Could it be that we’re finally able to venture into the wider world again? After two years of lockdowns – and false starts aplenty – travel restrictions are easing the world over, enabling us to explore – and shoot – far-flung exotic locations. Travel pro Steve Davey reckons there’s never been a better time to hone your skills before the tourist hordes are back…
This issue’s apprentice heads to the studio of midwife-turned-mother-and-baby photographer Tianna J-Williams to capture enchanting portraits of expectant mums in a maternity masterclass.
In our interview, we speak with New Zealander Chris McLennan, who tells how he ventured from the South Island to become one of the world’s foremost commercial travel and adventure photographers.
In our Gear section, we review and rate the astonishing Z 28-75mm f/2.8, put eight super-telephoto zooms through their paces in our Big Test, and try five polarizing filters for super-saturated landscapes.
This issue’s projects include mastering Exposure Delay mode, capturing action convincingly, using a levelling base for perfect panos, and speeding self-portraits. Plus we’re giving away the superb Color Projects 5, absolutely free, to instantly transform your shots!
(Image credit: Future)
N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine is a monthly magazine that’s written by Nikon enthusiasts for Nikon enthusiasts, you can be sure that all the content is 100% relevant to you! So for the best Nikon-focused news, reviews, projects and a whole lot more, subscribe to N-Photo today – with our unmissable subs deal!
So rush down to your newsagent today. Or ever better, why not subscribe with this fantastic dealto a print edition, and have the magazine delivered to your door every month?
Alternatively, we have a number of different digital options available, including:
With summer vacations coming soon, travel season will be in full swing and more people will be planning their trips. If that’s you and you’re planning to drive or fly to your destination, use Google Maps and Google Flights for help.
Here’s why: Google Flights can help you track prices for any dates you plan on flying out. And if you’re heading to a new mall out of town, Google Maps can help you figure out how to steer clear of crowds. If you’re going on a spring break vacation trip and don’t know the airport well, Google Maps can easily help you find some food or coffee there. And if you’re driving separately to your destination, you can use Google Maps to let your friends and family know your whereabouts.
Keep reading and we’ll tell you all the ways Google can help make your vacations go smoothly.
See how much a flight will cost for any date you plan to leave
On May 2, Google announced a new feature that will let you find the best deal on flights heading to your destination. Now you can start tracking prices to find deals for any date, and Google will send you an email if it detects lower than typical prices in the next three to six months.
Just head to Google Flights on your browser and type in your destination. If you don’t have a specific date in mind for traveling, select Any dates to find the best deal.
Navigate through airports, malls and transit stations
If you need to quickly find a store in a large mall, Google Maps is expanding its Directory tab for all airports, malls and transit stations. This can help when you’re running around the airport trying to find a place to eat or grabbing a last-minute souvenir before catching your flight. The tab will tell you a destination’s business hours and what floor it’s on. You can look through restaurants, stores, lounges and parking lots.
Google Maps can tell you how busy a restaurant is.
Angela Lang/CNET
Browse Google Maps to see how busy a place is
Google added a new feature to its Google Maps’ busyness tool. Already you could search for a location, like a business, to see a chart that showed how crowded it is in real time. Now a new feature called Area Busyness lets you see when entire map areas are clogged with people.
To use the new feature, you open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone (or your computer’s browser) and move around the map to find a general area, say downtown, a riverwalk or a quaint nearby town. The busyness information will now automatically appear on the map, so you don’t need to specifically search for a place to see how crowded it is. Google Maps may say something like “Busy Area” and when you click for more details, it could say, for example, “As busy as it gets.”
Now playing: Watch this:
Google Maps Immersive View Reveals Building Interiors
1:25
Track your trip itinerary in Google Maps
Google Maps can chart your travels, but it can also quickly show you your flight, hotel, car rental and restaurant reservations, saving you the hassle of searching through your email for check-in times and confirmation numbers.
