We are getting ready to go on vacation for Spring Break.
So naturally it is a good time to share pictures from our last vacation, right?
I am such a slacker. Last year we went to Anna Maria Island off the coast of Tampa, FL.
My parents rented a beach house so that my sister and I and all of our kids could enjoy
a week at the beach together. It was AMAZING!! I highly recommend it.
We had so much fun and it was the most relaxing vacation we have been on in a long time!
Along with my pictures, I am going to give you some
hints that have helped me when taking pictures on Vacation.
Number One: Bring a real camera.
Even if it is a cheaper point and shoot.
iPhones are great and they are handy, but the quality is better with a
real camera. Trust me and bring your camera.
Can you get this shot with an iPhone? Maybe someone can, but I can't!
Action shots are hard with phones. So use your real camera.
Makai and Josiah were trying to splash the birds. See the water up in the air??
Number Two: Take pictures!
Bring your camera everywhere and take a lot of pictures.
This is hard to do and you are going to want to "be in the moment".
However, you won't ever regret bringing out your camera and taking pictures.
Be intentional in your photo taking. Take pictures every day and document
your time on vacation. Take pictures of where you went and what you did.
You will forget over time, so take pictures. They don't have to be perfect.
All of mine came straight out of my camera with no editing!!!
The beginning of our trip. DIA.
What is the first thing the kids did when they got to the beach house???
Run down to the beach, of course!
Best Dad/Uncle award goes to.......Chris. He spent hours in the
water wrestling and playing with the kids. He is amazing!
Number Three: Have people in your pictures.
It is nice to have pictures of buildings and such but in the end, the pictures you
are going to treasure are the ones with your loved ones in them.
So if you see a pretty building, put a cute little kid in front
of it and take the picture. You will love that building even more when someone
you love is standing in front of it.
Ringling Brothers Circus Museum
The Aquarium with the grandkids.
Number Four: Take pictures of the details!
It helps to remember them later.
Did you find something tiny and cute on your vacation.
Put it in your hand and take a picture.
You can always delete it later if you don't like it.
This bird hung out about 5 feet from us on the beach.
It must have been a regular thing.
When the guys next to us caught a fish, they just threw it to the bird.
We caught a little crab.
Our first morning there, we found these little frogs out by our pool.
They were so cute. We never saw them again. But it was chilly outside that
morning so they must have loved that.
There were millions of these little shells everywhere. And they were alive.
They had these little creatures inside. It tickled your hand.
Half awesome, half creepy.
It was just before Easter so the kids did an Egg hunt courtesy
of Nana and Bapa. I had totally forgotten that until
I looked through these pictures!
We had fish and chips on the pier and then we went for FroYo.
Number Five: Get in the pictures.
This is a tough one for me as I am always
the dedicated photographer on both sides of the family. This last trip I made it
a point to get in some of the pictures and I am so glad that I did.
So often I feel like I don't exist because I am NEVER in any of the pictures.
So I am trying to get better about handing off my camera or setting
the timer and getting in the picture.
Number Six: Did it make you laugh or smile? Then take a picture!
It will help bring back those fun memories later.
Adah got stung by something on the beach. Let's just say it was just
like the "Friends" episode. I HAD to take a picture.
We buried the kids. It was so fun. #greatparenting
Until Tanner couldn't get out of the hole.
I may have laughed a little. Sorry buddy.
Check out these two and their hair blowing in the breeze on our last day of vacation.
Number Seven: Get different combinations of people.
We often tend to gravitate towards certain family members and therefore
have a million pictures together. But MIX IT UP! Tell Grandma to grab
just one of the kids and take that picture. Those are the cherished ones!
The oldest cousin and the youngest cousin. Holding hands. Awwwww.
Nana and her third grandson.
Adah and Makai had a great time making these drizzle castles.
They were so sad when the tide started coming in and wrecking their creations.
The 9 year olds boogie-boarding.
Or trying to with the help of Chris.
Number Eight: Don't take pictures when people aren't at their best.
If they will find it embarrassing later, then best not to document that.
If you have been out drinking and someone jumps up on the table to dance,
might want to skip that picture. Or is someone really self-conscious of
themselves in a bathing suit? Then skip that picture (or immediately delete it).
Or just take it of their face and not their body. Be nice and try to show them at their best.
You would want the same from someone else, right?
Obviously I don't have any pictures of this! Because it would be embarrassing!
Number Nine: Download the pictures every night to your computer.
Then put them in a file labeled "day one" or "Monday" or "March 15th".
It will help later. It also helps if something goes wrong with your camera or if it is lost.
Then you won't have lost all of the pictures from your trip.
Trust me...it might save you anguish later!
This was taken on Day Six of our trip when we went fishing.
I know that because it was in my Day Six Folder!
Dolphins, right off the back of our boat. Awesome!!!
Jameson was on day 3 of not feeling well so after he snagged a fish,
he laid on the cooler and went to sleep.
Number Ten: Get a Full Family Picture.
This is the one you are going to want as your Facebook Profile picture.
Or your Christmas Card. Make every effort to get one.
Where everyone is looking at the camera and isn't a filthy mess.
You could even find a local photographer and have a session done!
Gotta go. The beach is calling my name.
Where are you going on vacation this year???
Hopefully these little tips will help document your time!
