In his own words, Gray Malin is “on a mission to make everyday a getaway” through his whimsical photos and compelling Instagram account. The fine-art photographer and New York Times best-selling author of this year’s Beaches loves two things: the ocean, and things that float—whether it’s himself suspended high above the Earth while taking a jaw-dropping #aerial shot, or mylar alphabet balloons playfully displaying his sentiments about (and within) one of his photos. One of the hottest artists working today, his Instagram account surpassed 200K followers this year. If you can’t get to the beach, you can at least sneak away for a few minutes on your phone with @graymalin.