(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos

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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 Pictures and Photos

Water and a Girl
Beautiful composition, excellent scenery, amazing play of colors.

Mind-Blowing Photos - water

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.”

Mind-Blowing Photos - Hey Tina! When you see this: Call me! I'm not angry with you any longer ....

Sky
The sky is reflected in a drop of water. Beautiful scenery.

Mind-Blowing Photos - : Sky

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.

Tree
A colorful tree from a different perspective.

Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!

Gizmo
How adorable is that?

Mind-Blowing Photos - Gizmo

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

Yaw? Weeeee
You probably shouldn’t try this in your local trains. Such pictures are unforgettable.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Yaw? Weeeee

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

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

Autumn in red
Pure beauty. No words are necessary.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Autumn in red

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 ]

Sea in the sea
Incredible scenery. Apparently, the shot was made on the boat in the middle of the sea.

Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!

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

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

Passing the Golden Gate Bridge

Mind-Blowing Photos - Passing the Golden Gate Bridge

Glow
Smoke from a leaf pile.

Mind-Blowing Photos - g l o w by Haneck - DPChallenge

Swimming pool
Taking a look at the swimming pool. From a quite different perspective.

Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!

Reflect
A reflection from the louvre’s pyramid.

Mind-Blowing Photos - reflect

Time To Go Home…
“Tthe way the birds are lined up makes the composition extraordinary fantastic.”

Mind-Blowing Photos - Time To Go Home...

Seagull on a sign
This seagull seems to have its own personal understanding of human’s rules.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Seagull on a sign

Marshmellow girl
A beautiful composition.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Refashioned Dahlia
Photo taken at Duncan Garden in Spokane, WA.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Refashioned Dahlia

Bird and Meat

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

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

Mt. Fuji

Mind-Blowing Photos - Mt. Fuji

Two ways at looking at a fish

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Blessed fog
A shot of Grande Madre di Dio in Torino, Italy.

Mind-Blowing Photos - blessed fog

Family of bugs

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

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

Fire Shot
Location: Changa Beach, Coquimbo.

Mind-Blowing Photos - FIRE SHOT

A conversation
Fox, bird and snow. This picture is titled “Good afternoon, my name is chikiricuatro”.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Shanghai – Acrobatic
Picture taken during an acrobatic show in a Shanghainese theatre.

Mind-Blowing Photos - CHINA - Shanghai - Acrobatic

Northern lights as seen from space

Mind-Blowing Photos - Digg - Northern lights as seen from space (Pic)

Crystal clarity

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

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

Bird and Water

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Photograph Taken at the Exact Right Time

Mind-Blowing Photos - Sawse - Stir it Up! » Blog Archive » 25 Photographs Taken at the Exact Right Time

All alone.
This shot is taken on a Norway’s cliff Prekestolen (also known as Preacher’s Pulpit).

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Looking out of the window

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Above the clouds
The shot taken during the flight from Vienna to Frankfurt, approaching Frankfurt.

Mind-Blowing Photos - above the clouds

The Waves

Mind-Blowing Photos - teahupoo_1.jpg (JPEG-Grafik, 1280x821 Pixel)

The Waves. One more time.

Mind-Blowing Photos - FFFFOUND!

Cockfight
Taken by Jan Sochor.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Cockfight – Photo Essay – Jan Sochor

Polar lights
Öxarárfoss in Iceland – Aurora Borealis taken by Arnar Valdimarsson.

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Concentration

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Cat and deer

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

Here floats a bubble in the air…

Mind-Blowing Photos - he floats a bubble in the air...

A girl portrait

Mind-Blowing Photos - Photo

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:

Vitaly Friedman loves beautiful content and doesn’t like to give in easily. Vitaly is writer, speaker, author and editor-in-chief of Smashing Magazine, an online magazine dedicated to designers and developers.

  1. 501

    really 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

    0
    • 502

      imaginashawn

      May 25th, 2010 5:57 pm

      Most 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.

