Latest news with #travelphotography
CNET
18-07-2025
- CNET
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
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
I May Have Found the Best Travel Camera
CNET's key takeaways Basically, it's Fujifilm's ultra-popular X100VI point-and-shoot camera Leans into the company's film simulation recipes by giving them their own dial for fast, direct access. Expensive, but not overpriced and capable of excellent 40-megapixel images and 6.2K-resolution video. While most people don't need a special camera for travel -- their phone will work just fine -- those of us into photography as a hobby are always on the lookout for cool new gear. To be fair, buying new camera gear could arguably be a separate hobby. There's something compelling, almost romantic, about a compact, highly capable camera that can easily go anywhere and capture amazing images. The Fujifilm X-E5 is definitely that. It's so flexible that it might be one of the best options for a travel camera. Inside is a 40.2-megapixel APS-C sensor with five-axis image stabilization. The retro-stylish body has a variety of manual dials, including overall exposure and shutter speed. The 3-inch screen tilts out from the body to aid in hip-level and above-head shooting. Any X mount lens will work, including a new 23mm f2.8 pancake. But, perhaps best of all, it has fast access to Fuji's famous and surprisingly fun film simulations. Death Valley with the X-E5. Cropped slightly but otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET My experience with the Fujifilm X-E5 The easiest way I can sum up the X-E5 is that it's the innards of the X100VI with a slightly different body. That body adds the ability to swap in any X mount lens, and adds a great film simulation dial for faster access to a specific aesthetic. I'm going to be referring to the X100VI a lot because, like an absolute lunatic, while reviewing one for my point-and-shoot camera guide, I bought one. I already have a camera. Several cameras, in fact, and I fell in love with the X100VI so much that I bought one immediately. Given how often it's sold out and unavailable, it seems I'm not the only person so enamored. Derelicts in the desert. Lightly edited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET So the majority of using the X-E5 was immediately familiar. From the 40.2-megapixel sensor, to the mechanical stabilization, to the clicky dials, flippy screen and highly adjustable interface: It's all extremely close or exactly the same as the X100VI. All it's lacking is the clever optical/electronic hybrid viewfinder. The X-E5 just has an electronic one, though from some rumors I've read, the hybrid viewfinder is one of the reasons Fujifilm can't make the X100VI fast enough, so maybe this is a good thing for availability. There's no integrated neutral density filter either, though that's easy enough to add to whatever lenses you buy. One of the most noticeable differences is right on top, an additional dial to the left of the camera's hot shoe and the exposure and shutter speed dials. This one lets you click through 10 of the built-in film simulations. If you're not familiar, Fuji's film simulations are one of the main things that separates them from other camera companies. These are generally more than a simple filter you "slap on" before posting to Instagram. It changes a variety of image aspects, sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtly, to alter the overall aesthetic of the image. The X-E5 with the XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II zoom lens. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Could you mimic these in Lightroom or Photoshop? Mostly yes, but that's the point: You don't have to. Getting the colors you want, the look you want, direct out of the camera is a massive time saver. Especially if you're one to shoot and immediately share your photos. This absence of editing is one of the main reasons I bought the X100VI. I have hundreds of photos scattered across dozens of hard drives that I've never done anything with because I want them to look perfect, and editing takes time. I can get a result direct from the X100VI that I really like, and I can post it immediately. A flower-shaped flower. Cropped to fit, otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Even better, you're not limited to the 20 simulations Fuji includes with the camera. There's an entire community dedicated to creating and sharing film simulation recipes. Some of the ones I use most were from this community. On my X100VI, it takes a few button presses to find and select the right recipe. Having a dial on the top to quickly scroll through them is fantastic. I wish my camera had that. You can even program other recipes to positions on the dial. Fujifilm sent two lenses with my X-E5 review sample. One was the XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II. This lightweight lens seems like a good day-to-day option. It's reasonably compact for a zoom. I didn't end up using it much due to the other lens they sent: The huge, almost comically oversized on the X-E5 body, XF50mmF1.0 R WR. Sure, it looked ridiculous on the tiny X-E5 body, but wow, what a lens. Razor-sharp focus with incredibly narrow depth of field, gorgeous bokeh, and it lets in so much light that