\u201cIt happened by accident,\u201d she begins. \u201cI was living in Bath in the UK \u2013 a lovely city,\u00a0but very touristic \u2013 and the pandemic meant I was lucky enough to photograph the city when it was empty.\u201d
\u201cI started to post things online, people liked it and it evolved from there,\u201d she describes. \u201cAs things opened again and I began travelling and sharing more photography, I started getting jobs. It\u2019s strange to say that it\u2019s thanks to the pandemic but it gave me the opportunity to see the city I was so used to in a different way.\u201d
Now, Alicia travels the world providing her photography services to hotels and tourist boards alongside creating content for her travel blog, The Chaos Diaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_02.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
Developing a style<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A self-taught photographer, Alicia\u2019s imaging expertise grew with every job she did. \u201cAt first, I focused on doing what I thought other people would like. When you go to a travel destination, there are always the classic photo spots and I found myself getting drawn into just doing those,\u201d Alicia admits. Alicia now strives to get thoroughly acquainted with locations before looking for new ways of representing them. \u201cIf I\u2019m visiting a famous place, I\u2019ll show off different sides of it including the smaller moments,\u201d she explains. Creating using an X Series camera, Alicia is a staunch advocate of Fujifilm\u2019s in-camera Film Simulation modes. \u201cSince I got a Fujifilm camera, I\u2019ve always used them \u2013 especially custom FS RECIPE,\u201d she enthuses. \u201cBut then I got to a point where I just wanted one that was suitable for everything. It\u2019s a hard thing to ask from FS RECIPE but the one I\u2019ve created is exactly that. Every situation I\u2019ve used it in, it\u2019s been great.\u201d Fujifilm challenged Alicia to make a new custom FS RECIPE that would work well for her style of travel photography. Using a base of CLASSIC CHROME, she created Wanderlight, which she has been testing out in Seoul and Jeju Island, South Korea. \u201cFrom there, I like a softer image, which is why I\u2019ve reduced the sharpness and noise reduction. I like warmer tones, too, so I\u2019ve upped the reds, lowered the blues and added some grain.\u201d Alicia\u2019s advice for travel creators trying to find their own unique ways of photographing locations is to simply stop and breathe. \u201cYou\u2019ll often see lots of photographers stood with tripods pointed at the same thing. Let others inspire you, but don\u2019t feel you have to copy them just because it\u2019s what other photographers are doing. The key is not being afraid to turn around and look at something else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n FILM SIMULATION: <\/strong>CLASSIC CHROME Wanderlight: A Custom FS RECIPE from Alicia Cooper Travel photographer Alicia Cooper creates an all-purpose FS RECIPE that encapsulates her unique style For Alicia Cooper, her career in travel photography got underway during the lockdowns of the global pandemic.\u201cIt happened by accident,\u201d she begins. \u201cI was living in Bath in the UK \u2013 a lovely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":341802,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,13917,13607,1055,3211,320,3162,1986,565,13393,13835,3358],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-341792","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-classic-chrome","category-film-simulation","category-lenses","category-x-series-mirrorless","category-products","category-x-mount","category-x-series","category-stories","category-x-t50","category-xf16-55mmf2-8-r-lm-wr-ii","category-zoom"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-02 17:08:22","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/341792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/135"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/341802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=341792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=341792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=341792"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/ko-kr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=341792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\u201cBut the more I travelled and the more photography I did, the more I wanted to express myself. I was becoming a copy-paste of everyone else, and it wasn\u2019t inspiring to me anymore.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s when I started to develop my own style, especially with the colours I like. I now have a more nostalgic, dreamy feel, which isn\u2019t as common in the travel creator space as the glossy, magazine-like images you often see,\u201d she notes.
