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Vacation photos shot on a phone

Ditch the bulky DSLR for a more mobile vacation

James Martin
James Martin is the Managing Editor of Photography at CNET. His photos capture technology's impact on society - from the widening wealth gap in San Francisco, to the European refugee crisis and Rwanda's efforts to improve health care. From the technology pioneers of Google and Facebook, photographing Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai, to the most groundbreaking launches at Apple and NASA, his is a dream job for any documentary photography and journalist with a love for technology. Exhibited widely, syndicated and reprinted thousands of times over the years, James follows the people and places behind the technology changing our world, bringing their stories and ideas to life.
James Martin
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1 of 16 James Martin/CNET

The 2X zoom on the iPhone X allows me to move close enough to this seagull for a nice wildlife shot, freezing the motion of the bird and capturing the details of the rocks in the foreground and the ocean waves.

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2 of 16 James Martin/CNET

Color and detail of the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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3 of 16 James Martin/CNET

A sunset landscape in Monterey, California, captures varied tones and both highlight and shadow detail.

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4 of 16 James Martin/CNET

Flowers shot in Portrait Mode on iPhone X make a nice still life with rich color and texture.

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5 of 16 James Martin/CNET

The 2X zoom on the iPhone X allows me to move close enough to this seagull for a nice wildlife shot.

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6 of 16 James Martin/CNET

A memory of my Bloody Mary at brunch in Monterey, California.

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7 of 16 James Martin/CNET

The view from Cypress Point along 17 Mile Drive in Monterey.

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8 of 16 James Martin/CNET

iPhone X captures the wispy details of the jellyfish at the Monterey aquarium and a with a wide range of tones.

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9 of 16 James Martin/CNET

A natural landscape still life featuring the Lion's Tail plant against the blues of the Monterey Bay. 

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10 of 16 James Martin

Spectacular colors at the Monterey aquarium with the Pixel 2 XL.

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11 of 16 James Martin/CNET

Pixel 2 XL captures the fine details of my son's hair, the texture of his shirt and the folds of his jeans are remarkable.

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12 of 16 James Martin/CNET

Sunset at Lover's Point Park in Monterey, California.

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13 of 16 James Martin/CNET

The iPhone X camera's auto HDR is able to capture the varied tones, highlights and shadows at the marina in Monterey, California.

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14 of 16 James Martin

The beach near Tulum, Mexico, shot on iPhone X.

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15 of 16 James Martin

I'd be hesitant to take my DSLR out into the ocean on a kayak, but I have no fear taking along a modern water-resistant smartphone like the iPhone X. .

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16 of 16 James Martin

This breakfast crepe was a food highlight from Monterey, shot in Portrait Mode on iPhone X.

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