A long time ago, I used to make fun of my friends who had Instagram. At the time, it didn’t seem like such an interesting thing – why does anyone need to see photos of a cup of Starbucks, really? However, years (and a smartphone) later, I’ve found myself addicted to the social network, after one of my friends made me sign up. “You’ll love it. Shhh. Embrace that inner hipster in you,” she said, and she had been right.

Thing is, Instagram isn’t just for hipsters any longer. It seems to have become a more universal thing, kind of like how everyone has a Twitter and a Facebook and a Myspace they don’t remember the password to anymore. For example, nearly every guy in a black metal band whom I’m acquainted with has an instagram. I’m not sure how that works, since most black metal bands tend to eschew basic things like a Twitter page or a website, and you’re lucky if they have a Facebook fan page, but these guys have Instagrams… and they’re not the only ones. So, it’s very easy to pick and choose posters who share inspiring things that conform to your own aesthetic.

Here are 9 very unique photographers and artists who share their work on Instagram, whose images will make you feel inspired and ready to create! Some of them might be familiar to you, some of them might be new discoveries, but all of them are 100% worth following.

1. @Makhorov

This Ukranian-born urban explorer shares stunning photographs of cityscapes taken from dizzying heights. He and his friend @Raskalov travel to faraway locales and climb buildings. Right now, they are posting views of China from angles that will give you vertigo.

Follow if you like: Cityscapes, futuristic views, great heights, a bit of an adrenaline rush, cyberpunk.

2. @gdax

This Instagram account belongs to a Tibetan Buddhist monk who shares his life at a monastery. Included are serene views of nature, gorgeous architecture, temples with red walls and gilded rooftops, and other monks going about their daily business.

Follow if you like: Buddhism, Tibet, nature, the idea of a monk using hashtags

3. @K_aljabri

If you want an insight into daily life in Bahrain, follow this photographer. He explores different corners of the Manama Souq, and shares snapshots of everyday, small things in perfect composition. There’s peddlers with stalls full of colorful dresses, winding alleys, and walls that must have stood through countless lifetimes.

Follow if you like: Architecture, the Middle East, everyday life around the world, deserts, Bahrain, markets.

4. @JennyEveryday

Pink, aqua, and vintage-inspired art style rule this account, run by one half of popular art journal and craft blog Every Day Is A Holiday. There are desserts and bunnies and dolls and vintage-inspired girls with victory curls. Each shot is perfectly composed and sweet, just like a cupcake.

Follow if you like: Cupcakes, vintage design aesthetic, pink and aqua together on everything, Chihuahuas, art journaling.

5. @HIROZZZZ

Tokyo-based photographer Hiroaki Fukuda shares whatever he happens to be photographing at that moment. Snowy Tokyo streets and light-filled cityscapes are interspaced with views of nature and photoshoots in progress. Now that it’s hanami season, there are also a lot of stunning views of sakura trees.

Follow if you like: Simple but beautiful photos, unique views of Tokyo, cherry blossoms, cityscapes.

6. @ki_spring

If you don’t know who Kiyoharu Mori is, you are seriously missing out. This Japanese shock rocker first burst onto the Nagoya indie rock scene in the early 90s and has been at the forefront ever since. Though he’s gone far from the goth aesthetic he started out with, his work (and, by extension, his Instagram) is awe-inspiring. If there’s such a thing as glamorous, decadent, lazy simplicity, these photos definitely call it to mind.

Follow if you like: foreign obscure rock bands, glamorous rock star lifestyles, languages you might not understand very well.

7. @mortenordstrom

Do you like Copenhagen? Do you like puddles? If you answered yes to either (or both) of those questions, you’ll probably want to follow this guy. It’s really amazing how very different and unfamiliar the world looks when viewed through an upside-down reflection in a peaceful little puddle.

Follow if you like: the world turned upside down, puddles, Copenhagen.

8. @emolabs

This photographer combines poetry, drawings, and his surroundings into beautiful photos that tell a story. The photos are simple, clear, and designed to make you feel nostalgic (and maybe a bit philosophical). Also, he’s Macklemore’s cousin.

Follow if you like: flowers, poetry, notebooks, other people’s handwriting, skylines.

9. @AnnieLeeLarson

Brooklyn-based creator of AllKnitwear.com shares aesthetically pleasing photos, which are often composed of bright primary colors and mixed patterns. Black and white checkerboard is often contrasted with stripes in bright reds or yellows, pale pastels and deep, intense blues. Whimsical patterns also tend to show up.

Follow if you like: bright colors, mixing patterns, knitwear, hipsters, checkerboards.

What are some of your favorite artistic Instagram accounts to follow? Let us know in the comments.