Skip to content
Life
Link copied to clipboard

Staff favorites: The best Instagrams to follow in Philly

Looking for some new folks to freshen your Instagram feed?  Here's a list of our staff's favorites for great local photographers and videographers:

Joe Kaczmareka freelance photographer for the Inquirer, Daily News and other news outlets who seems to have a sixth sense for finding after-hours crime scenes. "The night soul of Philly," as Drew McQuade says.

Dave Maialetti — One of our own staff photographers, Maialetti's Instagram account has earned national accolades. He was included in Forbes magazine's "10 Instagram Photographers You Should Follow."


Eric Mencher -- Using an iPhone, Mencher shows off his fine eye with his black and white shots from Philly, Cuba, and elsewhere.

Daniel D'Auria -- This guy is a doctor, but "I think his photographs are as good as any nature photos you might see," writes Debbie Woodell. On D'Auria's LinkedIn profile, "physician" is third on his list of occupations -- behind author and photographer.

Chuck Bonfig -- Bonfig delivers more than 8,000 striking photos of Philadelphia landmarks, sports teams, and even his dogs in both black & white and color.

Danielle Parsons -- Parsons, who hails from both Los Angeles and Philadelphia, posts an eclectic mix of fashion, music scenes, and streets shots.

Neal Santos -- "Neal Santos is already Insta-famous, but he's a must follow for anyone in Philly. You get glimpses of some of his projects before they're published -- peep that food photography, it's gorgeous -- and his use of light and color is exquisite. He's a Temple journalism grad and also the proprietor of a West Philly farm (check out his series on queer urban farmers). The pictures of his dogs and his crops are what I like the most." – Molly Eichel

April Saul -- A Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and former Inquirer staffer specializing in documentary work, Saul gives us a unique look at the streets of Camden. The images are both uplifting and heartbreaking as she chronicles high school life, street violence and the everyday celebrations of her subjects.

Bastiaan Slabbers -- The latest work from Slabbers showcases his images from Clinton's, Trump's and Obama's visits to Philadelphia along with Center City street scenes.

John Gayusky -- A former Inquirer staffer, Gayusky used his iPhone and filters to deliver stunning images of Montana as well as Philadelphia and its environs.

Ben Wong -- 'Grams under the pseudonym Brotherly Lost, where he delivers a mix of commercial and candid photos.

Meredith Edlow -- Shadowy images of Philadelphia streets, highly stylized portraits and an occasional surprise highlight this portfolio of images from Edlow.

Conrad Benner -- Philadelphia's landscape is showcased in this collection of work by Benner, who captures everything from street graffiti to the skyline at night.

Albert Lee -- With his knack for capturing the perfect sunset, the changing color of leaves and use of water in his images, Lee's work is as much nature photography as cityscape.

Bradley Maule -- In his MauleofAmerica posts, the photographer fuses nature and the hardscapes of the city into beautiful landscapes.

Michael Persico -- Persico gives us a gallery of highly-stylized and beautifully-lit food photography you may recognize from cookbooks, magazines, and his corporate work.

Lou Perseghin -- Whether it be a shot of a ginko leaf on bark, the back of a pair of jeans, or a mountain top, Perseghin's eye for fine detail is evident.

And of course, we also recommend @phillydotcom, which captures images from around the region and is curated by our own staff photographers.

And if you want to get a little more niche, check out these Philly institutions who really know what they're doing on Instagram:

@freelibraryrarebooks -- BiblioPhiles will love the stunning details of this fine collection.

@philamuseum -- Shows off works on exhibit for the art lovers to view.

@peopledelphia -- People are what make Philadelphia a first-class city and this site is wonderful for the people-watching photos it delivers.

@phillydogschool -- This site proves the Internet is not just for cat people.