Ver página en: Español
Whether you are planning a trip and are looking for inspiration or are a New Yorker who misses home, these New York Instagram accounts will bring a taste of the Big Apple to your screen.
New York City is one of those unique places that rarely fails to make an impression on the people that visit or live there. I still remember vividly the first time I step in the Big Apple during a family holiday when I was twelve years old. I remember the noise, its fast-paced rhythm, and its peculiar smells. I remember thinking that it felt just like being in a movie.
Over the years, I’ve visited NYC a few times and what I like the best is its diversity. In New York, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or what you like. You’ll probably find a place to fit in, or at least not attract too much attention.
Here, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite New York Instagram accounts. Like all articles in my Best of Instagram series, this list includes a diverse selection of profiles. Each of the people featured captures a specific angle of the city in their unique style, so I’m sure you’ll find something you like.
If you enjoy this list, you should also check my posts about the top Instagram accounts from London, Paris, Barcelona, Mexico, Brazil, and the Netherlands!
Top 15 New York Instagram Accounts
1. beholdingeye
In Paul Seibert‘s gallery, you’ll find a beautiful collection of impressive photos of New York’s skyline and its street. He does a fantastic job of capturing the vibrant and fast-paced nature of the city.
2. dianejosephinehu
Diane Josephine creates lovely watercolor journals of her daily life in New York City. In her gallery, you’ll find a mix of watercolors and photos of the places that inspire her.
3. golden2dew
Zahava’s gallery features images that have a quintessential New York quality to them. Her style also has a timeless quality that adds a touch of nostalgia to her photos. A real must-follow for street photographers everywhere!
4. heydavina
Based in Brooklyn, Davina is a content creator who likes to share her favorite spots in New York with her audience. So if you are looking for cute cafes, nice restaurants, and unique shops, this is the place for you!
5. humansofny
After losing his trading job in Chicago, Brandon decided to move to New York and start taking portraits of people on the streets. That is how Humans of New York, one of the most successful blogs out there, started. Every day, Brandon shares photographs of random strangers he meets on the street (from NYC or abroad) and their stories. Some of them are heartbreaking, and others are inspiring and funny.
6. jaaphotos
Jean-Andre Antoine is a street photographer who captures people’s portraits with a single polaroid shot. He then posts images of his subjects along with their photo, thus creating an interesting gallery featuring NYC’s diverse characters.
7. maxloew
Originally from California, Max Loewenstein is a self-taught commercial photographer who just recently moved to New York. What I love most about his images is his creative compositions and the contrast between dark and golden tones.
8. melliekr
With its warm golden tones and careful composition, this gallery captures the prettiest side of New York. It even makes it look kind of cozy!
9. nickmillers
By contrast, Nicolas Dumoulin, a French photographer based in New York City, shows a different side of the city. Shooting mainly at night, his photography gives us a glimpse of what life looks like in the city that never sleeps.
10. omarzrobles
Originally from Puerto Rico, Omar Z Robles is an NYC based photographer who specializes in portraying ballet dancers in urban landscapes. His images perfectly convey the raw power and stunning beauty of these amazing performers.
11. overheardnewyork
New York isn’t only an excellent place for people-watch. It’s also one of those places where you can sometimes overhear (accidentally, of course) things that you wouldn’t usually hear somewhere else. So do check out the overheardnewyork feed for some of the wildest things New Yorkers say.
12. romanshotthis
NYC isn’t exactly a paradise for cycling, but when there’s will, there’s a way. And Roman Siromakha does an awesome job capturing beautiful shots of the city’s biking culture, as well as of his excursions out of the urban jungle.
13. streetartnyc
No NYC list can be complete without taking a look at its bustling street art scene. And Street Art NYC is a great visual resource for keeping up with all the awesome happenings in the urban art front.
14. subwayhands
I love finding IG profiles that take an unusual approach to portray their subjects, and Hannah La Follette Ryan’s account is a real gem. For the last few years, she’s built a gallery of photos of random people’s hands in NYC’s subway system. My favorites are definitely the older ladies’ hands. They are fierce in New York! You can learn more about the photographer in this interview.
15. svvvk
For an entirely different perspective of the city, svvvk takes us on a vertigo-inducing tour of places that are off-limits for most of us (and for a good reason). Still, most of the photos in this gallery are pretty sick.
So there you have them! If you liked this list, check out our other posts on the Best of Instagram series:
- Amazing Black & White Instagram Accounts
- The Most Inspiring Vanlife Instagram Accounts
- Cool iPhone-Only Accounts to Follow
- Inspiring Minimalist Users to Follow
- Creative Masters
Next time, we are letting our inner child lose, and we’ll feature some of the best Lego Instagram accounts out there. So stay tuned! In the meantime, have a look at my Instagram profile and check out my latest shots:
Pin This for Later

Photo Credits
Cover and pin images courtesy of Joseph Akbrud via Unsplash.
All photos embedded from Instagram belong to each of the featured accounts.
This post was first published on October 29th, 2014 and was last updated on September 26th, 2019.
Do you follow any awesome New York-based Instagram accounts that you’d like to recommend? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Bianca Bauza
Travel Writer
Bianca is a world citizen who spent almost four years traveling around South America and Europe. Her passions include photography, street art, outdoor sports, and cooking exotic dishes. She’s now based in the Netherlands where she lives with her partner and young daughter. She still enjoys traveling, on her own or with her family, and is always looking for an opportunity to see new places.
Great, great post! Love it! Especially in my interest for NY and a visit somewhere this decennium ;-) You’ll love Berlin for this as well! Let me know if you need some accounts that proof it ;-)