I was able to take photos of the Big Dipper hand-held with just the X-E5's image stabilization offering assistance. The Big Dipper, handheld with the X-E5 and the X mount 50mm f1.0. Contrast adjusted slightly and cropped to fit, otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Announced at the same time as the X-E5 was an equally compact lens. The new XF23mm F2.8 R WR looks like a great companion. It's a slightly wide (35mm equivalent) pancake-style lens that should make the X-E5 a great walking-around camera. But Fujifilm didn't have one available for me to test, but looking at the specs, it seems it would make the X-E5 roughly the same size as my X100VI with a filter on the front. Which is to say, not exactly pocket-friendly, but easily handheld. The specs Sensor Type: X-Trans CMOS Sensor size: APS-C Photo resolution: 6,864x5,152 Video resolution: 6,240x3,510 Image stabilization: Mechanical 5-axis (photo and video), electronic (video) Lens mount: X mount CNET's buying advice The X100VI is TikTok's darling, and it took me all of a day of testing to buy one myself. I adore it. I've had it for months now, including on multiple trips, and every time I use it, I get several photos that I love. More than that, it's just fun. The X-E5 takes most of the fun aspects of the X100VI and adds the greater usability of interchangeable lenses. That seems like a straight-up upgrade, for the most part. A bee that one might refer to as "busy." Cropped to fit, otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Should you get one? Well, let me speak from my perspective. If I were choosing between the X100VI or X-E5 right now, I'd personally still get the X100VI specifically because it's not an interchangeable lens camera. I have a big, full-frame Canon, and one of the main reasons I bought the X100VI was to simplify my photo taking. To rid myself of a bulky camera and lenses when I don't absolutely need that level of gear. I have that flexibility, however. I already have a camera with interchangeable lenses. Dunes at Blue Hour. Slightly adjusted color temp, cropped to fit, otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET If someone didn't have an interchangeable lens camera and was deciding between these two, then the X-E5 is absolutely the choice. I love the creative freedom different lenses offer. I mean, I wish there were an affordable Canon equivalent to Fuji's 50mm f1 lens (Canon's version is $3,000 used). Some of the negative reviews I've seen online about the X100VI often come from people not familiar with the limitations of a fixed-lens camera. If you're not sure why that would make a difference, the X100VI might not be for you. The X-E5 is great for travel or really any situation where you want an easy-to-carry camera that lets you take gorgeous, creative photos with minimal editing. Pair it with that 23mm pancake I mentioned earlier, and you'll be able to get epic photos on any adventure. The list price for just the body is $1,699, but for $200 more, you can get a kit with the 23mm. Sunset. Cropped to fit, otherwise unedited. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET In addition to covering cameras and display tech, Geoff does photo essays about cool museums and other stuff, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, 10,000-mile road trips. Also, check out Budget Travel for Dummies, his travel book and his bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube.
Travel Weekly
02-07-2025
- Travel Weekly
Tripadvisor gets a site refresh for its 25th anniversary
Celebrating its 25th year in business, Tripadvisor has launched a brand refresh that puts travelers' photos front and center. Photography used on Tripadvisor's website, app, ad campaigns and owned channels will all come from users who have uploaded pictures onto the platform, Tripadvisor said. "These authentic, sometimes imperfect images capture the energy and excitement of real travel experiences and help the brand shine a spotlight on a wide array of travelers with different passions and interests," Tripadvisor said in a statement about the refresh. Tripadvisor has also updated Ollie, its owl-shaped logo, which will now be dynamic, with eyes that move and change depending on the content. And Tripadvisor's signature green hue will be a brighter and bolder green, it said. Creative studio Koto partnered with Tripadvisor on the rebranding.
CNET
06-06-2025
- CNET
I've Taken Over 25,000 Photos With My New Leica. These Are My Favorites
Six months ago I bought a Leica Q3 43. Costing me £6,000 (around $8,000), this compact camera has gone with me across Europe, photographing everything from street and travel scenes to speeding cars on frozen lakes and major editorial features. I've really gotten to know the camera, and I love having something that's so high quality but still so easy to carry around. It offers a different, no-nonsense form of shooting that my other cameras don't, and sure, the Leica badge still gives me something of a thrill when I see it. I've taken over 25,000 photos with the camera in my time owning it so far, and I've put together a selection of my favorites here for you to scroll through. Most images are captured as JPEGs, taking advantage of the camera's built-in Chrome color profile, which gives a beautiful look to the colors and contrast.
