Get rid of the lockdown blues! The UK home stay order was canceled on March 29th and non-essential retail and hospitality reopened on April 12th. So now is the perfect time to get back out and start shooting – but where are you going?
Sony Mobile and Lonely Planet have teamed up to launch a series of photos highlighting the UK’s 10 least trafficked destinations for 2021 so travelers can escape the world of lockdown and rekindle their sense of wonder and discovery. And you don’t even have to pack all of your camera gear. The pictures on this page were taken with the Sony Xperia 5 II and show how much photo power can be packed in your bag.
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Destinations include the pristine sands of Holkham Beach and the subtropical Tresco Abbey Gardens, which are home to exotic plants and leaves from around the world.
Craigievar Castle – Sony Xperia 5 II (Photo credit: Sony Mobile, Lonely Planet)
Indeed, Britain is rich in breathtaking travel destinations, from ancient castles full of legends to quaint towns full of color. So it’s no surprise that Lonely Planet’s ongoing review of international travel saw a significant increase in the number of people staying there – as well as an increase in interest in travel to remote destinations throughout 2020.
Far too often these lesser-known tourist attractions are forgotten, and staycationers choose the bigger cities to satisfy their wanderlust. Only three in ten Britons say they try to find secluded spots rather than opting for the obvious tourist spots like London and the Lake District.
Perhaps more shocking is that 10% of respondents admitted that they never travel within the UK. With 2021 in full swing and travel restrictions lifted, this photo series provides inspiration to encourage the British to explore their own shores – along with photography, you can easily recreate yourself.
Holkham Beach – Sony Xperia 5 II (Photo credit: Sony Mobile, Lonely Planet)
Top 10 radar targets in the UK
“London has always dominated tourism in the UK, and for good reason, but the whole country is full of historic sites and natural wonders,” said Tom Hall of Lonely Planet.
“The pandemic has made us all stop and re-evaluate our trip. I think now is the perfect time to update this bucket list with some of those under-the-radar places that you may have overlooked in the past. ”
So, according to Lonely Planet, there are the top 10 most remote destinations across the UK:
1) Craigievar Castle, Alford, Scotland
2) Portmeirion, Wales
3) Tresco Abbey Gardens, Isles of Scilly
4) Oundle, Northamptonshire, England
5) Benmore Botanical Gardens, Strath Eachaig, Scotland
6) Snowdon (Snowdon) from the quieter Rhyd Ddu Path, Wales
7) Howtown & Martindale, Cumbria, England
8) Lincolnshire Wolds
9) Holkham Beach, Norfolk, England
10) Marshwood Vale, Dorset
Oundle – Sony Xperia 5 II (Photo credit: Sony Mobile, Lonely Planet)
5 mobile photography tips for Sony Xperia 5 II
These are Scottish photographer Chris Houston’s top tips for aspiring travel photographers using the Sony Xperia 5 II …
1. Use the Photo Pro app to open a whole bunch of additional settings to control the camera in a very similar format to the Sony Alpha and RX cameras.
2. Record in RAW format Produce landscape photos of the highest quality. While the JPEG images produced by the camera are of a high standard, the RAW files offer a much higher quality output to really capture the details while traveling. For even higher quality, try the 4: 3 aspect ratio.
3. Use the different camera lenses and adjust your position for unique shots. The phone has 16mm, 24mm and 70mm lenses. The 24 mm, for example, has the largest sensor and is the most sensitive to light with its f / 1.7 aperture. When using this camera, move closer or farther away from your subject to frame your shot in a unique way. Meanwhile, 16mm is a super wide focal length that’s great for tight spaces when you just can’t get everything into the frame.
4. Use Program mode in the Photo Pro app for further control. This gives you control over the aspect ratio, sensitivity to light (ISO), metering mode, white balance and focusing mode, so you can make the most of the weather Mother Nature offers you.
5. Think outside the box when it comes to composing your recordings. One of the great things about using a phone for photos is its size and handling. Get low on the floor, hold your phone high above your head, or position it in a place you might otherwise not have been able to reach with a standard DSLR or mirrorless camera for a different perspective.
(Photo credit: Sony Mobile, Lonely Planet)
Today’s best deals for Sony Xperia 5 II
The Sony Xperia 5 II costs £ 799 without a SIM card. Customers can take advantage of the Switch-Up trade-in smartphone service and offer them the option of trading their unwanted phones and receiving cash – or doubling the cash value in vouchers that they can purchase for a wide range of Xperia mobile phones Range of Sony products.
With a wide range of accepted cell phones from all major cell phone brands, consumers can swap their unwanted devices for a higher return on investment than other cell phone recycling programs available on the market. Please visit myswitchup.co.uk for more information.
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