Take Great Vacation Photos

Here's how:

Know your destination and be sure to take some time to do the research before you arrive. Visit the stores that scream "tourist" and check out the postcard rack as well as local tour books and brochures.

Rain or shine - Don't let the weather stop you from taking photos. You'll get some laughter and a few smiles from those rainy day or snow blizzard shots.

Those "Welcome to Florida" highway signs aren't silly at all - take the shot and set the scene. Pictures of the entrance sign to theme parks, the zoo or museum assist you in setting the scene as well. Remember, scrapbooking is all about telling a story.

Know your subject so you know what kind of picture you are trying to take. Is the focus of the shot your husband and son or of Cinderella's castle?

The pictures you take should have a certain continuity to them. All journeys have a beginning, middle and an end. Arrange your pictures in an album so that they are interesting to others and express that timeframe.

Create a travel journal! Journal, journal, journal. You want to provide visual variety but including written detail and expressing your feelings by trying to capture those emotions on paper will help bring life to your album.

Include mementoes. Add postcards, ticket stubs, maps, restaurant napkins, brochures and your itinerary to your albums.

You didn't spend all of that time and money on your trip to simply leave your photos in a shoebox for nobody to enjoy, right? Having a travel album is rewarding and yes, it can be completed. Albums allow you to relive those special moments over and over and over again.

Happy Scrappin'