If I could only follow one person on Instagram, it would be…

Like many of you, I started out on Instagram with the assumption that I’d only follow a handful of photographers – never more than 100, surely. But, as I’m sure you too discovered, more and more people had irresistible accounts, and that 100 has rapidly became 300.

When the tally creeps too high we think about having a ‘cull’, much like you did when leaving university and decided you had no need for 5,000 Facebook friends. It’s just that with Instagram this is harder – those with enticing accounts rarely let their quality slip. You aren’t going to catch the likes of Alex Strohl or Alexandra Taylor posting a blurry picture of their coffee from a generic conglomerate; they’re all captivating landscapes and envy-inducing adventures off-the-beaten-track.

But what if you had no choice, and were only allowed to follow just one person? I put this question to The Gentleman’s Journal’s team:

Who: Kristian Haagen

Why: Kristian is one of the most authoritative voices in the watch industry, and just happens to have a great eye for a picture, too. On top of that, he’s got great personal style – oh, and he’s also a great guy.

Follow: @kristianhaagen

Who: Cory Richards

Why: National Geographic adventurer of the year in 2012, Cory Richards is a man who pushes himself to the extremes, venturing to regions where few, if any, have been before. As a way of sharing his experiences, and expressing his passion for the natural world, he developed a unique and incredible knack with a camera, portraying the savagery of the wild hinterlands he explores. His account gives an intoxicating insight into areas that most of us will never get to see first hand.

Follow: @coryrichards

Who: Ben Weller

Why: His beautifully curated Instagram (I’m a sucker for lens flare, white boarders and countless black & white shots) documents everything from whimsical looking landscapes and shoot locations, to his stunning shots of celebrities and models for the likes of Vogue Hommes, Another Magazine and Man About Town, and, most importantly, his gorgeous dogs. It’s the perfect blend of off-beat Americana scenes, quintessential British landscapes and envy-inducing “offices” and locations (i.e: beautiful beaches, campfires, ranches and country homes). His career in a capsule.

Follow: @benwellerstudio

Who: Theron Humphrey

Why: This account has everything you could possibly want from Instagram; incredible nature and originality. Theron Humphrey manages to get his dog into shots in some of the most beautiful places in the world – and it helps that his dog is genuinely photogenic, too.

Follow: @thiswildidea

Who: Erin Ireland

Why: A Vancouver-based food and restaurant reporter with a beautifully minimalist photography style. Focusing on fresh produce and healthy eating, she also mixes in stunning landscape images to create the ultimate food and lifestyle account to follow.

Follow: @erinireland

Who: Jonathan Daniel Pryce

Why: Jonathan Daniel Pryce, or Garcon Jon, is a must-follow on Instagram in my opinion because of his continued ability to deliver stunning images taken in everyday settings. From characterful portraiture to crisp still-life setups, Jonathan consistently provides his 43.5k followers with both inspiration and wanderlust, all within a muted palette of blues, whites and greys.

Follow: @garconjon

Who: Smurk

Why: Few things, I find, beat a moody cityscape or architectural shot – smurk has both in abundance. Capturing the nuances of everyday surroundings, as well as bold and beautiful landscapes, his mantra of always looking up harnesses fresh angles on what we’d typically view as mundane. Well worth a follow.

Follow: @smvrk

See our interview with Instagrammer of the Week Alex Strohl here.