Tips for taking amazing and memorable photos while traveling

Let's face it. We've all been forced at one time or another to sit through a slideshow of absolutely dull and hackneyed vacation pictures featuring the same old scenes. Tired sunsets, indiscernible landscapes and typical portraits. If you're looking to spruce up your vacation photos and have pictures that people will actually be interested in, here are a few essential tips.

Get different angles of old locations

If you're on a trip, chances are you're going to a highly visited tourist destination. Instead of taking a picture similar to one you could see if you did a quick Google search of the location, approach the site from a new angle or perspective. Think about putting your own stamp on the destination by experimenting with angles and positions. Having fun with a picture will make it more enjoyable to look at.

Insert some scale to get the full impact of a landscape

Millions of pictures of the Grand Canyon don't come close to capturing the full majesty and grandness of the massive canyon because they are usually indistinguishable shots of the distance. To really engage the viewer, you have to portray a landscape in a way that makes sense to someone who has never been there. Use a person in the background to illustrate the size or use the focus of someone in the front to bring around the background.

Use different lenses

Even though it's possible to capture great images with a single lens, using a variety of lenses will allow you to get different angles and perspectives. Try using telephoto or wide-angle lenses on the same shots to see how unique the images can look. They also give you more leeway to take in scenes depending on their size and personality.

Try to capture the culture and happenings in a single image

This one sounds much easier than it actually is, but a great photo embodies the location on multiple levels. Whether you're at a parade or a farmer's market, find one subject that epitomizes the event and use the background to fill in any additional details you want.

Get lost!

Finally, the best vacation pictures are those that are off the beaten path. It's fine to pursue the top tourist destinations for classic photos, but people enjoy seeing things they've never seen like back alleys, bizarre stores and local people doing what they do. These will give you pictures you and your friends will want to see once you get home.

Jack Thompson is a freelancer who loves to travel. Not only does he blog about travel destinations, but he also blogs for a Tucson Bankruptcy Attorney.