Five Pictures to Take While on Vacation
In our digital world, we’re taking more pictures than ever. It’s become so overwhelming that I’ve talked with a lot of people who only take pictures when they are on a vacation or a trip. The most common pictures are the ones that prove we were ‘there’. But what about documenting the effort it took to get away, the reason for the trip, or how your life is different when you are away from home.
Consider taking some of these of pictures to enhance your vacation/trip memories, as well as your photo albums or scrapbooks.
1) Packing: These are fun pictures to show how you and your family prepare for a trip. Is it done the night before your flight and in a frenzy? Consider taking a picture of all the clothes and suitcases on your bed? What are the must-have items for your children?
2) Getting there: How did you arrive at your destination? Automobile, Train
, Airplane? How long did it take? Did your plans go as expected? I have heard so many stories about getting to (or home from) a vacation but we often forget to take those pictures; the face of a tired child or of a frustrated family member. In absence of photos, try jotting down the story once you are home so that the details are remembered.
3) Signs: I love taking pictures of signs! It helps me remember the 
names of places, jogs my memory of where we went, and helps me with my spelling. Typically, I will take pictures of signs of hotels where we stay, signs and/or menus of restaurants where we ate and even some shots of the signs attached to the monument or statue telling its story. I have a friend who has a great collection of photos of interesting and funny street signs she’s encountered in her travels. 
4) Every day stuff: Did you have any R&R (rest & relaxation) on your trip? Were you allowed to sleep in? Did you enjoy coffee or cocktails each day? Documenting your daily vacation life is as important to remembering the places you visited. We take pictures of our house or room before we mess it up with all our stuff as well as early morning pictures of the resort, or our surroundings.
5) Going home – Maybe your clothes will go right into laundry when you get hom
e so you threw it all in, unfolded and messy. At the end of a long day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I saw a child asleep in her stroller. It was the perfect picture to show how I felt.
We use our pictures to tell today’s stories – beginning, middle and end. On your next vacation, or trip, remember to tell your ‘whole’ story and include some of the ideas above.
