(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 excellent 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 stunning 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.
You may also want to take a look at the following posts:
- (Really) Stunning Desktop Wallpapers covers desktop wallpapers related to typography, art, technology, photography and abstract themes,
- 35 Fantastic HDR Pictures presents 35 extremely beautiful and perfectly executed HDR-pictures.
(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos
Water and a Girl
Beautiful composition, excellent scenery, amazing play of colors.
The Ball is Coming!
Analogue shot with Seagull 6×6 (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.”
Sky
The sky is reflected in a drop of water. Beautiful scenery.
Returning to the same ocean
Beautiful sand textures, beautiful composition and somehow a very sad story hidden behind the image.
Tree
A colorful tree from a different perspective.
Gizmo
How adorable is that?
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.”
Yaw? Weeeee
You probably shouldn’t try this in your local trains. Such pictures are unforgettable.
Leap of Faith
What does being one step away from falling into the abyss feel like? The photo is taken by Paul Perton.
Astronaut Self-shot Over Earth
Could this be the best self-shot ever? It’s truly out of this world.
Autumn in red
Pure beauty. No words are necessary.
FlickrMeeting – Genova – G3
Blue baloon, a small detail, gives the picture an incredible power.
Sea in the sea
Incredible scenery. Apparently, the shot was made on the boat in the middle of the sea.
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.
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.”
Passing the Golden Gate Bridge
Glow
Smoke from a leaf pile.
Swimming pool
Taking a look at the swimming pool. From a quite different perspective.
Reflect
A reflection from the louvre’s pyramid.
Time To Go Home…
“Tthe way the birds are lined up makes the composition extraordinary fantastic.”
Seagull on a sign
This seagull seems to have its own personal understanding of human’s rules.
Marshmellow girl
A beautiful composition.
Refashioned Dahlia
Photo taken at Duncan Garden in Spokane, WA.
Water drop
A photo taken at the exact right time. Available as a desktop wallpaper in various resolutions.
Blessed fog
A shot of Grande Madre di Dio in Torino, Italy.
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.”
Fire Shot
Location: Changa Beach, Coquimbo.
A conversation
Fox, bird and snow. This picture is titled “Good afternoon, my name is chikiricuatro”.
Shanghai – Acrobatic
Picture taken during an acrobatic show in a Shanghainese theatre.
Northern lights as seen from space
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′.”
Photograph Taken at the Exact Right Time
All alone.
This shot is taken on a Norway’s cliff Prekestolen (also known as Preacher’s Pulpit).
Above the clouds
The shot taken during the flight from Vienna to Frankfurt, approaching Frankfurt.
Cockfight
Taken by Jan Sochor.
Polar lights
Öxarárfoss in Iceland – Aurora Borealis taken by Arnar Valdimarsson.
Here floats a bubble in the air…
Sources and Resources
You’ll find many more excellent photos, illustrations and pictures on the following sites:
- Pixdaus.com
A social community dedicated to sharing photos. Pixdaus is a place where anyone can post his pictures, photos and others rate it. If it’s cool it gets to the main page and more people can enjoy it. - Ffffound.com
Image bookmarking. An invitation-based service.
Related posts
You may also want to take a look at the following posts:
- (Really) Stunning Desktop Wallpapers covers desktop wallpapers related to typography, art, technology, photography and abstract themes,
- 35 Fantastic HDR Pictures presents 35 extremely beautiful and perfectly executed HDR-pictures.











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vinoth
January 24th, 2009 4:32 amreally very nice collections and its simply amazing and ex-ordinary one……. these photos are expressing the differents kinds of creativity……………. these photograpers are really leagends and expecting more from uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
imaginashawn
May 25th, 2010 5:57 pmMost of these show a great deal of talent with the exception of about five that make me wonder if someone didn’t just get tired of trying to choose the right 50 and just threw them in. I strongly suspect this is the case since the last three are included in the ones that don’t belong.
vinoth
January 24th, 2009 4:34 ami think these things are dream wen i se ths photos
cupit
January 26th, 2009 7:25 amyeah, pretty good but I wana see something more realistic. Photo shop is just too easy!
