The best (and most obvious) travel advice I’ll ever give.

You probably know what I’m about to tell you already. It’s painfully obvious. But it’s so damn important, I figure it needs to be said.

Take lots of photos.

I know, I know – this isn’t news, you’re thinking. She must be really hard up for something to write about, you’re thinking (and okay, you wouldn’t exactly be wrong about that. I’ve been home for the last three weeks, and my cup isn’t exactly runneth-ing over). But as I’m going through my numerous Flickr sets, I’m beginning to realize something.

Travel is all about the memories. And the memories are all in the photos.

Ugh. Sorry. That was a bit of a Hallmark moment there. I try and stay away from those. The thing is, no one returns from a trip thinking, I should have taken fewer pictures. Souvenirs are well and good, but photos … well, photos are kind of everything. And so many people I know take far too few of them.

It goes just beyond assembling boring slide shows for your friends (to the causalities of “Our Weekend in Reykjavik” and “A Day in Palo Alto”, I am truly, truly sorry). They create a visual guide to helping you remember a trip and a city. Loved the restaurant you stumbled upon in the backstreets of Venice? Take a picture. Saw an outfit you loved (and hope to re-create when you get stateside, using cheaper pieces)? Snap a photo.

To take inspiration from the always-brilliant Beyonce, if you liked it then you shoulda taken a pic of it.

Or ten pics, for that matter. It’s not like you’re wasting film. I know that there are times when your camera might be out of commission, and that, dear friends, is no excuse (check out my guide to memory-making when your camera is kaput). And when your camera is in tip-top shape? Here’s a quick list of things to remember so you’ll have a great set of photos on your hands.

1. If you aren’t a pro, there’s no shame in using the auto setting. Because nothing is worse than finding out all your vacation photos are blurry and too dark, just because you wanted to pretend you were Richard Avedon for the day.
   

   This photo of my husband's grandfather and an affectionate cat SHOULD have been awesome.

   –

2. Take more than one pic. It’s not like you’re wasting film – snap a few extra and you’re bound to have one you love.
3. Bring extras. Specifically, bring your charger (or a spare battery), and an extra memory card. They take up virtually no room, and you can snap away without worry.
4. Take pics now, delete later. Scrolling through your photos not wastes your time (and your battery, too). You can go through and delete photos later, like when you get home.
5. Ask someone to take your picture. Quit being shy – it’s your memories that are at stake here. Ask someone who looks trustworthy (or at least, who doesn’t look like they could outrun you) to take your photo – bonus if they have a big camera and look like a photographer. And ask them to take more than one while they’re at it.
   

   Cute photographer girl in London took this pic of us. The only problem is my double-chin, which I suspect I can't blame on her.

   –

6. If you think it, snap it. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I’ve seen something amazing and thought, “I should take a picture of that.” AND THEN NOT TAKEN A PICTURE. There’s no reason for that.
   

   Admit it: You're totally psyched I took a picture of this pointless thing.

   –

7. Take your camera with you. Mine is always in my bag. Sure enough, the ONE time I left it at home, we were driving in a busy Seattle neighborhood and had to stop because – I kid you not – three chickens needed to cross the road. They followed one another single file and up the front stairs of a house across the street. Not only was I unable to take a picture – I neglected to roll down my window and shout after them, “WHY?”
8. Don’t be self-conscious. If you’re sheepish about your photo-taking, you’re only going to draw more attention to yourself. If you photograph tons of stuff, and do so boldly, you’ll actually look less like a tourist and more like someone on a mission. Which – let’s face it – is far, far cooler.
9. Set your auto-timer. In a place that’s totally deserted? Not a soul in sight to ask to take your photo? Then perch your camera on the flat top of a trash can. Or a window ledge. Or even a hedge. Set your auto-timer, and relish in what will almost certainly be hysterical results.
   

   The photo that immediately follows this is entitled, "Running towards camera because HOLY CRAP it's about to fall." Self-portrait with auto-timer, 2009. (And no, you don't get to see it).

10. Don’t forget to pull your head out of your … viewfinder. I know – sounds counter-intuitive, right? But every once in a while, remember to look around and actually see what it is you’re photographing.

Like I said, none of this is a suprise, and yet, it took me years of traveling before I realized that I needed to take more photos.

Oh, and one last thing. Those cheesy, often-over-exposed, you-can-only-see-our-heads-and-we-could-be-anywhere photos that people take of themselves at arm’s length?

Those are awesome.