Want Better Vacation Photos? This Is the Camera Gear You Need
I've been a professional photographer for well over a decade and have traveled the world taking photos in all conditions. Here, I'll take you through the essential gear you need to bring with you on your trip, from the best travel camera, to the bags and accessories you'll need. I'll also recommend some handy extras to consider if you want to return home with creative pieces of art, rather than just holiday snaps.
Read more: Take Pro Travel Photos This Summer With These Easy Tips
Choose the right camera
While you're unlikely going to buy an entirely new camera system just for an upcoming trip, if you're in the market already for a new camera then an imminent vacation is a great excuse to invest. Traveling with a camera used to mean hauling a big, heavy DSLR in your backpack everywhere you go, but mercifully modern mirrorless cameras are typically much smaller and lighter, making them superb for traveling. I took just my Canon R5 and a small, lightweight 50mm f1.8 lens on a three-week trip to Sicily and loved the shots I got from this compact setup.
The R5 doesn't come cheap, nor is it the smallest camera around, but it offers stunning image quality from its full-frame sensor, amazing video skills and has pro features like in-body image stabilization that meant I didn't need to also drag a tripod with me. Want something a bit smaller? Look towards a micro four thirds camera like the Fujifilm X-S10 or the superb fixed-lens X100VI. Check out my guide to the best cameras if you want inspiration on which model to go for.
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Keeping your lens choices to a minimum will help reduce the weight. A standard zoom lens like a 24-70mm gives a great range for capturing wide, sweeping vistas, while providing enough zoom to get closer up on your subjects. I'd also recommend packing a small prime lens (like the aforementioned 50mm f1.8) as these tend to be lightweight and compact enough to always have in your bag or slung around your shoulder, ready to go whenever inspiration strikes.
More recently I took my new Leica Q3 43 on a photo expedition to Sweden as part of a feature I was doing for CNET. With its fixed 43mm lens, the Q3 was small enough to always have around my neck, ready to capture images as I travelled around Sweden -- including into the Arctic. While just having one focal length may seem limiting, I actually found it to be a great creative challenge, forcing me to think more about my composition, rather than just standing still and zooming in and out.
Read more: Best Camera Phone for 2025
But maybe you don't need a camera at all -- today's top phones can take amazing images and can shoot in raw format allowing for the same sort of editing you'd typically do with images from regular cameras. The iPhone 16 Pro takes gorgeous images -- especially using Apple's ProRaw format -- and its multiple rear lenses give creative shooting options for whatever scene you find yourself in front of.
Having just my Leica Q3 43 on my trip to Sweden kept me nimble and allowed me to always have the camera ready to shoot.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The best travel tripod
A tripod certainly isn't essential for all travel photography, but when the light fades and you need to slow the shutter speed to several seconds to get a good exposure, you'll need one to secure your camera. You'll definitely need a tripod if you want to nail those nighttime shots overlooking a gorgeous bay, capture the stars above those snowcapped mountains, or pull off those artful long exposures of waterfalls.
By using a sturdy tripod, I was able to slow the shutter speed right down to capture the motion of the water and clouds over the Forth Bridge.
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Again, size matters and you should look for a compact, travel tripod that can easily fit in your backpack -- or attach to the outside of it. Modern materials like carbon fiber will keep the weight down, but they also tend to be more expensive, so you'll need to decide how much you're willing to shell out.
As its name suggests, the Peak Design travel tripod is a great tripod for traveling, thanks to its small size when folded down and its light weight. I've done all-day hikes with this strapped to my back and barely noticed its presence -- something I can't say for most tripods. Make sure to check out my full roundup of the best tripods you can buy. Or, if weight is really an issue, you can even try using your own DIY tripod.
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A proper adventure backpack
A dedicated photo bag should be high on your list. After all, you don't want your fancy new gear getting knocked around and breaking, do you? A good bag will have compartments to keep your camera safe and secure, but will also let you access it quickly. It's important, too, to find one that also has plenty of space to keep other items you'll need while out and about.