To see your upcoming reservations:
1. In Google Maps, tap Saved in the bottom menu row.
2. Tap Reservations. Here, you’ll see a list of upcoming reservations you’ve made that Maps has pulled from emails in Gmail.
3. Select an item to see more about the reservation, including date and location.
4.You can also search for “my reservations” in the Google Maps search box to see a list of what you’ve booked.
Make a restaurant reservation right in Google Maps
Planning a dinner night out with a large group can be a hassle, especially when you go at a busy hour. Google Maps can help you book a lunch or dinner reservation. Here’s how.
1. In Maps, tap the Restaurants button at the top of the map to see a list of places to eat.
2. Select a restaurant that looks good, and in the window that pops up, reserve a table or join a waitlist, if it gives you that option (not all do).
Remember you can use the busyness feature mentioned above to pick the least packed place. Also, note that some restaurants that are closed to dine-in may still allow delivery, curbside pickup or outdoor seating.
Let friends and family know when you’ll arrive by sharing your location.
Angela Lang/CNET
Use Google Maps offline
Heading someplace remote where you may not have a mobile network connection? Google Maps can still give you directions when you’re offline.
1.Before you head out, search in Maps for the location where you’ll want directions.
2.In the location’s window, pull up the menu at the bottom.
3.Scroll right through the tabs and tap Download, and then in the next window tap Download again. Maps will download a map to your phone for the area you selected.
Now, as you use Google Maps for directions in the area you downloaded a map for, when you lose your cellular connection Maps will switch to the offline map to guide you. Note that because you’re offline, Maps won’t be able to offer real-time traffic info.
Find EV charging spots and gas stations wherever you are
If you’re taking your electric vehicle out for shopping, dinner or a vacation, Google Maps can help you find EV charging stations on your route, along with estimated wait times for a charging port. You can also filter your search by connector type — such as J1772, CCS (Combo 1 or 2)and Tesla — to see just the stations that are compatible with your EV. Note you can also search for gas stations by following these same directions. (Here’s how you can save money at the pump.)
1. In Maps, scroll through the tabs on the top of the screen and tap More.
2.Scroll down to the Services section and select Electric vehicle charging.
3. Maps will display nearby charging stations and how many are available.
4.Tap a charging station on the map to have Maps add it as a stop on your trip.
You can also use this trick to search for other places along your route, like a coffee shop.
Share your location through Google Maps
Is anything more frustrating during a group activity than when the group gets split up and no one can find each other? Google Maps can help bring you all back together.
1.In Google Maps, tap your profile icon in the top right corner and tap Location sharing.
2.Tap Share location and select who you want to share your location with and for how long you want to share it.
3.Tap Share, and Google Maps will send your location to everyone you’ve selected.
4. If you want to see someone else’s location, tap that person’s icon at the top of the window and then tap Request.
If, after all this, you’d rather stay home during summer break, here are the best new TV shows to watch across all the streaming services.
Rajesh said: “Queueing since 4:30 this morning for getting through Manchester airport security.
“Manchester airport what a nightmare.”
Another passenger ‘Tim’ tweeted a photo of a lengthy queue outside and said: “What the hell?”
Ernesto Tripodi tweeted: “And the worst airport award goes to Stansted airport. Two and a half hours to go through passport control, terribly long queues and I wonder if this is safe at all other than unbearable.”
DON’T MISS
Birmingham Airport said the queues were due to staffing issues with almost half of its staff made redundant during Covid.
The airport has reportedly launched a recruitment drive and is aiming to recruit more security officers.
Manchester Airport has also launched a recruitment campaign to attract new staff to aid the airport.
Staffing issues have hit the UK travel industry widely with many facing huge problems ahead of the summer season.
Britons have also been urged to check their passports as today is the last day to make the ten-week deadline for renewal.
British tourists will need to get their applications in today if they want to make trips in the first week of school holidays.
Since Brexit, a British tourist must have three months left on their passport after the end date of their holiday in the EU.
It is illegal to travel without the correct documentation and experts fear as many as four million Britons could be affected.
