2026: Best Phone Photo Tips FOR YOU

All wrapped up and ready to go

Traditionally, we like to kick off each new year with a greatest hits of our favorite phone photo tips. So why should 2026 be any different?

In this edition, instead of theory, I show you the tips in action on the road, from Galveston, Texas, New Orleans, Sicily and Newport, Rhode Island, among others. Plus, I weigh in on my favorite apps and accessories.

Whether you shoot with an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or Google Pixel, these tips will help you treat your phone like a professional camera and get great results.

My How Instagram Has Changed

Remember when we used to post our best photos on Instagram and get immediate reaction to them from our friends and others checking out our “feed?” Well, those days are over, says Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.

“Unless you’re under 25 and use Instagram, you probably think of the app as a feed of square photos,” Moserri said in a post. ‘That feed is dead. People largely stopped sharing personal moments to feed years ago. Stories are alive and well as they provide a less pressurized way to share with your followers, but the primary way people share, even photos and videos, is in DMs.”

Remember that Stories only last for 24 hours, but you can always keep them alive by saving them. But if you really want me to see it—just direct message me!

Overall, the missive from Mosseri was about AI, and how much AI slop is showing up on Instagram. His bottom line: there’s never been a better time to be a creator, because authenticity in a sea of AI will rise to the top.

Survey says

Thanks to everyone for filling out the survey from the last edition. I learned that you want more photo tips and travel stories, and you don’t mind when I dive into personal stories too. Not a negative word was heard, so hopefully I’m doing something right. (You can still weigh in—I’d love to hear from you!)

One thing I did want to address: when I asked where you wanted to see Photowalks go in 2026, some great places we haven’t covered were mentioned, like Death Valley, Austin, Fiji and Vancouver, (yes to all!) but there were also requests for Palm Springs, Santa Fe and Taos, three of our favorite places.

No need to wait around for those! We’ve been there and explored.

P.S. is our third most viewed travel video, followed by Santa Fe in 4th place and Taos at no. 15. The videos are live on YouTube.

Where we are headed in the near future: New York City, Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah, St Augustine, Sedona and….

Next stop: Las Vegas

I’m off Sunday (for the umpteenth time) to see robots, incredible TVs and AI everywhere at the CES Show, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I’ll be covering the show for Scripps News under my guise as its Travel and Tech Contributor.

Wish me luck.

The first person who can raise their hand and tell me where I’ll be having dinner—at my favorite restaurant in the world, which happens to be in Las Vegas, gets a free personal photo tip from me.

Our Next Giveaway is a HUGE One

How does $1,250 worth of Giveaway sound? That’s the price tag for five weeks of Photowalks giveaways which we’ll be kicking off for the new year. Stay tuned and check out next weekend’s newsletter for all the details. Hint: there’s a semiquincentennial angle to it.

Happy New Year everyone!

Jeff