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CNET
6 days ago
- 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.
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Travel + Leisure
16-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I'm a Professional Photographer and These Are My Safari Photo Secrets
I learned my first lesson about safari photography the hard way. There I was, at a small airstrip in Botswana, buying an extra plane ticket for my camera bag. I'd neglected to consider the strict luggage weight restrictions on most bush planes, and I was over the limit. (It was lucky that the plane could accommodate the extra bag at all.) By the end of the trip, I hadn't touched the wide-angle lens I packed; the tripod in my bag was unused. Over 10 days, I also got a real-world education in camera settings, working in dusty conditions, and with the very real threat of running out of space on my memory cards. And to think that I had already been doing this for a living for several years. Since that fateful first trip, I've gone on several other, more successful safaris—during which I've honed the following strategies for maximizing my time in the field. Zebras in Botswana's Makgadikgadi Pans. While I'm careful about overpacking, one thing I won't compromise on is traveling with two camera bodies. I carry two Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras, an Alpha 7R III and an Alpha 7R V. I fit each one with a different lens so I don't have to swap lenses in the middle of whatever action I'm trying to capture. I typically use a 24-70 mm for wider shots of the landscape, animal herds, and creatures that come close, and a 200-600 mm super telephoto for tighter shots. I also bring along a 70-200 mm, just in case. When it comes to rare sightings—a cheetah feasting on a fresh kill, a hyena, a sable antelope—you might only have a split second to capture the moment. 'Too often, guests arrive in Africa with brand-new camera equipment they have never used,' says Shaun Stanley, the founder of Stanley Safaris. 'Practice prior to your arrival and consider investing in a photography course.' I always carry Zeiss lens wipes, microfiber cleaning cloths, and a rocket air blaster for removing dust without the risk of scratches. My lenses are also fitted with UV filters, which protect them from scratches and harsh sunshine. For sharp images, stability is key—but a traditional tripod is cumbersome inside the confines of a safari vehicle. I've learned to love the Kinesis SafariSack, a beanbag-style pouch you can rest on the side of a Land Rover or over a seat. 'Many lodges and camps have them, but you can never be certain, so I always bring my own,' says Ian Proctor, a member of the T+L A-List and president of Ultimate Africa Safaris. 'I pack it empty and then ask the lodge for some beans to fill it when I arrive.' I've gotten the dreaded 'SD card full' message many times, and it always seems to happen when I'm capturing some thrilling moment. 'It is not out of the norm to shoot upwards of a thousand images per day,' says Julian Harrison, another A-List advisor and the CEO of Premier Tours. Many lodges stock extra memory cards, but I've yet to find a solid camera shop in the bush—and you don't want to run short of space mid-game drive. Every safari is different, but I tend to rely on a few common settings. To capture fast-moving wildlife, I use quick shutter speeds, typically 1/1000 or faster. Burst mode, which takes a series of rapid-fire shots, is also essential. Fast shutter speeds often call for higher ISO settings, but too much sensitivity can create 'noise,' so I try to stay at 1600 or lower. When taking close-up or zoomed-in photos, I always focus on the animal's eyes, using an f-stop between f/2.8 and f/6.3 to give a shallow depth of field that makes for a beautiful blurred background. Whether your equipment cost $2,000 or $20,000, you'll want to protect that investment: camera-specific plans from Lemonade, Progressive, and State Farm cover your gear almost anywhere in the world. Some homeowner's policies also include coverage. 'If you're serious about photography, I suggest paying extra for a private safari vehicle,' Stanley says. 'That way you can bring all your equipment without imposing on other guests.' With their plentiful game and spectacular scenery, big-name national parks are famous for a reason—but also draw larger crowds. 'Photographers should seek out private concessions, where no more than three vehicles can gather around a particular animal sighting,' Stanley says. These also tend to have fewer restrictions on access, meaning you can arrive before sunrise or stay out after sunset to capture wildlife in the dreamy light of dawn or dusk. I'm certainly guilty of spending too much time behind the lens, so I've made a point of, every now and then, simply putting down my camera and soaking it all in. A version of this story first appeared in the July 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Animal Magic.'