If you're going to be out with it all day, I recommend a backpack with two shoulder straps, rather than a single-strap messenger bag. It'll spread that weight over both your shoulders and keep you comfortable for longer. Look for things like side-access zips, so you can quickly get your camera out when inspiration strikes; plenty of additional pockets for batteries and snacks; weather-resistant materials; and mounting points to help carry your tripod.
I've done a lot of the hard work for you in rounding up my top photography backpacks. There are options for all kinds of photography, from short city breaks to multiday hikes with lots of gear. Have a read through that list, and make sure that what you're taking is suitable for where you're going.
Always keeping your camera handy means you're ever ready to shoot when you see a good opportunity.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
The important extras
The list above is really the essential stuff you'll need to take with you. How much more you bring will depend on how seriously you take your photography and the sort of images you hope to take. Those of you going on wildlife safaris, for example, will benefit from packing a big telephoto zoom lens. Always consider having multiple spare batteries and a charger, as even the best cameras will tend to give you only a day of photos -- or much less if you shoot a lot of video. There's nothing worse than getting to a beautiful afternoon destination only to find you exhausted your power in the morning. Keeping at least a couple of spares in your bag will let you swap it out and keep on shooting into the night.
Read more: Best Accessories for Photographers
The same goes for storage. It's easy to take hundreds of raw images a day in a beautiful location and all those shots can quickly fill up your card. Thankfully, SD cards are pretty cheap these days, so it's worth buying a few 64GB or 128GB cards to keep with you.
Then there's the wide array of photographic filters that may help you get creative. A circular polarizer can be used to help make blue skies more vivid, or reduce the reflection on water, while a neutral density filter darkens the image, allowing you to use long exposures to blur the motion of water, cars or people. I love PolarPro's Everyday and Gold Mist 135 filters which add a haze to your images giving a softer, filmic vibe to shots.
By using a neutral density filter, I was able to blur the motion of the water until it became a smooth and silky surface.
Andrew Lanxon/CNET
If you want to shoot video on your travels, you may need additional equipment, such as microphones, higher-capacity, faster storage cards and perhaps even video tripods or gimbals for smoother, professional-looking footage. Check out my guide to the best accessories for video production if you're keen to shoot pro-level videos on your travels.
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12 hours ago
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Want to Take Your Best-Ever Vacation Photos? My Pro Tips Will Level Up Your Game
Whether you're taking a big family vacation or planning a peaceful weekend away, you'll find great things to point your camera at while traveling. You don't have to be a professional photographer to capture all of the memorable experiences you'll encounter on your trip: Today's cameras make it incredibly easy to take great images. But simply pointing your camera towards a nice view and pressing the shutter button isn't necessarily going to see you coming home with award-worthy travel photos. Taking photos that you'll want to print for your wall or put in a photo book takes more understanding, but with just a bit of effort you'll be able to turn your everyday vacation snaps into stunning pieces of travel photography. In the first part of my two-part travel photography guide, I take you through the kit you should consider taking with you, whether it's a great phone like the iPhone 16 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or a dedicated camera like the Canon EOS R5 or quirky Hasselblad 907X. Read more: Best Camera to Buy in 2025 Now I'm going to take you through the tips I keep in mind as a professional photographer while traveling the globe. By knowing how to quickly operate my camera I was able to capture the fleeting golden light of this sunset in Scotland. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Get to know your kit Learning how to operate your camera will not only help you get better, more creative shots, but will help you snap those shots faster, as you won't have to fiddle around with settings each time. Some of the most exciting travel shots can come and go in a split second, so whether you're capturing the running of the bulls in Pamplona or wanting to snag the last of a beautiful sunset's light over Tuscany, you'll need to learn to shoot quickly. Learning how to use manual controls will allow you to get creative with slow shutter speeds. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Spend time with your camera in manual mode before you go away. Learn how to change shutter speed, aperture, ISO speeds and white balance and experiment with what happens to your images when you change these settings. A good camera will be able to capture some great shots in auto mode, but when you want to get more creative, you'll need to take control. Shoot in raw If your camera has it (and almost all cameras and even most phones do), shoot in raw format. Yes, it creates bigger files, but memory cards are so cheap now that it's worth carrying an extra few 64GB cards with you. Raw shooting allows you to change white balance after your shot and capture more details in the very bright and very dark areas, letting you tone down any blown-out skies or lighten some shadows in Photoshop. Read more: Best Camera Phone of 2025 Although it's always best to get the shot right when you first take it, raw processing gives you much more flexibility to rescue a shot that's not quite right. Local events can provide a wealth of photography opportunities, such as this sea-swimming competition in the Italian town of Vernazza. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Do your research Search for your location on Google and visit travel websites to find out more about where you're going. Not only will that help you make the most of your trip, you may find out about local events or particularly photogenic locations you may otherwise have missed. You might also find out about photography restrictions that may land you in hot water -- as a general rule anywhere, avoid photographing government buildings, and if you're unsure, ask permission. Shooting in raw allows you to fine tune settings like white balance after you've taken the shot. Andrew Hoyle/CNET Search for your destination on Instagram or on photography websites such as Flickr and 500px for inspiration on what to see. It's handy to get an idea of the shots other people have taken -- either to replicate them yourself or to avoid taking the same generic shot the internet has seen hundreds of times before. Composition is key Good composition will make or break a photo, and unlike white balance or color tone, poor composition can't be fixed in post processing. The morning light bouncing off that rustic church won't count for much if you've accidentally chopped off the spire in your hurry to take the shot. By finding a higher viewpoint, I was able to better capture the beautiful towers, spires -- and the castle -- on a stunning winter evening in Edinburgh. Andrew Lanxon/CNET A generic shot of a popular spot can be transformed into an unusual and creative artwork simply by changing your angle. Take a moment to look at the scene before you shoot and don't be afraid to move around to get the best angles. Struggling with a beach scene? Walk farther down the coast to find boats, nets or rocks that might add foreground interest. Shooting in the city? Get up a tall building for dramatic urban cityscapes. Even just kneeling down and shooting from below can make a difference. This view overlooking the beach in Barcelona is fine, but adding in the detail of this person in the denim shirt and hat really brought the scene together. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Find the details that matter Capturing a beautiful, wide view of the stunning European city you're visiting is great for a nice print to hang on your wall, but it's those smaller details that really tell the story of your trip. Maybe it's the food market you visited, a weather-worn old door, a vintage scooter or a shop sign that hasn't been repainted in years. All of these small elements will not only help capture the essence of the location you're visiting but also help bring back more memories for you when you look at them as each image will tell such a strong story. It's up to you to decide what those small details might be to look out for, but my advice is to always have your camera ready to shoot so when you see something that speaks to you -- a stack of lobster pots in a harbor, perhaps -- you're ready to take your shot. Amazing things can happen in the dark. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Don't be afraid of the dark Just because the sun has gone down, it doesn't mean your photography needs to stop. It's a great time to get creative with slow shutter shots. Long exposures blur motion, turning regular car headlights on a city street into creative, abstract light trails, streaking through the darkness. Use a narrow aperture -- around f/12 -- and a long exposure to turn points of light into gorgeous starbursts. You'll need to secure your camera firmly in place -- with a tripod -- and if you're playing with exposures longer than a few seconds, you'll need to be careful about the breeze or people walking by adding any vibrations. If you want to do long exposures in the daytime, you'll need a dark neutral density filter, such as the Big Stopper by Lee Filters, to let you take minute-long exposures in the middle of the day. If you're shooting on a modern camera -- especially with a larger, full frame sensor -- then you can also likely increase your ISO speed above 3,200 without seeing too much degradation from image noise. Coupled with a wider aperture of f/2.8 or more, you may have more luck shooting handheld scenes in low light. If this is a priority for you, cameras that also offer in-body image stabilization (like the Canon EOS R5) should be on your list; this stabilization lets you use slower shutter speeds without needing a tripod. By visiting this busy Saturday morning market in the French town of La Rochelle, I was able to capture this street photo that packs in great elements including the flowers on the barrel, the man dipping his hat, the people having a conversation and a woman peering out from inside the building. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Be a people person It's often the people you meet as much as the places you see that makes traveling and exploring so interesting. People make fantastic subjects to photograph, whether they're wandering the streets, relaxing or hard at work. Naturally, not everybody will want to be photographed so, out of politeness if nothing else, it's a good idea to ask the person's permission beforehand if you're trying to take a portrait of someone. It'll help if you do your research and learn a few key phrases of the local language to not only ask permission, but be able to understand the response. If they say no, it's important to respect that. Otherwise, heading to busy areas like local markets will allow you to take more street-style photographs with candid moments of people going about their day. Again, it's still important to respect peoples' space here and keep in mind that some countries may have laws around this type of photography, so research is crucial if you don't want to land yourself in hot water. I loved capturing this moment on a trip to the Scottish seaside, and I think it really helps tell the story of the sort of community you'd find there. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Set your alarm The middle of the day may be the nicest time to wander around Tuscan streets, grab a hot chocolate on the mountainside or order a third cocktail on the beach, but the midday sun doesn't usually offer the best light for dramatic photographs. It's the early morning light, casting its long, golden shadows that will really make a place look its most beautiful. Setting your alarm for sunrise on holiday may seem like the worst thing in the world, but it's worth trying -- even just once -- to see what sort of shots you get. Scout out locations beforehand to make sure you don't waste the precious early hours trying to find somewhere to shoot. The other benefit is that you'll likely be out and about in your location long before other tourists get up and start flooding the streets. With the area to yourself, you can find photo opportunities that you simply couldn't take advantage of at busier times of day. By coming back to this tower later in the day, I was able to catch the sunset in the background. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Revisit the scene When you stumble upon a particularly picturesque scene, don't just visit it just the once. While a bay may look delightful in the daytime, it will look different again at night, with all the lights of nearby buildings stretching out across the water. If you know a great spot, do your best to come back to it to find out when it looks best. Sometimes a punchy black and white edit can really add to the drama of a scene. Andrew Lanxon/CNET Play with processing Although you should always try to get the best shot you can when you first take it, some well-placed post processing can turn a good photo into a great one. If you're shooting raw files, you'll need to process them anyway, so it's worth trying out a few of the sliders in Adobe Lightroom while you're at it. With your raw files, the first thing you'll need to do is correct the white balance. Have a play with the color temperature slider and see what tone suits best. Summer evening shots will benefit from a warmer color tone, while chilly February city streets might look best with something a bit cooler. Toning down the highlights can help keep a bright sky under control, while lifting the shadows will help make darker areas more visible, without affecting too much of the rest of the scene. It's important not to go overboard on this, as it can make your images look a little unnatural. From that point on, have a play with your editor of choice and see what you like. There's no one right way to edit your shots -- no matter what anybody says -- it's all about what you prefer. A high contrast black and white edit makes this image from a London tube station really stand out. Andrew LanxonCNET Do your own thing Sure, rules such as "take the lens cap off before shooting" should always be followed, but never be afraid to try an unusual angle, play with your settings or experiment with new editing techniques in Lightroom. If everybody always followed the exact same format, everybody's photography would look the same. Use these rules as guidelines and play with angles, settings and editing as much as you want to find what works for you.
