be headshots? — which had us more than a little worried.

In the end, we decided to try and stick to portraiture in as pure a form as possible. The closer to the headshot, the better. Single people, not groups. Basically, photography where creative framing, expression, and processing choices drive the exposure, not things like background or clothing.

It is, of course, not an exact science. Which is why we encourage you to fill in gaps we left! Think we should have included Lisa Holloway or Jessica Drossin or Michael Woloszynowicz? Feel like some of the names on the list below don’t match the criteria above? That’s what the comments are for!

And if you don’t agree with the full list, we invite you to go exploring through the 500px community. Dig up unknown names and drop them in the comments, publish your own must-follow list, and then send it to us and ask us to republish it! Together, we may just be able to cover all the bases.

For now, these 10 incredibly talented bases will have to do. Enjoy!

Amanda Carlson

Amanda is originally from the Chicago area but currently lives in Seattle at the moment. Her dad gifted her with her first 35mm film camera when I was in high school and shared his own photography stories, like how he got his first camera when he went to the Vietnam War. I was fascinated and took my first film class when I was 15, then later became a photojournalist at my university newspaper, which got me interested in people and street photography.

 portrait photographer - lady in red by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - 7am by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - now the dark days are gone the bright days are here my sunny ones shines so sincere by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - january 2020 self portrait  by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

you go i go by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

asymmetry by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

rainy day portrait sesh with alissa by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - mirrors are really interesting to me. the amount of perspective that can change with a mirror the... by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - self-reflection by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

glo by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

portrait photographer - my favorite from a quick shoot i had a few days ago in tokyo by Amanda Carlson on 500px.com

Junior Asiama

portrait photographer - Lemony by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Black bumblebee  by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Nice by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

African  by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

G.a.s.s by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

Lemony by Junior Asiama on 500px.com

Ian Ross Pettigrew

self portrait of self portrait by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

Horace by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

say what? by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

cafe 2 by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

May by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

JANTristan by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

justina by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

Hey kid, i think your tooth is falling out. by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

nikki by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

erik by Ian Ross Pettigrew on 500px.com

Segun-Kabir Sani

IMG by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

IMG by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

TAE by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

IMG by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

IMG by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

IMG by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

E S C A P E by Segun-Kabir Sani on 500px.com

Virginia Ateh

Julie by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

Go green! by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

Masha by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

prismatic by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

Alla by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

Annie by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

color splash by Virginia Ateh on 500px.com

Taya Iv

Happy New Year by Taya Iv on 500px.com

I am longing to be with you by Taya Iv on 500px.com

A heart full of warmth by Taya Iv on 500px.com

something real by Taya Iv on 500px.com

mustard skies by Taya Iv on 500px.com

but you shine like the sun when you love yourself by Taya Iv on 500px.com

every star by Taya Iv on 500px.com

reality by Taya Iv on 500px.com

expected by Taya Iv on 500px.com

Good morning by Taya Iv on 500px.com

Alex Strelkovv

Veronika by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Valeria by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Nastya by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Nastya by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Valery by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Veronika by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Vlada by A Strelkovv on 500px.com

Jordie Hennigar

portrait photographer - tia by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Laurian xJacoba by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

portrait photographer - IMG_1338f.jpg by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

t by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

portrait photographer - laurain by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

portrait photographer - IMG by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Laurian xJacoba by Jordie Hennigar on 500px.com

Kristina Lang-Ree

portrait photographer - Samantha by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Alice by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

Estrange by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Mari by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Haddy by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Espen by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - Freddie by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

portrait photographer - BARE by Kristina Lang-Ree on 500px.com

Maxi Boehm

portrait photographer - I love music by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - tulle love by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - flavoured lips by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - don't let it pass by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - fire by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

I am mine by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - A summers fairy tale by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

portrait photographer - I'm gonna sing for you by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

mom's cake by Maxi Boehm on 500px.com

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