Greensboro's Downtown Greenway loops about four miles around the center of the city, with public art, bridges and plenty of spots to stop for a photo. A long walk like that is the perfect excuse to leave the heavy camera bag at home. Here's a light kit that fits in a jacket.
Start with what you already carry
Your phone is a capable camera. What it lacks is a steady hand and a way to get you in the frame. A compact selfie stick that opens into a tripod solves both, and the Bluetooth remote means no more asking strangers to take the group shot.
Add a tiny tripod
A tabletop tripod doubles as a hand grip for smoother video. Set it on a bench or a wall for long exposures at dusk, when the city lights come on and the sky turns blue.
When you want more zoom
A point-and-shoot with long optical zoom gets you close to sculpture details, birds along the creek or a friend across the street without losing quality the way digital zoom does. Pack the spare battery: cold weather drains batteries faster.
Make prints on the spot
An instant-print camera turns a walk into a scrapbook. Kids especially love handing out prints, and there's no screen to argue over.
Be a good trail neighbor
Keep to the right, step off the path to set up a tripod and keep your phone on a lanyard or in a pocket when crossing streets. North Carolina law bans texting while driving, so if you drive to the trailhead, set up your playlist and directions before you go.