\u201cIt developed naturally over time, from becoming bored of doing what everyone else was doing and trying to learn how to distinguish myself, to inspiring myself to be different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_03.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
This approach is enabled by her unhurried travel philosophy. \u201cWe try to slow travel as much as we can,\u201d she explains. \u201cWe aim to do at least a month everywhere we stay. I like it this way because we can really connect with each place.\u201d
\u201cWe\u2019re not just ticking off the tourist highlights before moving onto the next place. It also means we don\u2019t burn out from constantly living out of a suitcase \u2013 and even have nights in sometimes!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_04.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
Film Simulations for travel photography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the moment, I\u2019m using the FUJIFILM X-T50, which I love. I\u2019m obsessed with it. I recently got the FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II as well and it\u2019s so sharp. This is the perfect combination because it\u2019s so compact,\u201d Alicia points out. \u201cI\u2019m travelling full time, so I\u2019m super limited in terms of what I can carry around.\u201d
The X-T50 is equipped with all 20 of Fujifilm\u2019s unique Film Simulation modes. By adjusting additional image quality settings, users can then tweak these base simulations to create extremely characterful profiles.
\u201cWhen first looking at custom FS RECIPE, I was more proactive. I would try and load up as many as possible for different situations and go for the best-suited one,\u201d Alicia recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_05.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
\u201cI have a couple of other all-rounders. As someone in the travel space, that\u2019s important\u00a0\u2013\u00a0I\u2019m going from big cities like Seoul to hiking up a volcano. It\u2019s helpful to have options that look good in every situation.\u201d
\u201cHelping to create a body of work with a coherent look and feel is another advantage, she explains. \u201cIt\u2019s important to me that I can view my photos and they look distinctively mine in terms of style. That comes from how I like to frame my photos but also from having the colours synchronised across my work \u2013 it builds a strong portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_06.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
Wanderlight: custom FS RECIPE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m a fan of images having a nostalgic vibe in terms of colouring; I like it to be a bit filmic and cinematic,\u201d Alicia remarks. \u201cI love warm tones, and making something that someone can look at and potentially associate with an emotion.\u201c
\u201cMy focus was to make something that feels right for my editing style. I wanted a dreamy look,\u201d she adds.
\u201cFor me, CLASSIC CHROME is a good base for that because it gives you contrast. It looks quite documentary-like \u2013 almost like old film slides.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_07.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
A multi-purpose FS RECIPE, Wanderlight is designed to give excellent performance across the diverse locations in which a traveler may find themselves.
\u201cI was aiming to build a FS RECIPE that looks good in almost every situation,\u201d Alicia explains. \u201cI love how it looks in natural environments\u00a0\u2013 especially how the greens come out in this FS RECIPE. If you\u2019re going out travelling,\u00a0whether in a city or the mountains, it\u2019s going to be an excellent one to have in your deck. But for me, it\u2019s especially strong for nature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_08.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
Take it in<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re in a famous photo spot, you often look around at other people making photos and they\u2019ve really zoned in on one aspect,\u201d she describes.
\u201cJust pause for a moment. You\u2019re not in a rush. Just look around and don\u2019t feel you need to get a million photos of a place. Spend more time observing. That\u2019s the way I\u2019ve found different angles of even very famous photo spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/UK_Alicia-Cooper_Stories_09.jpg?width=682&height=1024\")
Wanderlight <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
MONOCHROMATIC COLOR: <\/strong>N\/A
GRAIN EFFECT: <\/strong>WEAK, SMALL
COLOR CHROME EFFECT: <\/strong>STRONG
COLOR CHROME FX BLUE:<\/strong> STRONG
SMOOTH SKIN EFFECT: <\/strong>OFF
WHITE BALANCE: <\/strong>AUTO, +3 RED, -6 BLUE
DYNAMIC RANGE<\/strong>: AUTO
D RANGE PRIORITY:<\/strong> OFF
TONE CURVE: <\/strong>H -2, S -0.5
COLOR: <\/strong>+4
SHARPNESS:<\/strong> -2
HIGH ISO NR:<\/strong> -3
CLARITY: <\/strong>0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"