One obvious use for just about any brand of smartphone is taking pictures. Remembering to use this device to your advantage, though, is another matter. That will require integrating your smartphone into what you do and how you approach travel. For example, here are six photo tips that are must-do photo opportunities.
Take a photo of your hotel—Before going on a walk or cab ride, take a photo of your hotel, including any signage that indicates where it is and its name. Truly, a ‘picture is worth a thousand words’ in any language. Bringing along the telephone number of your hotel is also a good idea.- Take a photo of where you parked- This one is really good for at home too. If just a level of the parking lot or slot number of where you parked does not trigger instant recall of where the car is, shoot photos of other landmarks on the way like elevator buttons pushed to get inside the terminal so you can reverse steps later.
- Photograph your checked luggage- Make it part of packing to follow this plan: Pack, then unpack and photograph everything in your luggage. Repack then photograph the outside of bag. Do this on every piece of checked luggage in addition to tagging it inside and outside with your contact information both at home and at your destination. Best bet on outside tagging: Covered tags that do not easily show your contact information to casual observers (criminals) who may like to know that you are flying somewhere for a while.
- Take a photo of your room or cabin number- This is the first photo we take when checking in on a cruise ship or at a hotel. After a cruise vacation, this is also a helpful way to remember where your accommodations were on the ship, if you liked the location and would like to be in a similar cabin on future sailings.
- Make a movie of directions—This is good for finding your way back in unfamiliar surroundings. If getting to and from that room to the hotel/cruise ship lobby takes more than three or four directions, you might consider making a movie of the walk with audio directions. This is one you might never use, but if you were in a situation where you needed it, you would be a hero for thinking of it.
- Take a photo of yourself and your phone (aka “a selfie”). Look in a mirror or through the viewfinder in your smartphone and take a photo. You have now documented what your phone looks like and that you were in possession of it recently. This is handy when filing an insurance claim. It also works for real cameras.
Another useful travel tip is to clean up photos taken quickly on your trip by removing unwanted backgrounds, which can enhance the focus on your subject. This can be achieved using online tools designed for photo editing without needing advanced expertise.
Use your phone as a weapon—It’s not really a photo opportunity, but if all else fails and you find yourself being chased by thugs, throw your smartphone at them. You might also throw the wad of money you were flashing in the city marketplace. Currency floating in the air seems to slow down criminals.
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