Melanie Vandenberg
January 26th, 2009 9:48 amI love these photos. Some of them were fantastic! I love numbers 2 and six. They were my faves.
david silcock
June 8th, 2010 3:36 pmthe photo`s are just awesome
Kuris Kuris
January 26th, 2009 4:20 pmall i can say is “WOW” the photos here are really stunning as the title implies. :D
zia khan
January 28th, 2009 9:48 ammasha allah la quwwata illa billa hil aliyil azeem.
beautiful pictures and correct timing.
the pure heatr behind each picture is the great thing and shows the deepness of the photographer.
wow very welldone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mari
January 28th, 2009 11:12 pm“Its Reallyyyyyyyy stunning to this world”
HIBZ...
January 29th, 2009 5:46 amwow!!!! its all r mind blowing………MASHA ALLAH!!!!!!
Siarra
January 30th, 2009 6:49 amThe pictures stopped my breath
Ellie
January 31st, 2009 10:31 amYou have some of the MOST BEAUTIFUL pictures I have ever seen..
are these mostly edited, or posted as they were shot??
annoyed
February 2nd, 2009 5:58 pmum to all those ppl who posted the dumb comments-chill…. even if u dont apppreciate photoshop etc, no need 2 b rude and act like no it all. bet u couldnt do half as well, so easy on the criticism— + even with pshop, ppl still enjoyed the shots.
Robyn McIntyre
February 5th, 2009 3:44 pmProfessional or amateur – they are stunning photographs. Although I think the photograph is colourful, well composed, etc, I have to point out that cockfighting is not sport – it’s cruel to take advantage of an animal’s instincts for amusement or money.
ramadas
February 7th, 2009 1:04 amnice pictures
abbas_malik
February 7th, 2009 12:57 pmgreat….. all the pictures are great and have some special message. i like all.
SterlingTack
February 7th, 2009 6:04 pmAWESOME! SO STUNNING!
sophie
February 7th, 2009 11:00 pmamazing.
Ashok S
February 8th, 2009 8:24 amGood collection!!!
Khaled Taliani
February 9th, 2009 6:03 pmAmazing, especially number 40.
chaospilot
February 11th, 2009 4:14 amoh god. very captivating.
bekiiii
February 11th, 2009 2:41 pmWOW! its good as =]
ganesh
February 12th, 2009 2:23 amwonderful moment are remembered…
AD
February 12th, 2009 4:45 amGreat collection.
Most of ‘em are stunning..but in my perspective some (only some) didn’t deserve the credits for making into the Top 50.
allan C.G.
February 12th, 2009 2:46 pminspiran la idea más profunda de la ignorancia de la vista.
Peter
February 13th, 2009 9:21 pmI am stunned and amazed, these are absolutely beautiful. A couple of comment posters, if I understand their wording, are actually picking fault with what’s presented here. Apparently the work done by them is even better. How nice to be that good at something!
shive RAM
February 14th, 2009 7:21 ami was a hindu but became a muslim now.
junaid musalman
February 14th, 2009 7:24 ami too became a muslim. this is all shadow of the ALLAH.
Mini
February 16th, 2009 11:49 pmMindblowing. Keep up the good work.
bhanu
February 17th, 2009 2:22 amreally mind blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andrew Ulinski
February 18th, 2009 8:46 amThe seagull on the sign is clearly a doctored photo. the picture on the sign is simply a silhouette of the seagull on top of it.
Anybody can edit a photo. it takes true skill to capture images such as “Mt. Fuji”, or “Glow”.
Prabal
December 28th, 2009 10:54 pmMost of the pictures are nice, yes the seagull pic is photoshop stuff. even if someone does not agree , the sign does not make any sense.
ali
February 18th, 2009 1:05 pmOUT OF THE WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!! i guess.
tobrani
February 18th, 2009 9:09 pmso beatufull
Amt_o!o@t
February 19th, 2009 7:22 amBest f alllllllll
Hetal shah
February 20th, 2009 3:12 amMy god i am out of words to describe the experience!!! trueeeeeeeeeeeely giving every lasting impression and experience!!
Manish
February 20th, 2009 7:06 amAWESOME MOMENTS
Hirra
February 21st, 2009 11:45 amOMG these pictures are incredible.
great collections
awesome pics, who ever took them.
