Follow Along on Mark Neal's Travels

Welcome to Hero of the Week, an ongoing series sharing stories from some of the best photographers in the Pexels community.

After teaching English in Madrid, Mark Neal is relocating back to San Diego, California to start his marketing career — but he's also a talented photographer.

From Germany to Iceland to Italy, Mark has been documenting his travels around some of the most scenic sights in Europe and beyond.

We chatted with him to hear more about how he shoots his picturesque work.

Pexels: How long have you been taking photos, and how did you get started?

I've always been interested in photography but I didn't start to get really into it until all my friends and family were complaining that I wasn't posting enough photos of my trips in Europe. So since that happened it's been about two years.

What camera gear do you use?

I started with an iPhone 7+ (which is what all my Iceland photos were taken on) but I'm now switching between a Canon Rebel T1i and an iPhone 11 Pro Max.

This being said I'm looking to upgrade to a new full-frame camera in the near future, probably either the Canon 5D Mark II or the Fujifilm XT30.

What's your favorite type of photo to shoot, and why?

I'm not actually sure what it would be called, or if it even has a name, but something between landscape and portrait. A great example of this is my photo of the monstera leaves at the Real Alcazar in Sevilla, Spain (shared below).

What inspires your photography?

Mostly, my friends, I have a friend back home that is doing incredible stuff and has such a unique look to it. You should definitely check his stuff out, his Instagram is @_captianjackk.

Tell us about a favorite photo on your Pexels profile.

My favorite is definitely the one I took of the monsteras that I talked about before. For me, the combination of colors and lighting is just perfect.

Also, I have always loved the look of monstera leaves. I actually have had it as my background on my computer since I took it.

Who are some other photographers or artists who inspire your work?

My friend Jack Antal who I mentioned before, and also more recently Samuel Elkins.

What is one goal you have for your photography?

To never stop challenging myself in the craft and to continue learning everything I can. More tangibly, though, starting to get into more portrait and possibly commercial photography.

Pexels Heroes is our invite-only community of the top photographers on Pexels. Find out more and apply to join here.