Being with them is all kinds of magical, Sagittarius. Your time together feels like the kind of adventure you cannot always put into words. So, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know where they end and you begin. What the cards are warning you against is getting entangled in their emotions. Ask yourself how you can hold space for them to talk about their trauma without making it your sole mission to heal/fix them. We get it, Aries! It’s been a long and lonely road with one heartbreak after another. Should that stop from believing in the impossible or trusting that the love you desire and deserve is just around the corner? Open your heart *and* your mind, beautiful. Virgo, this week you want to say ‘yes’ more than you say ‘no’, especially if the opportunity to travel spontaneously arises. You never know who you might meet whilst exploring the unexplored. Something tells us a holiday romance is on the cards for you right now—the kind that promises to reignite your lust for life!
You’re waking up with a spring in your step and a song in your heart. This is what it feels like to be bitten by the love bug, Taurus. Just make sure they’re on the same page about the future of this relationship as you are. Given that you are feeling *this* creative today, it’s a good idea to direct your energy towards artistic pursuits. Spend time at the drawing board, beautiful. Even better, experiment with movement therapy or sign up for a dance class.
Cosmic tip: You’re waking up with a song in your heart.
Being with them feels like an adventure of sorts, Gemini—there’s always more to discover; more layers to uncover—and that’s what keeps the mystery alive for you. Just make sure you’re allowing yourself to be just as vulnerable when you’re together. The mantra you want to adopt this week: less head, more heart. Single Twins, you are being reminded that now is a good time to say yes more than you say no. Don’t let your preconceived notions keep you from discovering what you can co-create with the other(s).
Cosmic tip: Here’s to love that promises to stand the test of time.
You want it all, Cancer: the house with pool, the vacation homes, half-a-dozen dogs + children of your own. You know exactly who you want to live the dream with too. Just make sure they’re on the same page as you are about the future of this relationship, beautiful. Having an open and honest conversation about your expectations is highly recommended right now.
Given that we’re in the shadow of Mercury retrograde, communication issues could crop up unexpectedly. You’ll either find yourself overreacting when you’re triggered or sliding things under the carpet. But, you don’t need us to tell you that these are unhealthy coping mechanisms, Leo. So, flip the switch. Think of every difference as an opportunity to grow. Share how you feel about the given subject, whilst being open to what the other(s) has to say. This is the only way to grow in love, beautiful.
Cosmic tip: Differences are an opportunity to grow.
What you want to do this week: say ‘yes’ more than you say ‘no’, especially if the opportunity to travel spontaneously arises. You never know who you might meet whilst exploring the unexplored. That’s right, Virgo! A holiday romance is on the cards for you right now—the kind that promises to reignite your lust for life. Couples who’ve been feeling like they’re in a rut are being encouraged to book their tickets too. Sometimes, you need a little bit of that mountain breeze to remind you that you are where you need to be and that everything is perfect in your world.
You’re stuck in your head, Libra. Instead of looking for reasons to say yes, you’re perpetually saying no. Remember, you can’t manifest the romance you desire and deserve by sulking in your boudoir and complaining about how other people have it good. You just have to open your heart and put yourself out there despite the risks this entails. The Universe has got your back and will provide you with the exact circumstances required for your growth.
Cosmic tip: What if you chose to open your heart instead?
But, it doesn’t have to be chaotic, Scorpio. A separation does not always have to wreak havoc. This is your cue to stop operating from the old paradigms, and do right by yourself and your partner. So, honour your time spent together in your own special way as you bid adieu to them for the final time. What the cards want you to remember is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you are making your way to a space of wholeness again.
Cosmic tip: There is a way to end things amicably.
You’re stuck in your head, Libra. Instead of looking for reasons to say yes, you’re perpetually saying no. Remember, you can’t manifest the romance you desire and deserve by sulking in your boudoir and complaining about how other people have it good. You just have to open your heart and put yourself out there despite the risks this entails. The Universe has got your back and will provide you with the exact circumstances required for your growth.
