This journal brings together Lingzi Kong‘s text-led photography content, including guides, curated collections, and visual travel notes.
Explore the latest posts below, or visit the Gallery and Yearly Albums to browse photos directly.
Editor’s Picks
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A Year-End Temple Morning in Hangzhou: A Quiet Winter Route from Faxi to Lingyin (Without Missing the Highlights)
Read more: A Year-End Temple Morning in Hangzhou: A Quiet Winter Route from Faxi to Lingyin (Without Missing the Highlights) -
Views Over Planes: Aerial Photos from Airplane Windows
Read more: Views Over Planes: Aerial Photos from Airplane Windows -
3 Things That Improve Your Travel Photography Experience (Without Ruining the Trip)
Read more: 3 Things That Improve Your Travel Photography Experience (Without Ruining the Trip) -
Best Skylines in China: 6 City Views Worth Seeing and Photographing
Read more: Best Skylines in China: 6 City Views Worth Seeing and Photographing -
Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms: A Tidal Basin Photo Collection
Read more: Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms: A Tidal Basin Photo Collection -
Beijing Traditions Photo Guide: 6 Photography Locations
Read more: Beijing Traditions Photo Guide: 6 Photography Locations
Browse by Category
Photo
Colletctions
Curated photo series from cities, landscapes, and everyday life—image-led, with light context and mood.
Photo
Guides
Practical photography notes on locations, light, and composition—made for travelers who love to shoot.
Travel
Journal
Personal travel stories with small observations and takeaways—written to remember moments and share meaning.
All Journal Posts
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Phone Photography Tips: 3 Practical Shooting Tips for Better iPhone Photos
In my earlier post, Phone Photography Tips: Why I Love Shooting With My Phone While Traveling, I talked about why phone photography has become such a natural part of how I document places. This post is the more practical follow-up: three simple shooting habits that have improved my iPhone photos…
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3 Non-Technical Things That Improve Your Travel Photography Experience
I’ve already written a more technique-focused post about improving travel photography—covering things like planning, light, and practical shooting habits. This post is intentionally different: even if your camera skills stay the same, your photos can improve a lot when the conditions improve. In my experience, three non-technical factors—fewer crowds, a…
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Nature Meets History: Xiangshan Park, Beijing (Photo Collection)
Xiangshan Park (also known as Fragrant Hills Park) is one of those rare places in Beijing where nature and history sit naturally in the same frame. It’s famous for autumn maple leaves, but it’s also photogenic in other seasons—spring flowers, bright summer greens, and quiet winter light. This photo collection…
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4 Actionable Flower Photography Tips for Better Blossom Photos
Flowers are everywhere—lotus, daisies, cherry blossoms, magnolias—and that’s exactly why they can feel deceptively simple to photograph. The challenge is not just recording something pretty, but making a flower photo feel intentional, clear, and expressive. In this post, I’m sharing four practical flower photography tips that have helped me make…
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Phone Photography Tips: Why I Love Shooting With My Phone While Traveling
If you look through my yearly albums, you may notice that since 2023 I’ve been sharing more and more images shot on my phone. That change wasn’t accidental. For travel, everyday wandering, and quick visual ideas, phone photography has become one of the most practical and creatively freeing ways for…
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Travel Portrait Photography: 3 Practical Tips for Better People Photos
I’ll be honest: portrait photography isn’t the genre I’m most confident in—most of my “people” shots happen when I’m traveling with friends or family, or when I quietly photograph everyday life on the street. But portraits are often the images that hold the strongest memories, because they preserve emotion, energy,…
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Alaska in Winter: Northern Lights & Snowy Landscapes (Photo Collection)
After years in the U.S., I somehow never made it to Alaska—until winter 2024, when I finally stepped into that vast, icy world at the edge of the map. This photo collection brings together some of my favorite moments from the trip: long winter roads, mountains under soft blue light,…
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Find Chinese Traditions in 4 Cities: Beijing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou
China’s traditions aren’t “one thing”—they look different across regions, dynasties, and everyday local life. If you want to feel Chinese history through travel (and photography), visiting multiple cities helps you see how culture takes shape in architecture, rituals, streetscapes, and small details. In this post, I’m sharing four cities—Beijing, Xi’an,…
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Beyond Beijing, Shanghai & Hong Kong: 3 Places to Visit in China for Travel and Photography
China is a massive country—geographically and culturally—so if you’ve already done (or want to skip) the classic “big city trio” of Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, there are many other destinations that feel more textured, more relaxing, and often more rewarding for photography. In this post, I’m sharing three places…