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
I Took My Leica On a Trip to the Arctic. Here Are My Pro Tips for a Photography Adventure
Earlier this year, I traveled to Sweden to research, write and photograph a feature for CNET on why electric cars are great for winter driving. It was a huge undertaking, requiring me to travel around multiple parts of Sweden and venture north into the frozen Arctic Circle. As both a journalist and a professional photographer, it was my job to not just tell the story with my words, but to capture it on camera. That meant traveling with precisely the right equipment and knowing exactly how to use it to get the shots I'd need. From the camera gear I took with me to the difficulties of shooting on location to the thought process behind my shots, here's how I captured my story on camera. The camera gear I used Because I'd be traveling around Sweden, hopping on and off trains and planes and jumping in and out of taxis, I knew I needed to keep my setup lightweight. I didn't want to be burdened with a heavy backpack full of camera bodies and a myriad of lenses and accessories. Instead, I took just one camera: my new Leica Q3 43. Shooting stills on the frozen lake. Volvo I bought this camera for myself late last year. It combines a high-resolution, full-frame image sensor with a fixed focal length of 43mm. I love this focal length because it provides a great balance between a wide-angle view and a zoomed-in look. I often shoot on 35mm or 50mm prime lenses, so a 43mm lens that's permanently affixed to the camera is a great sweet spot for me. The result is that I had just one camera and lens to carry, keeping my pack-load down and eliminating any distracting questions in my head about which focal length to use. Instead, it encouraged me to work harder to find the best compositions. I brought a spare battery, along with a power bank to top up the camera over USB-C if I needed to (which I didn't). The only addition to my setup was a PolarPro 135 Gold Mist filter. This provides a gentle golden haze over the images that softens the sometimes harsh details of high-resolution shots and provides a slightly filmlike aesthetic that I absolutely love, and I kept this filter on the camera almost the entire time. To help protect my camera, I used a leather Oberwerth half case, which also provided extra grip -- helped too by a PolarPro thumb grip on the back. The half case also has a hidden pocket for an Apple AirTag, giving me a degree of extra peace of mind should my camera be misplaced. So that it was always ready to shoot, I often carried the camera around my neck using a Bowman Leather camera strap. Needless to say, for a $7,000 camera, I had my own photographic insurance for it, in case anything unlucky happened. When the gear wasn't in use, I carried the camera, accessories and other bits and bobs in my Wandrd Prvke backpack, which provides a secure storage section for my camera equipment, along with an expandable roll top for my jacket, hat, gloves or anything else I need to take with me. Video equipment Andrew Lanxon/CNET I also needed to shoot video on this trip, both for the CNET video that would run alongside my article, and to capture content for my personal photography YouTube channel. To help keep the weight down, I decided to buy a DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo. This tiny, gimbal-stabilized camera captures great-looking, smooth footage and was the perfect partner for my busy schedule. I used it for capturing B-roll inside Volvo's headquarters in Gothenburg; for filming cars as they slid around on a frozen lake; and for capturing my photographic walking tours of Stockholm on one of my days off (seen embedded above). Sure, maybe the footage wasn't as cinematic as I'd normally try to achieve from my usual Canon R5, but it looked more than good enough and the DJI setup was far easier to carry around with me than a full-size mirrorless camera and lenses. Arctic photography The first destination on my trip was Volvo's HQ, where I was shown various areas used for the testing of its electric vehicles. Places like this aren't always easy to shoot. The main issue is that Volvo, understandably, isn't keen on showing off all its engineering secrets, so many areas I visited were off-limits for photography. Other spots where photos could be taken were maybe not that illustrative for my story, so it was important to work with Volvo -- as I do with any company -- to find compromises that both sides are happy with. That wasn't a problem, and I'm especially pleased with some of my imagery taken inside the company's battery testing area, which was a key subject of my written piece. As a journalist and photographer, my aim is always to rely on my own images when I'm visiting an area like this. It adds to the authenticity of the story, showing CNET's readers that I've actually been somewhere and seen something firsthand. This wouldn't be the case if I simply used images provided by the company. Things got more dramatic as I joined Volvo in the frozen north of Sweden. My trip first took me up to the Arctic Circle, to the city of Kiruna, where I not only saw inside Volvo's Arctic testing facility, but was also given the