Cosmic tip: What if you chose to open your heart instead?
Being with them is all kinds of magical, Sagittarius. Your time together feels like the kind of adventure you cannot always put into words. So, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know where they end and you begin. What the cards are warning you against is getting entangled in their emotions. Ask yourself how you can hold space for them to talk about their trauma without making it your sole mission to heal/fix them. Everybody is on a journey of their own, beautiful. Everybody is gifted with the divine intelligence required to navigate the trials and tribulations synonymous with the physical plane of existence.
Cosmic tip: Understand where you end and others begin.
When you’ve experienced one heartbreak after another, it’s easy to feel like it’s you against the world. But, this is not true in your case, Capricorn. Beware of the need to isolate yourself or add to your trauma. What you want to do instead is trust that you have the divine protection you need + the support of your tribe members. So, tell them how you want to be loved at this time and what they can do to make your journey easier.
Cosmic tip: Open yourself to the help and support you require.
Everything is energy, Aquarius. Every thought, word and intention we put out there creates a ripple of change across the multiverse. This brings us to the question: what are the seeds you are planting today? Know that it’s safe for you to open your heart again. Know that it’s safe for you to call in the love you desire..
Cosmic tip: It’s safe for you to love again, beautiful.
Don’t put yourself in neat little boxes, Pisces. You are so much more than you allow yourself to believe you are. What the cards want you to remember this week is that you are in the process of self-discovery and that you are just getting started. In the realm of love and romance, you’re being guided to take things slow. Revel in the process of getting to know them. You have a lifetime ahead of you to figure out what ‘the future’ will look like!
Cosmic tip: Be in the here and now, beautiful.
Enjoyed reading this article? To receive more articles like this, sign up for the Vogue Newsletter
The AA has advised motorists to avoid travelling on Good Friday if possible, saying motorists would be better off leaving today or early on Saturday morning.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “All our polling suggests that Good Friday will be the busiest getaway day for Easter trips and staycations. If some drivers can leave on Thursday or early Saturday, they may miss some of the jams.”
The motoring organisation also estimated that, with higher fuel prices, a 500-mile round trip will see drivers paying £20 more at the pumps than they did last Easter.
Some 27.6 million car journeys are expected to take place over the Bank Holiday weekend, the motoring organisation has forecast.
This isn’t a fantastical kind of love, Sagittarius. This is the real deal. The kind where you see each other’s flaws and choose to love each other despite their presence. There’s something magical about acceptance that allows us to let down our walls. Gemini, what you’re experiencing right now is a classic case of ‘life has other plans’. So, make love to the winds of change. Take a bold step in the direction you’re being guided to. Just think about where you will be in six months if you choose to befriend courage today. Aquarius, to say that modern relationships are complex would be an understatement. But, where do you think these complexities are arising from? Could lack of communication be the reason so many of us are getting it wrong? Today, no matter how vulnerable this makes you feel, open your heart. You’ll find freedom in speaking the truth about where you are and what you are seeking right now.
Redirection is not the same as rejection. Read that again, Aries. Keep reading it until you realise that the Universe is *not* unleashing its wrath upon you. It’s simply protecting you from chasing what is no longer in alignment with your soul. Today, it’s a good idea to get a front row seat to the drama and watch what is coming undone. Trust that the upcoming new moon on the 1st will bring with itself clarity on what it is that you are meant to work towards.
But, it doesn’t have to be a conflict, Taurus. Don’t let your negative beliefs get the better of you. Analyse what you need in order to feel safe here and ask for it unapologetically. Remember, it all starts from the inside. When you affirm that you’re worthy—when you start to believe that you deserve the best—no force in the world can keep you from receiving your share of blessings.
Cosmic tip: Have the courage to ask for what you need.
What you’re experiencing right now is a classic case of ‘life has other plans’. That’s right, Gemini! Life has other plans for you and they’re bigger and better than what you’ve imagined for yourself. So, make love to the winds of change. Take a bold step in the direction you’re being guided to. Just think about where you will be in six months if you choose to befriend courage today.