LOVE ALL OF THEM
Johan
February 23rd, 2009 12:44 pmAll Alone… The photo you say is on Prekestolen is actually on Trolltunga (the troll’s tongue). Both are in Norway. Prekestolen is on the Lysefjorden, Trolltunga is above Skjeggedal in Odda.
JOSE
February 23rd, 2009 5:42 pmKOOL wit A “K”
bharathi kannan
February 25th, 2009 5:43 amwonderfulll
bharathi kannan
February 25th, 2009 5:44 amwonderful
Tatoe
February 25th, 2009 10:08 amI absolutely adore this site as of right now. I find these pictures an excellent choice in your gallery :)
Anna Mc Manus
February 26th, 2009 9:30 amI am really really amazed!
maulana
February 27th, 2009 12:07 amWOW
wow
WOW
wow
OMIO
February 27th, 2009 10:49 amall this made me happy
Pete
February 27th, 2009 12:29 pmDoes anyone know what set of pictures includes the one of the baby’s foot pushing on the abdominal wall of the mother….?
noel
March 3rd, 2009 7:21 pmthese pictures show us a different side of life during trying times
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES
murali
March 5th, 2009 4:06 amreally nice and excellent…………
Chris Rogers
March 8th, 2009 4:18 am“Oh” to be able to take pictures like these, real works of art.
Arvind Leo Pereira
March 12th, 2009 2:27 amThis site has photography at its best~
Tanvi
March 15th, 2009 8:25 amWOW..
Tanja
March 16th, 2009 7:25 amI say only one word: Fantastic
Storm
March 16th, 2009 11:56 pmThe seagull one is a great picture (and funny), but it’s a photoshop jobbie. The seagull in the sign is the exact sillhouette of the seagull on top of the sign. Top job though.
Susan
March 17th, 2009 2:12 pmDrop dead gorgeous
sahil
March 18th, 2009 4:56 amreally nice and excellent…………really Amazing pics …..
Wish to see more of same………..
selva kumar
March 20th, 2009 2:11 amAmazing picture’s
Andriy Kuzmenok
March 21st, 2009 11:36 pmThey’re really and truly the best!!!!
Deacon
March 26th, 2009 8:52 pmI like the one with the young girl crying. I liked all of the but that was the one that really stands out to me for one reason or another
SYKE
March 27th, 2009 11:18 pmgr8 & stunning
VERTIGO
March 30th, 2009 8:10 amVERTIGO O_O my heart accelerattes when i see this picture http://78.46.108.98/images/pictures-photos/photos-33.jpg O_o
Ulu
April 1st, 2009 1:28 pmthank you for the beautiful pictures
sesa
April 7th, 2009 6:08 amwow :)some of them look unreal!! BRAVO!!
prasad
April 7th, 2009 8:50 pmya some nice collection but some of them were not very stunning pics
Gwen
April 8th, 2009 11:14 amWow. Never in my life have I seen anything more amazing. These pictures are worth more than 1,000 words. Wow.
Nasrin
April 9th, 2009 5:27 pmI love all of them.Thanks for beautiful pictures.
abdallah boodhun
April 11th, 2009 10:26 amtoo good….simple bt stunning…cool nice shots
morgan
April 12th, 2009 9:00 amtruly amazing i wonder you got them
vanessa pilon
April 12th, 2009 1:35 pmCoolest photos ever!
i love photography & those photos are sick!
:D
SUM1
April 14th, 2009 5:24 amgr8! superb n stunning!
astonishing! extremely eye-catching!
suhani
April 18th, 2009 6:41 amtruly amazin pics
buthead
April 18th, 2009 9:27 amthese pictures suk so much i could puke. seriously, open ur eyes people!!!!
Tony
April 23rd, 2009 12:40 pmAbsolutely breathtaking!!! ::))
Thank you…
maniksteven
April 23rd, 2009 11:07 pmTruly it;s very wonderful pics
Thank you……
siddharth
April 26th, 2009 4:41 amawesome clicks….
superb….
i thought i m good at photography….
i was wrong…
Aras
April 27th, 2009 6:53 pmloved it :X
thanks!