CNET
29-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
I Pack This Tiny 4K Action Cam No Matter Where I Travel (and It's on Sale Right Now)
As part of my job, I travel frequently and work from many different parts of the world. No matter where I go, I'm always careful to pack a a variety of must-have items, and my Insta360 Go 3S camera is one of them. I like to document my travels in the most convenient manner possible, and this tiny action camera does exactly what I need. Normally, action cams can cost a pretty penny. But right now, the Insta360 Go 3S has dropped from its usual retail price of $400 and is down to $341 when you apply a $59 off coupon on Amazon. That's just a dollar more than its all-time low. The Insta360 Go 3S, released last summer, introduced a minor but significant upgrade to its predecessor by adding 4K video recording -- a first for this ultracompact camera line. I've been using it since its launch, and so far, I've been pleased with the image quality, stabilization and the magnet mounting system. This action cam lets me get POV shots with unmatched ease, far beyond what I can get with my phone. Why I chose the Insta360 Go 3S I carry the Insta360 Go 3S with me for its portability and quality. It's smaller than the GoPro Hero cameras I've used and weighs 3.4 ounces (96.3 grams) with the Action Pod and just 1.38 ounces (39.1 grams) for the camera unit. The design is pretty slick, with a capsule-shaped camera that pops out of its "Action Pod" and can be mounted magnetically to unconventional places like railings, poles, streetlights, etc. This lets me capture myself on the go without needing a tripod. The Go 3S also comes with a pendant-style accessory in the box, which I wasn't entirely sure I would use. But unlike the GoPro Hero 13 Black, this pendant allows me to attach a camera to my chest without needing a chest strap, so I've used it a lot. Prakhar Khanna/CNET Apart from the sharp 4K footage, Insta360's Go 3S can also shoot slow motion at 200fps in 1080p resolution, but I found the 2.7K at 100fps videos to be better in quality. I've also noticed better footage of motion shots than the Go 3, likely because of the higher bit rate of 120Mbps (versus 80Mbps). It obviously shoots the best quality videos in bright daylight with vibrant colors, great dynamic range and better shadows. Insta360's FloState stabilization is pretty good, too -- I've used it while running and riding a bike. The videos were close to GoPro-level stability. Watch this: Insta360 Go 3S Review: We Took the Smallest 4K Action Cam to Big Sky, Montana 05:38 I shoot most of my 4K videos in FreeFrame mode at 30fps so I can edit them later in the aspect ratio I want. It goes up to 50fps in 1080p resolution but I prefer 4K. The app allows me to transfer media, edit videos, add color profiles, add fun effects to my edits and more. The Insta360 Go 3S offers a narrower field of view (16mm versus 11 of 35mm equivalent) than the Go 3 but the difference is barely noticeable. It's slightly narrower. While it can also capture images (JPG as well as DNG), I use my Go 3S to shoot videos. The only downsides of Insta360's camera are nonexpandable storage and average battery life. I recommend you buy the 128GB version instead of the base 64GB, which is double that of the predecessor but might not be enough for everyone. Plus, add a power bank to your backpack to keep it charged at all times. Essential Insta360 Go 3S specs Size (camera): 1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches 1 x 2.1 x 0.9 inches Size (Action Pod): 2.5 x 1.9 x 1.2 inches 2.5 x 1.9 x 1.2 inches Weight (camera): 1.38 ounces (39.1g) 1.38 ounces (39.1g) Weight (Action Pod): 3.4 ounces (96.3g) 3.4 ounces (96.3g) Video resolution: 4K 4K Maximum waterproof depth: 33 feet 33 feet Battery life: 140 minutes (with Action Pod) A standard bundle includes the Insta 360 Go 3S camera, magnet pendant, Easy Clip, Action Pod and pivot stand. Insta360 Yes, there are lots of action-cam alternatives As much as I travel, I appreciate the convenience and portability of the Insta360 Go 3S, and with its current discount, it's a pretty great deal right now. But there are plenty of worthy action cam competitors, depending on your needs and budget. If you're interested in checking out other action cameras from the likes of GoPro, DJI and Akaso, here are CNET's top action cams tested by our expert reviewers. And if you happen to be doing some early shopping for Father's Day or a soon-to-be-graduate in your life, check out our list of the best gifts for dads and the best gifts for grads.