“Travelling: it leaves you speechless. Then turns you into a storyteller.” This quote by Ibn Battuta echoes your state of mind to perfection, Cancer. You’re in the mood to indulge your inner explorer and make a list of all the places you want to visit in the coming year. For those who’ve been away from their loved ones, now is the perfect time to travel halfway across the world and spend quality time together.
The journey of awakening comes with its own twists and turns. When you first start ‘doing the work’, you’re made to confront your shadows. To look at the deepest, darkest, most frightening parts of you. Once you’ve cleansed and purged, however, you make space for light to enter. You no longer feel like you’re swimming upstream or that you need to come up for air over and over. *This* is the good part, Leo. A time in your life when you will successfully be able to turn your pain into power.
Cosmic tip: This is a story of turning pain to power.
Truth tea, Virgo: what transpired is by no means pleasant. Yet, it unfolded exactly how it was supposed to. Think of this as a wake-up call. A wake-up call that’s helping you understand what no longer serves you on a soul level. Today, you’re being guided to recognise their role as a catalyst in your journey as you vow to practise forgiveness. Yes, you will be filled with rage on certain days and tears on some others. Remembering that healing is seldom a linear process will help you get through it all.
Today, you’re holding space for it, the naivety and the wisdom. You’re embracing both the artist and the poet. You’re making room for the mystic and the hopeless romantic. It’s a gift, Libra, to wake up with stars in your eyes. To look at the world through rose-tinted glasses even though you’ve been let down a 100 times.
Cosmic tip: Oh, to wake up with stars in your eyes!
The truth is, the signs have been all around you, Scorpio. They’ve been around you for a while now. It’s time for you to take action. It’s time for you to cut the cords wherever necessary. If self-preservation requires you to take drastic measures, so be it. On the work front, you’re being asked to think strategically. To do what’s right for you and the organisation. Letting your emotions mess with course of action will *not* serve you well at this time.
Cosmic tip: If self-preservation requires you to take drastic measures, so be it.
This isn’t a fantastical kind of love, Sagittarius. This is the real deal. The kind where you see each other’s flaws and choose to love each other despite their presence. There’s something magical about acceptance that allows us to let down our walls. But, it’s not just your amour that’s captured your attention today. Your friends, your family members and your colleagues are just as important. So, build conscious connections. Reach out to your inner circle in a way that feels authentic.
The trouble is, we get too caught up in our duties and responsibilities. In trying to play the many roles that are expected of us, we forget to honour our true essence. Could this be true in your case too? Today, you’re being asked to let go of the burden of expectations and reconnect with your inherent playfulness. So, play board games with the family. Curl with your furry friends in the balcony. Face-time with your best friend from halfway across the world. Watch a movie never fails to put a smile on your face. Remember, being happy means that you’re on the right track.
Cosmic tip: Reconnect with your inherent playfulness.
To say that modern relationships are complex would be an understatement. But, where do you think these complexities are arising from? Could lack of communication be the reason so many of us are getting it wrong? Today, no matter how vulnerable this makes you feel, open your heart. Speak the truth about where you are and what you are seeking right now. Coming as you are will put you on the path to freedom.
Uh-oh! The signs have been all around you, Pisces. They’ve been around you for a while now. You can’t blame your circumstances for what’s going wrong here. What the cards are reminding you today is that you have a choice. You have a choice as to whether you want to prioritise yourself or invest in yet another half-love.
Cosmic tip: Will you choose yourself this time around?
Enjoyed reading this article? To receive more articles like this, sign up for the Vogue Newsletter
The pandemic may have changed the way we travel, but during my most recent visit to Los Cabos, I found an experience that reflects a comfortable “new normal,” with safety-minded protocols that still allow for an enjoyable vacation.
I also learned some valuable insider travel tips about how to avoid long lines at the airport, thanks to a couple of savvy transfer drivers.