opportunity to ride a snowmobile at night across frozen lakes and through snowbound forests. Taking this image of the aurora borealis required a tripod and a slow shutter speed. Andrew Lanxon/CNET It was amazing, especially when we stopped and got a brief glimpse of the northern lights overhead. I set my camera up on my Peak Design Travel Tripod, framed my image using the snowmobiles as foreground interest and used a three-second shutter speed and ISO of 800 to capture enough light. I'm pleased with the image I was able to get. Watch this: I Drove an EV This Winter in Sweden to Prove It Could Be Done. 04:18 Frantic photos on a frozen lake We then traveled a little more south, to the city of Lulea, where we were handed the keys to Volvo's all-electric EX90 and given a route that would take us across the countryside and to an ice track Volvo had cleared on a frozen lake. I shared the driving with another journalist on this leg of the trip, giving me an opportunity to shoot out of the car window, capturing some details around the area that I felt would add some extra color and scene-setting to my story. On the lake, things were less sedate. I started off doing some of my own driving, going hell-for-leather around the course in the hopes of sending the car sideways around the corners -- and frequently spinning off the track into snow drifts. Great fun. I'd attached my DJI Osmo on a small clamp inside the car to film my efforts from multiple angles, but then it was time for me to do something a bit more dangerous. Capturing a car in motion like this is no easy task Andrew Lanxon/CNET I needed to capture images and footage of the cars driving, and that required a more complicated setup. First, I needed one of Volvo's test drivers to drive the car that would be the subject. I'd then be in a car in front, sitting in the trunk with the tailgate open, allowing me to freely photograph the car as it drove close behind us. When I do this on public roads, I wear a high-vis vest and I'm firmly attached inside the car using a safety harness. We didn't have this on the closed track, so I just had to sit in the back and try not to slide out as we took each corner. At one point I nearly did, but I kept my foot pressed hard against the side to support me, which helped. Was it safe? No, not really, and it's absolutely not something I'd have done on public roads, if nothing else, because it would've been illegal. But it was the only way I was able to get the shots I required of the cars in action. The freezing conditions and high speeds on the track meant that snow and ice billowed around me, covering me -- and the camera -- in snow. Thankfully, my Leica Q3 43 is weather-sealed, so I wasn't worried about any water damage. At the top of this article, you can see me sitting with the remnants of snow on me. Hunched in the open back of the car, I tried hard not to fall out. Volvo I used a slower shutter speed on my camera -- usually around 1/80 of a second -- which slightly blurred the motion of the car's wheels and the ground as it sped past, while hopefully keeping the car in sharp focus. I used burst mode to increase the chances of getting sharp, usable images, but even then I got only about 10 that I was happy with out of the couple of hundred I shot. But that's fine, I needed only a few to illustrate my story. I did another run, this time with my Osmo, to capture video. I did some out of the back and some out of side windows, filming both the subject car behind and some footage of the car we were driving, in order to give our talented video editors more varied footage to work with. After our last lap, the day came to an end, as did my time in Sweden. Editing and advice I shot many of the images on this trip using Leica's built-in Chrome color profile. I adore the colors and tones it provides, especially when paired with the PolarPro Gold Mist filter. But I shot my images in both JPEG and raw, allowing me to also apply my own edits to the raw files if I wanted to. For some shots -- like the ones of the cars in motion on the track -- I used my own edits, while for others I simply used the JPEG with the Chrome profile built in. The Leica's built-in colors allowed for dreamy-looking shots. Andrew Lanxon/CNET I shot many images for my own use on my travels, and the majority of my favorite shots use the built-in colors from the Leica. Don't be afraid to use these profiles, as they can offer you a great creative boost when you're out taking your images. Fujifilm's cameras (like the excellent X100VI) are famed for having a variety of stunning filmlike color profiles built in, so look toward those if you're keen on using in-camera colors. Overall, I'm really pleased with the variety of images I shot for CNET and for myself. It really helped that I kept my equipment load to a minimum, because it allowed me to be nimble and react quickly to moments when I saw them. If you're keen on taking your own travel and documentary photos like this, make sure to check out my full guide to professional travel photography. Editors' note: Travel costs related to parts of this story were covered by the manufacturer, which is common in the auto industry. The judgments and opinions of CNET's staff are our own.