1 Winged Angel
April 28th, 2009 4:47 amno words to say,
awsome,fantastic,undescribable . . . I don’t really know.
what a beautiful universe.
thanX
u-named
April 28th, 2009 11:34 pmIMHO I think that #21 is a well done fake. Spent two minutes to compare the two seagull outlines … and you can relize that they absolutely matches.
Megan
April 30th, 2009 12:56 pmAbsolutely amazing! The girls in my suite and I love it!!!
saravanan
May 2nd, 2009 11:33 pmone more life need to she like this
Unknown
May 9th, 2009 6:27 pmThese pictures are truly amazing and just made me catch my breath !!!
But, I feel that some pictures were not ment to be here, such as the cat and dog and girl to name some.
These pictures should truly remarkable pictures, but some of the ones ( like the ones listed above) were not that remarkable or unique so I feel they should not be part of the top 50.
All in all though, most of them were just splendid
Thank you for sharing them with us. =)
akash
May 11th, 2009 3:59 ami really enjoyed the pics.
nice work. hope they will of bigger sizes and i would have used them as wallpapers.
anyways thanks.
prachi choudhary
May 11th, 2009 4:49 amdamm good pictures……..veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy good i love it veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy much……..
Quazi Ahmed Hussain
May 12th, 2009 2:25 amAmazing pix. The “Bird and Water” is really nice and interest stiring as well. The water drops r clear enough but the neck shaking makes it seem like a drilling machine in action.
nadia
May 18th, 2009 3:25 pmoh my god, these are the most beautiful pictures.. most of them brought a smile to my face.. thank you soo much for sharing… god bless you..
André Villeneuve
May 21st, 2009 6:59 ambreathtaking!
mook
June 1st, 2009 5:16 pmlooks like someone at Smashing got one of those “bored housewife” inspirational emails and decided to publish it online as a collection.
Some of the subject matter is interesting, but the shots are very plain – even boring.
Emma
June 2nd, 2009 9:16 amAmazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The swimming pool one is my fave…
Georgia
June 4th, 2009 4:12 amSimply Beautiful,
I love the Big wave picture the best,
lets hope the person in the picture is still alive (:
Daniel Errante
June 4th, 2009 1:38 pmWonderful shots. The swimming pool is great!
roby y gaston
June 5th, 2009 9:45 pmmuuuy buenas estas fotosss.. por favoorr te lo pidoo saquen mas!!! para mi y mi primo que estamos viendo aca jaja besote..
Lou G
June 7th, 2009 8:22 pmFrom what I have seen and then read it proves a picture is worth a thousand words. Simply amazing…
Axel
June 9th, 2009 10:16 pmHey can somebody please tell me where, which country is that leap of faith one cause i wanna have a go at it!
sardar baran
June 10th, 2009 11:42 pmreally nice and cool photo,s
morgan
June 13th, 2009 4:00 amthe one with the dog covered in blanket so cute
and the one with the deer and the cat i have for my screensaver and i am only 8 but i love
these pictures
Chandra Wijaya
June 17th, 2009 2:03 amIts really cooolll man… Really stunning pictures…Chandra Wijaya
Stephen Ackart
June 18th, 2009 1:35 pmHEY! Thats my cat! U bastard
pagemender
June 23rd, 2009 9:51 pmFor those who have comments about photos being manipulated in Photoshop, I am thinking that all of you really know how to use this program? More power to Smashing Magazine!
tyran hulme
June 26th, 2009 9:09 amnone of those are impressing and i dont get how those fasenate you guys but if you want to try and impress me sent in pictures
Zeeshan Mian
June 27th, 2009 5:40 amOnly human beings those are blessed by Love, Devotion, Inspiration and belief in nature’s beauty..Would definitely say……
” STUNNING “
Ed Smith, Palm Springs, CA
July 4th, 2009 10:50 pmConsidering the fact that the “seagull” on the sign is obviously photoshopped(the birds silhouette matches perfectly to the image on the sign), how many more here are fakes? It’s amazing how many people didn’t even notice.
hira
July 5th, 2009 8:31 pmwow…..wonderfull……
but plz add some amizing nd mindblewing pics
okkkzzzzzzzzzz
keep it up
Abdullah
July 6th, 2009 5:44 pmvery nice and cool, keep up with the good work?!.