ADVERTISING
Trending Now
For my latest trip, I arrived in Los Cabos on a delayed flight from Dallas/Fort Worth and was pleasantly surprised to breeze through immigration and customs with no lines whatsoever. It was only about 7 p.m., and I was shocked at how quickly I found myself outside the terminal.
My super-fast arrival processing at Los Cabos International Airport is not an uncommon experience, according to the driver who picked me up, for those travelers who follow his valuable Los Cabos travel tip: “Always try to arrive early in the morning or in the evening,” he advised. “There are hardly any lines at those times of day.”
On the Ground in Los Cabos
I was visiting Los Cabos to check out a newly branded hotel: Corazon Cabo Resort & Spa, a stylish property on the delightfully swimmable Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas. My stay also gave me an opportunity to see how pandemic protocols have evolved around the region.
Infinity Pool in Los Cabos (Photo via LatinFlyer.com)
Upon arrival at the hotel, the bellhop dutifully offered me hand sanitizer and took my temperature.
Following Baja California Sur’s statewide mandate, a mask or face covering must still be worn when interacting with others who are not members of your household in public or private spaces, except when eating, drinking, swimming or doing some other activities. As usual, I didn’t find the requirement constraining, since guests at a beach resort usually spend much of their time outdoors.
I found similar protocols in place off the hotel property; during breakfast at a beachfront restaurant called The Office, for example, we sat without masks but donned them when walking through the restaurant; staff wore masks at all times and they took our temperatures and offered hand gel when we arrived.
During a scenic yacht cruise, I found the experience to be as comfortable and hygiene-conscious as when I visited last year; crew wore masks and offered hand sanitizer as we boarded, but once we were sitting on deck and enjoying the beautiful Pacific coast breezes, we were able to take off our masks (I had to explain to a confused crewmember that I was keeping mine on to serve as an extra layer of sun protection, but that’s a separate story about how to travel with sensitive skin).
Cruise ship docked off a beach in Los Cabos (Photo via LatinFlyer.com)
Leaving Los Cabos
To comply with the U.S. testing requirements for my return flight, I made an appointment for an antigen test the day before my departure, at Corazon Cabo’s own testing facility. I received results within four hours via email (those who aren’t staying at a hotel with onsite testing can make use of any of a variety of labs around Los Cabos; there’s at least one right at the marina).
After uploading my lab results via the Delta Air Lines app, I received fast approval on the evening before my departure. (Interestingly, I was able to check in and get a boarding pass before submitting the test form, but I think that was a technical glitch.)
The following morning, I was surprised by a very nice touch on the part of the Corazon Cabo staff: the receptionist presented me with a printed copy of my test results when I checked out (it’s never a bad idea to have a hard copy, just in case).
On the way to the airport, I learned yet another valuable travel tip, from yet another driver. It happened after I commented about the long wait to pay at a highway toll booth. “It always takes longer to drive to the airport on Saturdays,” he said. “That’s the day when most timeshare travelers arrive and depart, so the airport is packed. You should always avoid traveling on Saturdays if you can.”
Upon entering terminal two, I saw that he was right about the crowds. Terminal 2 was, indeed, packed. But I was happy to find that there was very little wait for the automated check-in kiosk, and the security area was so well staffed that the line was constantly in motion and didn’t take long at all.
The biggest wait, I found, was in the departure area — specifically, at the food and beverage outlets. Los Cabos International Airport is in the midst of an impressive, $13 million expansion plan, so the terminal itself has plenty of space. But if you want to buy food on a Saturday, you should probably allow extra time.
I chose my lunch solely based on which vendor had the shortest line, waiting about 15 minutes for kung pao and orange chicken from Panda Express. Since the food court was so crowded, I shared a table with two friendly strangers. One woman, a former American Airlines employee and regular visitor to Los Cabos, confirmed that Saturdays are always the busiest days at the airport.
“So why do you travel on Saturday?” I asked.
“Because I have a timeshare,” she responded. “We don’t have much of a choice.”
