8 Ways to Document Your Family Vacation
Now that summer’s winding down and school is starting (has started for Chesterfield already. God speed, neighbors), I thought this would be the perfect time to talk about vacations. I know you’re already planning for your next escape, and I have some tips on how you can document your next family vacation. When you’re ready to go on your next trip, I can help you document and make the most of your photos, so go ahead and bookmark this post for your next family trip. Here are 8 ways to document your family vacation:
Focus on the kids.
Focus on how the kids are interacting with the landmark, instead of the landmark itself. Are they in awe of a lighthouse? Making binocular eyes as they stare out to sea? Step back, watch their reactions and how they interact with each other and the freedom they have in a new space. Which leads me to…
Ask for poses sparingly.
Do you need a dozen photos of your kid smiling in front of various landmarks and locations? They’re on vacation too! Take candid photos of them wandering around, step back (if it’s safe) and get a wider view of the landmark and your kid.
Get in photos.
Swap shots with a trusted fellow traveler (I’ll take yours if you take mine). Use a tripod, a phone tripod, or even a (clean) coffee cup to hold your phone, and put on the timer. If you’re taking a camera, check the settings to see if it has an interval timer, and then be prepared to delete a bunch. Or not. They can be pretty funny.
Snap the details.
How are things different here than at home? Are there piles of sandy toys at the back door? Towels hanging over the railing? Seashells left on counter tops? Everyone’s stuff strewn about in odd places because it’s not your house and you have nowhere to put it? Think beyond how messy it is, and instead consider these the details of vacationing with kids. Snap a few photos of the details to include in your vacation book (details on that coming below).
Avoid the witching hour.
Avoid trying to get a posed photo when your kids are already grumpy. If it’s snack/meal/nap time, acknowledge that asking for a photo may cause a meltdown, and take that into account before you ask. (Also, bring extra snacks.)
Let your kids take some pictures.
I’ve been letting my 2 year old and 4 year old take more photos with my camera, with my close supervision, during our last trips. They aren’t all winners, and maybe the photos of me are all at unflattering angles, but to see what they see when they’re at the beach, or running around a new city, or even playing at a temporary vacation home, is fun and enlightening. And they feel great being included.
Photo by 2 year old Mira
Delete.
At night, after the kids go to bed, take 10 minutes to go through that day’s photos and delete the really bad ones, the duplicates, and 40 of the 45 photos that your kid took when you gave her the camera for 30 seconds. That way you won’t be overwhelmed with the sheer number of images when you get home, and you’ll be much more likely to do something with them. Something like:
Print your photos.
Make a photo book here, here, or here. Make one for you and one for the kids to claim as their own. Get a couple of prints for the fridge, including one of the ones your kid took. If you have any really good ones, print and frame a couple to add to your home gallery. Don’t let them just sit on your phone or computer!
So those are the tips I have for documenting your next family trip. Bookmark this post so you can come back to it when it’s time to pack up and go!
And speaking of packing, do you need an easier way to get the packing done for your next trip? I have a free packing list for babies and toddlers that includes everything from safety equipment and gear to clothes, books, and toys. It’s 3 pages long. Click here to download it.