Ben’s Top 10 Watch Photographers On Instagram
All watch enthusiasts, at some point, experience the epiphany that opens the gateway to wristwatch passion. While my enthusiasm stretches back to James Bond’s Omega Seamaster, Instagram was the tool to discover similarly afflicted aficionados. Through hashtags and IG accounts, I experience a variety of watches vicariously through each person’s lens. Over time, certain photographers have influenced the content I enjoy and the inspiration for my posts. This list compiles a selection of my favorite content creators from Instagram and beyond social media. These photographers create a distinct identity, and their posts are instantly recognizable.
This won’t be a deep dive into each entry’s photography gear or touch-up techniques. Mostly, their methods are unique and may not translate to another person’s skill level. It’s also important to take inspiration from what you like and strive to create your style. While the below entries are my opinion, I recommend you follow them on Instagram if you share this passion. Also, as superb as all the photographers are on the Fratello Watches team, I didn’t want to make this a “top ten Fratello Watches photographers” list (though I’d thoroughly recommend you follow our guys on Instagram too). So, without further ado, in no particular order…
James Stacey — Instagram: @jestacey
Canadian co-host of The Grey Nato podcast, author for Hodinkee, and all-around adventurer James Stacey is my first pick. The collage of pictures on Instagram may be uniform, with mostly top-down wrist shots with the dial taking center stage, but the effect is mesmerizing. The background is soft, letting the details of the case, bracelet/strap, and dial come to the forefront in an almost three-dimensional display. This example accentuates details on the Tudor Pelagos 39 dial, even amongst the muted grey tones.
Amr Sindi — Instagram: @thehorophile
There are three things to make clear about Amr Sindi: he is not affiliated with any brand, he is passionate about independent watches, and he has a penchant for purple. And that passion for purple shines through in this bespoke Lundis Bleus. I’ll admit to having never heard of Lundis Bleus watches and its Spectrolite mineral dials before discovering the new posts and wonders from Amr.
PB and Watches — Instagram: @pbandwatches
If you’re wondering, the “PB” stands for peanut butter. I also share the love of the confectionary spread but have never felt the need to put my watch on it as a topper. The original Panerai watches experienced deep depths with the Italian Navy, but its descendant now rests on a whipped cream sponge cake. PB and watches‘ posts are bathed in light and simultaneously make you hungry and lust after the timepieces. This shot of Panerai Luminor 8 Days showcases the expansive dial and vibrance of the stainless steel case.
Gulenissen — Instagram: @gulenissen
The Omega Speedmaster is one of the most popular watches to share on Instagram. You could credit this, in part, to our faithful #SpeedyTuesday community. But the Speedmaster has always been very photogenic, otherwise known as an “Instagram Darling.” It’s challenging to stand out amongst the crowd of great #SpeedyTuesday posts, but somehow, Gulenissen achieves this with style. The overexposed wrist shots in a sea of white complement the iconic Speedy design. This specific example is a modified Speedmaster Moonwatch with a neo-vintage silver dial.
Kristian Haagen — Instagram: @kristianhaagen
Hands up — who else thought of this guy when you saw the headline? Kristian Haagen is adept at taking pictures of watches, and anything, in all sorts of scenarios and angles. Still, the finished results are distinct and recognizable as Haagen’s work. I enjoy the off-center and cropped photos that leave you wanting to see more like a well-directed horror movie. This Carl F. Bucherer Patravi ScubaTec Manta is captured as the wave crashes at the perfect moment.
Allan McLellan — Instagram: @thewatchdude2
Allan, the former co-host of the Wrist Time podcast and co-founder of the RedBar Glasgow chapter, is known as @thewatchdude2 on Instagram. He’s grown his account organically, approving new followers one by one to ensure the bots and promoters stay clear. He also frequently engages in his posts’ comments section to spark conversations and share interests. Allan’s photography is some of the most unique I’ve seen in the world of horology and has a distinctly Scottish earthy feel. His skill behind the camera comes from his degree in photography and stands out in any user’s feed.
Kim — Instagram: @lar5erik
In all honesty, I don’t know too much about Kim. That mystique could be why I enjoy his photography so much. He puts his collection up to the task by placing them in the wildlands of Finland capturing autumnal color palettes. Despite the low light conditions, he still captures vivid details of his watches, just like in this Tudor Pelagos FXD.
Christopher Beccan — Instagram: @bexsonn
The best photographers have a unique style that is unmistakably them. Like a Spotify playlist, you will always be able to distinguish and recognize a great artist within the first few notes, even if it’s a new song. The same is true when flicking through an Instagram feed. Christopher Beccan’s (@bexsonn) unique style of photography, is to profile the whole watch laid utterly flat, usually requiring the bracelet to be disconnected at the buckle. Add some sumptuous pictures of Scotch whisky, and I assure you this is one account not to miss as well as his fantastic website.
Tom Erik Tomsen Andersen — Instagram: @tomsen7474
I must admit that Tom Erik Tomsen Andersen, aka @tomsen7474, is a fairly recent follow for me and is someone I’ve discovered via the Oris Watch Group on Facebook. Instantly, Tom stood out as a content creator with talent. His watch collection consists of Oris, Omega, and Tudor watches with the bonus of custom straps from Combat Straps. The straps are exotic, including animal hides such as stingray, ostrich, and beavertail. Some straps even have motifs that continue a watch theme, such as the Oris Aquis Staghorn above that bleeds the coral design into the strap. Credit is due to Aaron at Combat Straps and his amazing handiwork, but Tom has a creative vision, which shows in his beautiful photos.
David Bredan — Instagram: @abtw_david
David Bredan is the editor-at-large for aBlogtoWatch. Not only does he have some of the most enjoyable watch articles on the web, but he also takes stunning pictures of watches. Bredan seems to capture a fluidic feel to watch cases, especially in gold. It’s almost as if you could tip the watch over and pour the gold into a goblet. Maybe it’s just me, but it could do with his slick use of light diffusers and avoidance of reflections that produces a beautiful snap. One of the absolute pros in the industry, Bredan’s feed is light on content with significant gaps between posts, but the quality is too high to ignore.
There are many more out there. Do you have any suggestions that I might have missed? Let me know below!