With summer coming to a close and everyone getting ready to return to school, many people are using these last few weeks to take their vacations. I always love to look back at pictures taken in new places I've gotten the chance to explore, and remember the experiences I had while on vacation. I've put together some tips for anyone like me who loves visiting new places and wants memorable pictures to look back at.

1. Any camera you have is the best camera

This, in my opinion, may be the most important tip. Whatever camera you have on hand is THE best camera. Whether it's your phone's camera, a point-and-shoot camera, or a big DSLR... whatever you have on hand will work to capture your vacation moments. Don't miss out on capturing your experiences because you feel like you need a bigger camera to get better quality pictures. Learn to use what you have handy at the moment to capture beautiful pictures. 

2. Capture the essence of the city

Think of the overall vibe you get from the city you're visiting, then try to capture that. For example, when I visit New York a few words that come to mind when describing Manhattan would be: energetic, diverse, and urban. For Amsterdam, it would be easygoing and bright. I would describe Paris as being ornate, cultural, and romantic. Look for ways to capture the essence of the city in your photographs. While visiting Amsterdam I made sure to capture the beautiful and bright tulips, because they're something Amsterdam is known for and demonstrate the spirit of the city.

3. Capture the big picture AND the little details

While you want to make sure you capture the overall essence of the place you're visiting, be sure to also focus in on the little details that make up a place. Snap photos of the street signs that are unique to the area, the cobblestone streets throughout the city, the bikes that are popular modes of transportation to the city's residents, the little shops where you can stop & grab a fresh-baked snack. Capturing details like this can really transport you back in time long after you've returned home and are flipping through your pictures from your vacation.

4. Take pictures of the different foods you try

One of the details you should definitely remember to capture in your photos is the different foods you try. Visiting foreign places often means tasting foreign foods, so make sure you snap a photo of that time you tried escargot for the first (and maybe last) time! 

5. Capture the people around you

Make sure to not only capture the physical scenery around you, but also the people around you. Capture the people of the area, because the essence of the city often dwells within them. Make sure you have photos of the people you've met while on vacation, because those people can end up playing a big part in your overall experience. Take photos of whoever you're traveling with throughout your experiences, and also encourage them to photograph you! You don't want to look back at your photos and not have a single one of you enjoying your own vacation. 

Bonus tip: Once you've returned from your trip, make sure to print your photos! Get them off of your camera/cell phone/computer and in physical form somewhere. A fun way to keep your photos organized and look back on the memories from your trip is with a photo album. Using websites like Shutterfly, it's fairly easy to design and order an album of your trip photos to put out as a coffee table display. Happy vacationing!