Here’s an award-winning visual storytelling app that takes travelers’ photo essays to the next level.

» Available for: iPhone and iPad

» Cost: Free

» What it does: Select photos from your iPhone or iPad and turn them into a magazinelike photo essay

» What’s hot: It’s quick. It’s beautiful. And unlike most photo apps, it’s not so much a place to store your photos as it is to tell a story. Use the Explore feature and hashtags to discover stories related to travel or a specific destination, such as London or San Francisco. Push the "circle" button to import photos from your phone, Instagram, Dropbox, Flickr and a menu of your images categorized by time lapse, panoramas, recently added, videos and more. Once your images are loaded, edit their sizes and add text at will. It levels the field for both professional travel writers and amateurs: Everyone can look their best.

» What’s not: It’s so visually stunning, and there are so many great videos and photo essays on it, that joining in the fun can be a bit intimidating. I wish it featured more stories from everyday people, or at least some that seemed like it. You might not have the photos you want to start a new story on your iPhone (I didn’t really), but you’ll be inspired to start capturing your travels with an eye that combines photos (epic landscapes, close-ups, shots with people), videos, quotes and more. The stories that had a little of everything were the most impressive.

Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times