When you come home at night you remember the name of your restaurant and your friends, the nearest station, the city. A year later when you want to caption the picture, or find it, or recommend a hotel to a friend, the name escapes you.
The simple answer to this is to take a photo of the name of the city, the street, the hotel, the restaurant, the taxi number.
When you want to caption your photo, argue with your family about the name of the restaurant, find out if the place your friends visited the year previously was the one you saw this year, or phone about your lost wallet or umbrella, you have the name instantly, complete with the visual reminder.
Take the photo on arrival, when you have nothing else to do or are waiting for others to arrive. If it's a place you visit often, the chances are that the first time you visit you will be impressed enough to want to take a photo. By the following day or week it will be raining, or dark. Later, you will be bored, or your family will say, 'Stop - enough photos' or, 'We're in a hurry.
Statues and Landmarks In Sunshine
I remember visiting Nottingham, England on a press travel trip. We passed the statue of Robin Hood. It was sunny and I wanted to stop. The guide said, "You can do it later".
The next two days it rained. On the last day we took a short cut back to the station and didn't pass it. Besides we were hurrying to catch a train.
I've never forgotten. That would have been my landmark statue.
Yes, the tourist board can send a picture. But it's their copyright. The photographer may have rules about entering his name in the caption.
The photo might be a year old. The magazine may have used the generic photo already or not want the same photo that the rival magazine or newspaper is using. Maybe they already have that picture on file. They already covered the story last year.
Why should they take my text? A glance at the accompanying photo will tell the editor that he or she has seen this before.
I always find a new angle. I might want myself, little me, in the picture to show the height of the statue.
Human Interest and History
My face adds human interest. My face added proves that I visited the place. This is up to date and a personal story, not a press release put out by the tourist board, identical to that published in every other newspaper.
But clothes can date a picture. So can cars. And your face growing older. Somebody can look at you and ask, "When was this taken?"
Historic photos are useful. If the building is demolished later. O to show your town through the ages.
I might get paid for my own picture. I can't get paid for somebody else's picture.
If I'm told, "You can do it later," I reply, "I'd rather do it now and strike if off the list of things I have to do." Or I say, "Let's do it now while the sun is just right."
Obstructions
A day later the cathedral is covered in scaffolding. (Umpteen times in England and Europe.)
Two hours later when we walk back past the church with all the statues it is in shadow and a fast food van is parked in front of the church. (That happened to me in Malta.)
Handy Captions
A caption of a hotel or museum is useful. Why did I take that buildings with columns? Is it the hotel where I stayed? Budget b and b? Or five star luxury? Or a national museum?
Signposts
The photo as a signpost to the reader. If it's not visually appealing, use it small as a signpost or opening to your title page on the slide show. It's also a caption writer for you, saves hours of searching though maps and distractions on the internet.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
The simple answer to this is to take a photo of the name of the city, the street, the hotel, the restaurant, the taxi number.
What's the restaurant name? Table at 8? Restaurant at 9? After 8 Restaurant? Table at 6 or 7? Table or tables at 7? Ah - Table at 7.
When you want to caption your photo, argue with your family about the name of the restaurant, find out if the place your friends visited the year previously was the one you saw this year, or phone about your lost wallet or umbrella, you have the name instantly, complete with the visual reminder.
Was I in Clarke Quay or Boat Quay? The map shows they are adjacent. My photo tells me. I was in Clarke Quay. Clark or Clarke? It's Clarke.
Take the photo on arrival, when you have nothing else to do or are waiting for others to arrive. If it's a place you visit often, the chances are that the first time you visit you will be impressed enough to want to take a photo. By the following day or week it will be raining, or dark. Later, you will be bored, or your family will say, 'Stop - enough photos' or, 'We're in a hurry.
Statues and Landmarks In Sunshine
I remember visiting Nottingham, England on a press travel trip. We passed the statue of Robin Hood. It was sunny and I wanted to stop. The guide said, "You can do it later".
The next two days it rained. On the last day we took a short cut back to the station and didn't pass it. Besides we were hurrying to catch a train.
I've never forgotten. That would have been my landmark statue.
Yes, the tourist board can send a picture. But it's their copyright. The photographer may have rules about entering his name in the caption.
The photo might be a year old. The magazine may have used the generic photo already or not want the same photo that the rival magazine or newspaper is using. Maybe they already have that picture on file. They already covered the story last year.
Why should they take my text? A glance at the accompanying photo will tell the editor that he or she has seen this before.
I always find a new angle. I might want myself, little me, in the picture to show the height of the statue.
Human Interest and History
My face adds human interest. My face added proves that I visited the place. This is up to date and a personal story, not a press release put out by the tourist board, identical to that published in every other newspaper.
But clothes can date a picture. So can cars. And your face growing older. Somebody can look at you and ask, "When was this taken?"
Historic photos are useful. If the building is demolished later. O to show your town through the ages.
I might get paid for my own picture. I can't get paid for somebody else's picture.
If I'm told, "You can do it later," I reply, "I'd rather do it now and strike if off the list of things I have to do." Or I say, "Let's do it now while the sun is just right."
Obstructions
A day later the cathedral is covered in scaffolding. (Umpteen times in England and Europe.)
Two hours later when we walk back past the church with all the statues it is in shadow and a fast food van is parked in front of the church. (That happened to me in Malta.)
Handy Captions
A caption of a hotel or museum is useful. Why did I take that buildings with columns? Is it the hotel where I stayed? Budget b and b? Or five star luxury? Or a national museum?
Signposts
The photo as a signpost to the reader. If it's not visually appealing, use it small as a signpost or opening to your title page on the slide show. It's also a caption writer for you, saves hours of searching though maps and distractions on the internet.
Where was I? River Valley Road.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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