Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands went from obscurity to a top photography destination after drone footage of the Mulafossur waterfall—plunging off a seaside cliff into the ocean—went viral in 2016. This archipelago of 18 volcanic islands, with 53,000 inhabitants and more sheep than people, features grass-roofed villages, dramatic sea stacks, and perpetual moody fog that create unmatched photogenic conditions. Its 50,000 annual visitors are fewer than #8 Lake Bled's 600,000, offering a less crowded alternative for intimate landscape shots. The Faroes temporarily "closed" to tourists in 2019 for environmental maintenance, a unique step that underscores its fragile beauty and helped sustain 20% year-over-year growth in photography interest.