9 easy tips for improving your vacation photos

5. Plan your outdoor photos for the first and last hour of sunlight.

Midday sun tends to make pictures flat and shapeless. The day’s “golden hours” give objects more shape and definition.

Regardless of the time of day, Cohen recommends using light from the sides of the frame. “For people, look for softer light, more diffuse, even in shade, for more revealing detail,” he says.

For shooting buildings, Stuckey suggests balancing sky light, street lights and lights from within. “At that point, the building is glowing, looking its best,” he says. “Add life to your city shots by putting interesting human activity — children playing, a mime performing, a vendor selling balloons — in the foreground, with the famous building only in the background.”

6. Know when to turn the flash off and when to turn it on.

It’s not always obvious. For example, faces and other objects in shadows cast by a bright sun may need that extra light.

“Many people figure if they’re outside they don’t need the flash,” says Baltimore photographer Walter Rowe, editor of the Travel Photographers Network website. “Flash can help lighten up those areas so they don’t appear so dark.”

At night, not using the flash in favor of natural light might be the best way to capture an image. But for a longer exposure, the camera will need to be steady to avoid blur caused by movement.

Use the camera’s timer to avoid the downward movement that comes with pressing the shutter button, advises Rowe. Steady yourself against a wall or another stationary object. Try placing the camera on a flat surface, even a drinking glass turned upside down.

7. Check the edges of the frame as you compose a shot.

Train yourself to look for objects you don’t want in the picture. At the beach it might be a trash can; in the city it might be an orange construction barrier. Then reframe accordingly.

“Most people tend to shoot from wherever they’re standing and not think about eliminating unwanted information from the edge of the picture,” Cohen says. “You have to learn to really see all the details as well as the piece you’re interested in.”

When using a digital camera, review all the elements once again after taking the picture. If a post or a tree is sticking out of someone’s head, reshoot. “Maybe you can move yourself a little bit,” Rowe says, “or move the person a little bit.”

8. Buy the largest memory card you can afford.

And bring extra batteries or the battery charger and an adapter, if needed. “Don’t be afraid to take a lot of pictures,” Dharapak says. Walsh adds, “You’ve already paid for those megapixels, so use them.”

On a long trip, look for a photo store that can download your pictures to a disk you can pack or even mail back home. You risk losing all your photos if you drop your camera in a river or if it’s misplaced or stolen.

9. Digital cameras don’t make you a better photographer, but they do allow for more chances to get it right.

Like my picture of a sailboat catching wind in Sydney Harbour. Taking a dozen shots from the side of a ferry, I managed to freeze the boat at just the right angle in the water and with the sun outlining the clouds.

A frame, not a shoe box, for that one.