Photography, like all art, is pretty subjective. But one genre of photography that many people can identify closely with is nature photography. These include any photos of the natural world around us, and can often feature wide, sweeping landscapes. These types of images are great for desktop or phone backgrounds, or even for slideshows and videos. Here are 40+ free and high-quality nature backgrounds you can download now! Let us know your favorite.
Let’s start high with some storm clouds. Clouds are dynamic and have a unique way of capturing color. A good cloud picture works great as a background. And this one in particular is moody and dramatic!Moving on to something brighter, here we have an unreal-looking waterfall with a rainbow. The long exposure of the water makes everything in this image silky smooth. This is a great nature background that is sure to light up your day!This stark rock background has a unique viewpoint – up! This nature background is impressive enough to turn heads, but doesn’t stand out enough to distract you from working. This would be right at home as a preset wallpaper on a Mac or Windows computer.Let’s zoom out a bit! This image of the Dolomite mountains in Italy has a lot going on, from sprawling farmland, to lush forest, to rocky mountains. Yet it’s not too busy to be a great background. The colors and scenery give off a nice sense of calm.If you’re looking for something a little darker and simpler, this image of the northern lights is your ideal background! With really only two colors, this would make a great background for a computer setup or presentation that needed to be color-coordinated.This nature background features a herd of buffalo at a watering hole in Africa. This serene photograph is great when you need a little touch of the creatures that interact with the scenic nature images on this list.This dramatic double rainbow in a storm is a striking image that is sure to look great as a background. This is one of those images that just looks unreal!No matter the season, you may be dreaming of calm winter weather. This background hints at snowy days. The silky-smooth waterfalls and overall blue tones give off a sense of relaxation and make you wish you had a steaming cup of hot chocolate!Perhaps second only to the golden hour, the blue hour can look amazing in photography. This background uses the contrast between orange and blue to draw the eye right to it.This nature background looks like something out of a fantasy world. But with some powerful photography techniques, stars can appear in the sunset sky over this rural scene.Iceland is a beautiful country for nature photography, and the amazing waterfalls are one of many great subjects. This background clearly highlights the subject, while leaving plenty of small details when you want to get lost in the photo.If winter is really on your mind, then this is the background for you! Everything is covered in snow, and a crystal-clear body of water reflects the trees. It’s an idyllic and relaxing winter image like no other.Mountains, sunsets, and fields all make for great backgrounds. This stunning photo has all of the above!This stark snow-dusted mountain is contrasted by a green hill and small iceberg. It will make for a great background as long as you don’t put too many icons or words on top of it!Sometimes you just want to get moody and go for a black and white image. These mirrored mountains are a good minimalist nature background and don’t distract from anything else on your screen.This mountain range inspires feelings of adventure and discovery! Just the feeling you want when you log in to your device at the start of the day.If purple is your thing, this sunset background is perfect. There isn’t much going on, as the main focus is the colors, so this image goes great on anything.Some photos are great at giving a sense of scale. The way the sun shines through on the fields, but not the mountain above, does this expertly. If you use this one as a background, it’s bound to turn heads.Moody and warm, this mountain background is solely focused on the peaks and clouds. If you use this as a background, you’re sure to keep focused on the task at hand.This image of a rice paddy in the early morning gives off comforting vibes. The deep greens and spatterings of tropical plants are relaxing and vibrant.If you’re craving a nature walk on a sunny day, this nature background is perfect. The path guides your eye down the center, and will make you feel like you’re hiking.This one is a bit stark and dry compared to other images on this list, but it still has plenty of personality. The orange of the ground and blue of the sky contrast nicely, and the simplicity of the trees make this a fine background for any situation.Stars are always a hit! Photography like this is impressive and otherworldly. If you live in the city, you probably don’t see this often, so using this image as a background will remind you of what life is like without light pollution.The problem with nature backgrounds can be how busy they are for some uses. This image of desert dunes doesn’t have that issue! It’s simple but still incredibly stunning.While many of these images have been taken from way back, not every nature background has to be a wide-open landscape. This close-up image of bright yellow flowers in the spring invites feelings of happiness and positivity!This photo embodies ideas of springtime. This is a bright background with refreshing greens and purples, and looks like a breath of fresh air!When summer calls, nothing compares to the ocean. The colors of this nature background make the whole image feel nostalgic for a simpler time.Autumn in certain parts of the world can present warm and comforting images. This one features a thick blanket of orange topped with trees that drip with yellow leaves. The sun shining through makes it still feel warm. Winter is coming in this picture, but it’s still far enough away.This photo seems to be from a late stage of fall, with many of the leaves fallen and dried up. But the low angle and subdued colors give a sense of comfort in this forest of tall trees.Winter is leaving and spring is coming to the Swiss Alps in this background. The budding yellow flowers contrast nicely with the white-capped mountains in the distance.This lush forest scene features ivy-covered trees and stumps. It makes for a warm and comforting background for anyone who likes hiking in the woods.The colors in this image make it a great background! The autumn leaves are vibrant reds and yellows, which are nicely positioned next to a deep blue river. This looks like a relaxing place to spend an afternoon.Let’s get creepy! This barren and foggy forest is a nature background made for October. Who knows what could be lurking in the deep, dark woods!Bright and sunny winter days are a special kind of day, and that is expertly captured in this photograph. While most winter photography is full of snow, this photo manages to show a crisp and clear day, resulting in a refreshing background.This nature background features a bit of civilization in it. We see a small Swiss village tucked between soaring mountains. The scenery here is truly impressive.This relaxing nature background shows off some man-made stone stacks. If you use this as a background then hopefully some of the relaxation transfers to you.If mountain hiking is a passion of yours, then this photo of a man standing over an expansive valley of rolling hills will be a perfect background for you!This is another simple nature background that will look great in any scenario. This orange sunset could be anywhere in the world, with the hills in the foreground masked in shade.Mountains make such great subjects for photography. This desert scene feels dry and warm, and may conjure up memories of road trips through expanses of countryside.Another stunning image of stars and galaxies above a forest! These are always impressive and make for a great background that fills you with wonder whenever you see it.With white snow and frozen blue water, this winter image is cool and calming, while still being an interesting and dramatic background.The sun sets over interesting rock formations on the ocean shore. This event is captured with dark rocks reflected in the ocean waters.The sun sets over the ocean as the tide comes in, and creates the perfect summer background! The clouds in this nature scene really sell it.If you’re feeling a bit tropical or dreaming of summer vacations, then this photo looking up at palm trees is perfect. Its simplicity works great for a background.Let’s end this list with a bit of an unreal nature background. You won’t see this time-lapsed image with your own eyes, so it’s worth enjoying as an impressive background.
Get Closer to Nature
There are so many beautiful nature backgrounds out there, and this list is just a taste! Take a look at other amazing nature photos and find the perfect image for your phone, tablet, computer, or presentation!