CNET
a day ago
- CNET
How Google Lens Helps Me Explore My Latest Obsession Hobby
I'm always on the lookout for new ways to connect with nature and unwind. I moved to the Gulf Coast of Florida a few months ago and since then, I have been searching for new ways to explore the sandy shores and clear waters of the beautiful beaches near me. Enter my latest passion: shelling. CNET What started as a casual beach activity has blossomed into a full-fledged hobby involving collecting, diving for and identifying the incredible diversity of seashells the ocean offers. I've found and identified hundreds of shells at this point. And the tool that helps fuel this hobby is perhaps unexpected, but it's right in my pocket -- and yours. One of the most exciting tools I've integrated into my shelling adventures is Google Lens, which is Google's AI-powered visual search tool that uses your phone's camera to upload pictures to do additional research. (Apple also has Visual Search and Google offers Circle to Search for Android devices, which function similarly to Lens, but I prefer Lens' ease of use.) Gone are the days of poring over heavy field guides or books on a windy beach, trying to match a tiny shell to a grainy illustration. Now, when I find a shell that sparks my curiosity, I simply snap a picture with my phone and open it in Google Lens. Presto! Answers! Read also: Google Lens Became My Favorite Travel Tool. Here's Why It Changed the Game Google Lens is my digital shelling buddy Lens is quite magical. I simply upload a photo I've taken of a shell (or birds, fishes, clouds and just about anything else I'm curious about), and then it analyzes the image, looking at the shell's shape, color, texture and any distinguishing features. Within seconds, it provides me with a list of visually similar images and often links to websites and databases that identify the species. I love that Google Lens cites sources and links out to them, so I can fact-check the given answers and dive even deeper into my queries. With the links and additional resources, I can learn about the scientific name, common names, habitat and interesting facts about the mollusk that may have once called that shell home. This instant access to information has dramatically deepened my understanding and appreciation for each find. Google Lens analyzes the image, looking at the shell's shape, color, texture and any distinguishing features. Macy Meyer/CNET Why Google Lens is a shelling game-changer Macy Meyer/CNET There are several reasons why I've come to rely on Google Lens so heavily for my shelling hobby: Instant identification: The speed and efficiency means no more waiting until I get home to research my finds. This can help me decide what shells I keep and which I leave. (I leave most of what I find, but more on that later.) The speed and efficiency means no more waiting until I get home to research my finds. This can help me decide what shells I keep and which I leave. (I leave most of what I find, but more on that later.) Accessibility: All I need is my phone, which I usually have with me anyway. All I need is my phone, which I usually have with me anyway. Accuracy (with a caveat): While it's not always 100% perfect, Lens is surprisingly accurate for many common species. For rarer or highly variable shells, it provides a great starting point for further research. While it's not always 100% perfect, Lens is surprisingly accurate for many common species. For rarer or highly variable shells, it provides a great starting point for further research. Learning tool: Beyond just identification, it often links to valuable resources that teach me more about the marine ecosystem, which deepens my appreciation for my home. Beyond just identification, it often links to valuable resources that teach me more about the marine ecosystem, which deepens my appreciation for my home. Inspires further exploration: Sometimes, Lens will identify a shell that I've never seen before, leading me down a rabbit hole of research and inspiring my next shelling expedition to a new location. My responsible shelling practices While my enthusiasm for shelling runs deep, my respect for the ocean and its inhabitants runs even deeper. It's crucial to practice this hobby responsibly to ensure the health of our marine ecosystems. Macy Meyer/CNET Here's how I ensure my shelling is always respectful and eco-friendly, and how you can too if you decide to start shelling as a hobby: Empty shells only: This is the golden rule. Never take live shells. Before picking up a shell, I carefully check for any signs of a living creature inside, including hermit crabs. If there's any doubt, I leave it be. Live mollusks are vital parts of the ecosystem. This is the golden rule. Never take live shells. Before picking up a shell, I carefully check for any signs of a living creature inside, including hermit crabs. If there's any doubt, I leave it be. Live mollusks are vital parts of the ecosystem. Leave live creatures undisturbed: If I'm diving and come across a live mollusk, I admire it in its natural habitat but never disturb it or attempt to remove it. Their homes are their protection. If I'm diving and come across a live mollusk, I admire it in its natural habitat but never disturb it or attempt to remove it. Their homes are their protection. Check local regulations: Before I head out, I always research the local regulations regarding shell collecting. Some areas are protected or have limits on what can be collected. Before I head out, I always research the local regulations regarding shell collecting. Some areas are protected or have limits on what can be collected. Leave the majority: I'm not looking to amass a giant collection. I select a few unique or particularly beautiful shells that catch my eye, leaving plenty for others to enjoy and for the natural processes of the beach. I typically end up leaving 90% of the shells I find. Shelling has opened up a whole world of wonder for me as a new Floridian, allowing me to connect with the ocean in a truly unique way. With the help of technology like Google Lens and a strong commitment to responsible practices, it's a hobby that has quickly become my preferred special interest and way to spend my time. Read also: The 6 Google AI and Lens Features I'm Using to Plan My Summer Travel