      0
  2. 503

    i think these things are dream wen i se ths photos

    0
  3. 504

    yeah, pretty good but I wana see something more realistic. Photo shop is just too easy!

    0
  4. 505

    Melanie Vandenberg

    January 26th, 2009 9:48 am

    I love these photos. Some of them were fantastic! I love numbers 2 and six. They were my faves.

    0
  5. 507

    all i can say is “WOW” the photos here are really stunning as the title implies. :D

    0
  6. 508

    masha 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    0
  7. 509

    “Its Reallyyyyyyyy stunning to this world”

    0
  8. 510

    wow!!!! its all r mind blowing………MASHA ALLAH!!!!!!

    0
  9. 511

    The pictures stopped my breath

    0
  10. 512

    You have some of the MOST BEAUTIFUL pictures I have ever seen..
    are these mostly edited, or posted as they were shot??

    0
  11. 513

    um 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.

    0
  12. 514

    Professional 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.

    0
  13. 515

    nice pictures

    0
  14. 516

    great….. all the pictures are great and have some special message. i like all.

    0
  15. 517

    AWESOME! SO STUNNING!

    0
  16. 518
  17. 519

    Good collection!!!

    0
  18. 520

    Amazing, especially number 40.

    0
  19. 521

    oh god. very captivating.

    0
  20. 522

    WOW! its good as =]

    0
  21. 523

    wonderful moment are remembered…

    0
  22. 524

    Great collection.
    Most of ‘em are stunning..but in my perspective some (only some) didn’t deserve the credits for making into the Top 50.

    0
  23. 525

    inspiran la idea más profunda de la ignorancia de la vista.

    0
  24. 526

    I 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!

    0
  25. 527

    i was a hindu but became a muslim now.

    0
  26. 528

    junaid musalman

    February 14th, 2009 7:24 am

    i too became a muslim. this is all shadow of the ALLAH.

    0
  27. 529

    Mindblowing. Keep up the good work.

    0
  28. 530

    really mind blowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    0
  29. 531

    The 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”.

    0
    • 532

      Most 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.

      0
  30. 533

    OUT OF THE WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!! i guess.

    0
  31. 534

    so beatufull

    0
  32. 535

    Best f alllllllll

    0
  33. 536

    My god i am out of words to describe the experience!!! trueeeeeeeeeeeely giving every lasting impression and experience!!

    0
  34. 537

    AWESOME MOMENTS

    0
  35. 538

    OMG these pictures are incredible.
    great collections
    awesome pics, who ever took them.
    LOVE ALL OF THEM

    0
  36. 539

    All 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.

    0
  37. 540

    KOOL wit A “K”

    0
  38. 541

    bharathi kannan

    February 25th, 2009 5:43 am

    wonderfulll

    0
  39. 542

    bharathi kannan

    February 25th, 2009 5:44 am

    wonderful

    0
  40. 543

    I absolutely adore this site as of right now. I find these pictures an excellent choice in your gallery :)

    0
  41. 544

    I am really really amazed!

    0
  42. 545

    WOW

    wow

    WOW

    wow

    0
  43. 546

    all this made me happy

    0
  44. 547

    Does anyone know what set of pictures includes the one of the baby’s foot pushing on the abdominal wall of the mother….?

    0
  45. 548

    these pictures show us a different side of life during trying times

    THANK YOU ALL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES

    0
  46. 549

    really nice and excellent…………

    0
  47. 550

    “Oh” to be able to take pictures like these, real works of art.

    0
  48. 551

    Arvind Leo Pereira

    March 12th, 2009 2:27 am

    This site has photography at its best~

    0
  49. 552
  50. 553

    I say only one word: Fantastic

    0
  51. 554

    The 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.

    0
  52. 555

    Drop dead gorgeous

    0
  53. 556

    really nice and excellent…………really Amazing pics …..
    Wish to see more of same………..

