I am a “wanna be” photographer – one might politely describe my talent as “aspirational.” Perhaps that’s why I’m constantly scouring the web for the truly talented.  These days I have two favorite photographers I like to point others toward.

The amazing “Joey L“…

And the extraordinary Trey Ratcliff.

Just 20 years old, Joey L is an incredibly gifted commercial photographer who just completed a documentary film project for National Geographic.  He began his blog post about the experience like this:

Our 4×4 is tearing down a dusty road somewhere in the South of Ethiopia. It’s all familiar. Out the window are pillars of rock and mountain, blanketed in layers by a dense sand storm in the distance.

Ryan is asleep beside me. Anteneh is awake but deep in thought, watching the landscape in which he grew up pass by outside the window.

It’s been exactly a year since we’ve all been back together here, en route to the Omo Valley. This is a place that doesn’t seem to exist at all once you leave, it doesn’t seem believable when you’re at home.

If you enjoy travel adventures, definitely check out this trailer for the documentary.

Trey Ratcliff is another photographer I have admired for a long time.  His blog – Stuck in Customs – is one of the most popular on the web.

Trey’s specialty is HDR (high dynamic range) photography.  It’s a technique that involves over-exposing and under-exposing a scene, then merging the shots to give the image an almost 3D feel. For those who like the HDR look, Trey has a detailed tutorial on his web site.

If you are inspired by great images of exotic places, be sure to check out Trey’s work.