Arts & Culture
25 Southerners to Follow on Instagram
Experience life around the South with these great accounts
Southerners love to share—whether it’s a recipe, some neighborhood gossip, or an opinion on the current level of humidity. So it’s no surprise that people in the South are also pretty great on social media—Instagram, especially.
To prove the point, we gathered, in no particular order, twenty-five superlative Southern accounts to follow on the photo- and video-sharing platform. These Garden & Gun picks allow us glimpses into their lives through eye-candy grids, addictive Instagram Stories, and captions that stick with us well past a scroll or two.
Dorothy Shain
Bright colors and works of art fill the grid of @dorothy_shain. The Greenville, South Carolina, contemporary artist showcases her pieces alongside thoughtful, well-written captions that allow you a deeper knowledge of the woman behind the canvas.
Nina Compton
Chef Nina Compton brings plenty of flavor to New Orleans at her restaurant Compère Lapin—and great food-and-drink content to Instagram, including nods to other top chefs and dining destinations.
David Joy
It was David Joy who first brought us the joy of the “bear on the porch” video. But if you choose to follow the author, you’ll gain access to more than just entertaining videos; he also shares what he’s currently reading and seeing in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Whitney Mitchell
It’s common knowledge New Orleans is a photogenic city, but no one captures it quite like visual artist and photographer Whitney Mitchell. Texture and light play the perfect foils to Mitchell’s bright personality in her snaps.
Flip Pallot
Lucky for those of us who love fishing, the legendary angler Flip Pallot is willing to share his rod-and-reel adventures (past and present) on his account.
Carla Hall
Nashville native and D.C. resident Carla Hall’s 268,000 followers are privy to the chef, cookbook author, and television personality’s daily musings, travels, and raw emotions.
Anna Rifle Bond
Bond’s Florida company, Rifle Paper, has nearly a million followers, but Anna herself boasts well more than a half-million. So we’re adding “Instagram influencer” to her list of titles, which already includes co-founder, COO, mother, and 2018 Made in the South Awards Crafts judge.
Amber Wilson
What began as Nashville resident Amber Wilson’s “For the Love of the South” food-writing and recipes blog has now extended into an Instagram account and a cookbook of the same name—all featuring her equally mouthwatering and Southern aesthetic.
Jason Isbell
When profiling Isbell for Garden & Gun, contributing editor Matt Hendrickson wrote, “Jason Isbell isn’t your typical country star or your typical anything else, for that matter.” In the same vein, the Alabama-born singer isn’t your typical Instagram influencer, either. But, his (often humorous) behind-the-scenes views and family-man snaps make him worth following.
P-Nut the Lowcountry Poet
Joseph “P-Nut the Lowcountry Poet” Johnson has been writing poetry in South Carolina for decades. Follow along on his account to enjoy the words and art he creates inspired by “Bud Light, Charleston, love, gold, and good food.”
Vivian Howard
When we asked the Garden & Gun editors if they followed any especially entertaining Southerners on Instagram, Vivian Howard popped up more than once. Her Instagram is truly a jocular window into the busy life of a North Carolina chef, mom, author, and television personality.
Kathryn McCrary
The Atlanta, Georgia, photographer Kathryn McCrary captures her journeys across the South (and well beyond) with a bright-and-clean aesthetic.
Joe Kwon
The Raleigh-based cellist for the Avett Brothers may play music for a living, but he could probably add “gourmand” to his resume. Kwon offers his followers a backstage take on food on the road—a beat he calls “Taste, On Tour.”
Elizabeth Mayhew
Seemingly effortless flower displays, well-curated gallery walls, and detailed pie crusts all appear in the author, editor, decorator, and Today show contributor’s everyday snaps. Originally from Kentucky, Mayhew’s Southern roots show up in both her how-to Instagram Stories and her well-documented travels.
Watson Brown
Step back in time by following North Carolina’s Watson Brown, whose photography sports a vintage feel and chronicles the rural side of the Tar Heel State.
Jenné Claiborne
Jenné Claiborne infuses vegan cooking with her Georgia roots. And whether it’s a vegan hot chicken biscuit or some sweet potato doughnuts, the chef and author’s recipes demand to be made (even if you’re totally on board with eating meat).
Theron Humphrey
Born and raised in North Carolina, Theron says his photography work “exists somewhere between country living and city ideals.” Bonus: Plenty of images of his dog and muse, Maddie.
Asiyami Gold Wekulom
The Nigeria native and longtime Georgia resident Wekulom describes herself as a “visual storyteller,” so you know she excels at Instagram. You could scroll through her feed for hours and never grow bored; each and every image is stunning, vivid, and double-tap worthy.
Leigh Webber
The name Leigh Webber graced the pages of Garden & Gun’s latest Lakes issue, so you’re probably familiar with the South Carolina resident’s talent and eye for underwater photos. Her images will cool you off—even when the air conditioning and an iced sweet tea can’t seem to offer relief from the summer heat.
David Bancroft
Winner of the Food Network’s Iron Chef Showdown and top toque at the Auburn, Alabama, restaurant Acre, Bancroft fills his feed with plenty of shots of cooking, fishing, and hunting.
Michael W. Twitty
Michael W. Twitty melds his love of Southern food with his interest in Southern history on Instagram. The culinary historian is a favorite of G&G deputy editor David Mezz, who says his feed “comes together in a very personal and honest way.”
Beth Kirby
Tennessee native Beth Kirby’s photography defines her self-created hashtag, #theartofslowliving—a call to take your time, live beautifully, and travel as much as you can.
Tim Lampe
Instagram can often become monotonous—just one long scroll of similar images. If you follow Atlanta art director Tim Lampe, however, that will no longer be the case. Trust us on this one.
Osayi Endolyn
A James Beard Award–winning writer for and deputy editor of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s Gravy, Endolyn shares images from her travels and meals across the South and beyond—it’s clear she knows the importance of eating local and immersing yourself in a new place.
Beth Branch
The Alabama baker Beth Branch knows cakes, cobblers, cookies, and pieces that pop on an Instagram feed—consider this your one-stop shop for dessert inspiration.
Plus: Tag Along with Garden & Gun
Garden & Gun
Our Instagram showcases the best of the best at Garden & Gun. Plus, make sure to check out our Instagram Stories and IGTV channel for peeks behind the scenes, recipe how-tos, and a lot of adorable #gooddogs.
Garden & Gun Club
Earlier this year, we opened the doors of Atlanta’s Garden & Gun Club. If you’re on the fence about choosing this as your go-to brunch, lunch, or dinner spot when in the area, the delectable imagery you’ll find here will help you make the (right) decision.
G&G Mercantile
Did you know you can shop the pages of your Garden & Gun issue? At @ggmercantileco, our store comes to Instagram life, pairing available merchandise alongside imagery that perfectly captures the G&G lifestyle.
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