    0
  54. 557

    Amazing picture’s

    0
  55. 558

    Andriy Kuzmenok

    March 21st, 2009 11:36 pm

    They’re really and truly the best!!!!

    0
  56. 559

    I 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

    0
  57. 560

    gr8 & stunning

    0
  58. 561

    VERTIGO O_O my heart accelerattes when i see this picture http://78.46.108.98/images/pictures-photos/photos-33.jpg O_o

    0
  59. 562

    thank you for the beautiful pictures

    0
  60. 563

    wow :)some of them look unreal!! BRAVO!!

    0
  61. 564

    ya some nice collection but some of them were not very stunning pics

    0
  62. 565

    Wow. Never in my life have I seen anything more amazing. These pictures are worth more than 1,000 words. Wow.

    0
  63. 566

    I love all of them.Thanks for beautiful pictures.

    0
  64. 567

    abdallah boodhun

    April 11th, 2009 10:26 am

    too good….simple bt stunning…cool nice shots

    0
  65. 568

    truly amazing i wonder you got them

    0
  66. 569

    vanessa pilon

    April 12th, 2009 1:35 pm

    Coolest photos ever!
    i love photography & those photos are sick!

    :D

    0
  67. 570

    gr8! superb n stunning!
    astonishing! extremely eye-catching!

    0
  68. 571

    truly amazin pics

    0
  69. 572

    these pictures suk so much i could puke. seriously, open ur eyes people!!!!

    0
  70. 573

    Absolutely breathtaking!!! ::))
    Thank you…

    0
  71. 574

    Truly it;s very wonderful pics
    Thank you……

    0
  72. 575

    awesome clicks….
    superb….
    i thought i m good at photography….
    i was wrong…

    0
  73. 576

    loved it :X
    thanks!

    0
  74. 577

    1 Winged Angel

    April 28th, 2009 4:47 am

    no words to say,
    awsome,fantastic,undescribable . . . I don’t really know.
    what a beautiful universe.
    thanX

    0
  75. 578

    IMHO 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.

    0
  76. 579

    Absolutely amazing! The girls in my suite and I love it!!!

    0
  77. 580

    one more life need to she like this

    0
  78. 581

    These 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. =)

    0
  79. 582

    i really enjoyed the pics.
    nice work. hope they will of bigger sizes and i would have used them as wallpapers.
    anyways thanks.

    0
  80. 583

    prachi choudhary

    May 11th, 2009 4:49 am

    damm good pictures……..veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy good i love it veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy much……..

    0
  81. 584

    Quazi Ahmed Hussain

    May 12th, 2009 2:25 am

    Amazing 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.

    0
  82. 585

    oh 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..

    0
  83. 586

    André Villeneuve

    May 21st, 2009 6:59 am

    breathtaking!

    0
  84. 587

    looks 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.

    0
  85. 588

    Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    The swimming pool one is my fave…

    0
  86. 589

    Simply Beautiful,
    I love the Big wave picture the best,
    lets hope the person in the picture is still alive (:

    0
  87. 590

    Daniel Errante

    June 4th, 2009 1:38 pm

    Wonderful shots. The swimming pool is great!

    0
  88. 591

    roby y gaston

    June 5th, 2009 9:45 pm

    muuuy buenas estas fotosss.. por favoorr te lo pidoo saquen mas!!! para mi y mi primo que estamos viendo aca jaja besote..

    0
  89. 592

    From what I have seen and then read it proves a picture is worth a thousand words. Simply amazing…

    0
  90. 593

    Hey can somebody please tell me where, which country is that leap of faith one cause i wanna have a go at it!

    0
  91. 594

    really nice and cool photo,s

    0
  92. 595

    the 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

    0
  93. 596

    Chandra Wijaya

    June 17th, 2009 2:03 am

    Its really cooolll man… Really stunning pictures…Chandra Wijaya

    0
  94. 597

    Stephen Ackart

    June 18th, 2009 1:35 pm

    HEY! Thats my cat! U bastard

    0
  95. 598

    For 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!

