Photo Tip #2: Vacation Travel Photos

Travel and photography are natural friends, and part of the vacation joy is reliving the experience with every photograph we take during our journey. Vacation photos bring memories to life - the travel, the adventure, the misadventure, the food, the weather, the people, the stories and the stories and the stories. A photo that tells one story that leads to another story that leads to another photo that leads to another story that leads to .... you get it.

So here are a few tips to spice up your vacation photo album with pictures that are more than postcard reproductions.

1) Do a little Research If 'travel photography' is an important part of your vacation, do some research about the places you will visit -- any events, when it's crowded (or not crowded), quick side tours, local customs you might need to know about, nearby locations of interest. Go online and see what you what can find.

2) People Photograph people - the locals, other tourists, your travel companions. Add the human touch - like a busy outdoor market or plaza. Be aware - you might encounter unusual and interesting street people who will ask for money in exchange for being photographed. And always be friendly and respectful.

3) Along the Way Think photos as you travel to and from your destinations. Take pictures of your kids asleep in the airport terminal (probably not a good idea these days to photograph strangers at the airport), get a bird's-eye view from the airplane window, blurred-motion from the car window, the bus or the train. Sights along the highway. These can be good transition pictures to tell the story of your travels.

4) Go where most tourists don't go If time permits, break away from the crowd and see what catches your eye. Perhaps a trail that takes you above town for a nice 'cityscape.'

5) Don't be Oblivious to the Obvious Look for details - of daily life, in the architecture, out your hotel window. Shoot small - photograph the 'little things' that tell stories about where you are - items on the beach in the foreground of a sunset, the cat that sleeps in the flower pot outside your inn, interesting flowers that don't grow at home.

6) Food Who doesn't love food? Food, for me, is an important part of the travel experience, whether it's Indian fry bread in New Mexico or grilled octupus on a Greek island. I love beautiful food, and I love to photograph food. And I love to photograph my friends enjoying their food.

7) Don't let inclement weather shut you down If you're caught in a rainstorm on the inside looking out, what a natural, moody photo this could make. Beach fog won't get you much of a tan, but it can make for a peaceful, lovely scene.

8) Self portraits Hold the camera out at arm's length and put yourself and your friends in the scene. It's a fun and different angle compared to the pictures that a stranger takes of you while standing 20 feet away.

9) Shoot the landmarks They're famous for a reason - just use your imagination. Take the postcard shot, then change your framing as you look through the camera: shoot low, shoot from above, fill the frame with a detail, create a scene with your subjects' surroundings, fill it with people (then without people), return to shoot at different times of the day (and night) if possible.

10) Et cetera Pointers that always make for different and interesting pictures: Shoot early in the day and at dusk - it's often beautiful light (quick note here - in low sunlight, watch for your shadow and where it creeps into your frame). Shoot odd angles: the view walking down the stairs; look straight up and tilt the camera a bit; sit on the ground, set the camera on the ground, tilt it up a bit and see what you get (don't look through the viewfinder) - go for the perspective of a small child; hold the camera up high, tilt it down a bit, and see what you get - go for the perspective of Shaquille O'Neal.

P.S. Happy travels, and have fun!