    0
  96. 599

    none 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

    0
  97. 600

    Only human beings those are blessed by Love, Devotion, Inspiration and belief in nature’s beauty..Would definitely say……

    ” STUNNING “

    0
  98. 601

    Ed Smith, Palm Springs, CA

    July 4th, 2009 10:50 pm

    Considering 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.

    0
  99. 602

    wow…..wonderfull……
    but plz add some amizing nd mindblewing pics
    okkkzzzzzzzzzz
    keep it up

    0
  100. 603

    very nice and cool, keep up with the good work?!.

    0

  1. 1

    very amazing pictures ,thanks

    +9
  2. 2

    amazing pics

    +7
  3. 3

    ghanshyam chouhan

    March 15th, 2012 6:45 am

    wonder full photography so amazing

    +7
  4. 4

    I’m not sure if this has been said already, but the picture “All Alone” with the man on the rock in Norway is not actually Preacher’s Pulpit…it is Trolltunga, or troll’s tongue rock, also located in Norway. Another great rock in Norway to look for pictures of is the wedged rock….Norway is a beautiful and stunning place! I hope to visit there someday! Wonderful photos!

    +6
  5. 5

    Stunning photos..really.. It reflects the taste of a photographer…great work

    +5
  6. 6

    Anita / Daily Blissings

    August 25th, 2010 7:57 pm

    Sooooo beautiful! Totally puts my “Daily Blissings” photo project to shame! LOL

    +5
  7. 7

    kool pic

    +5
  8. 8

    The photos are exquisite and unique! Beautiful….. simply SMASHING!

    +5
  9. 9

    Awesome and looking wonderful

    +5
  10. 10

    How can one rate pictures that touch the mind and heart? Very helpful that captions were added to each picture. Magnificence photography. Some of these are a once-in-a-life time opportunity to capture the moment.

    Thanks for sharing these.

    +4
  11. 11

    jst mind blwng……………amazng

    +4
  12. 12

    exellant works

    +4
  13. 13

    Its soooooooooo beautiful no words to say….i like it.
    which type of camera did u use…?
    its really stunning pixs….gr8….

    +4
  14. 14

    lovely..amazing..wonderful..beautiful..ever seen superb collections….thanx for the cute presenters for these cute pics astonishing ….thankyou very much

    +4
  15. 15

    Very nice Keep it up

    +4
  16. 16

    the animal ones r sooo cute!

    +4
  17. 17

    ReallySmashing, very clever too.;;

    +4
  18. 18

    Wow. What a brilliant collection. I’m very mesmerized with all these photos. Those arts really deserves 10 stars. Bravo… Wow.You will surely become speechless seeing their stunning photos. …go.go.go.. :D

    +4
  19. 19

    Awesome the pics are. Mind became fresh after seeing these pics.

    +4
  20. 20

    After an chaotic morning. Thanks for the pictures. They calmed me down and now I can function again. I’ll be back again and again to scroll through.

    +4
  21. 21

    beautiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiful

    +3
  22. 22

    yup very nice

    +3
  23. 23

    Simply outstanding!

    +3
  24. 24

    wow these r best picss of d world…seriously…it seems to be very very beautiful :)

    +3
  25. 25

    i love those pics stunning amazing waw
    j’adoooooooooooooooooooore

    +3
  26. 26

    look deep once her ees then your eyes stik ther and nothing more u want see in her face…attraction of innocent eyes.

    +3
  27. 27

    muii lindass las photoss :D
    besos chau! ♥ *__* ♥

    +3
  28. 28

    Beautiful…………………

    +3
  29. 29

    super:)….specially autumn in red n Preacher’s pulpit shots r the most beautifull…

    +3
  30. 30

    Very good photos I was depressed have seen the photos and become happy thank you

    +3

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