by Jessica Pawl

In our home, souvenir is a four-letter word. Bringing home more “stuff” is my least favorite way to remember our travels. However, there’s one investment that never gets pushed to the back of the cabinet – a family photo in an insanely beautiful setting, taken by a professional photographer while traveling.

Once relegated to overpriced on-site vacation photographers at beach resorts, destination-based professional photos are now readily available, if you know where to look. And while prices range from group-tour-pics cheap to family-portraiture steep, there’s no doubt that the results are far longer lasting than most anything that you could squeeze into a suitcase.

We’re covering the basics on how to pull off a successful shoot.

• FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER
  Our very first travel session was booked through Airbnb Experiences with a local freelance photographer in Portugal that had several great reviews and a portfolio that we liked. Before booking her service, I researched Instagram for photos in Lisbon that I loved, and ensured that she was willing to take us to those exact spots during our shoot. This detail helped us choose an ideal date and time for our session. The second time that we booked a photographer while traveling, I simply Googled “Family Photographer in Kauai,” and reviewed websites and pricing to find a good match in the area we’d be staying in. Using hashtags on Instagram can also be useful for destination-specific photographers (#kauaiphotographer).Companies like Flytographer specialize in connecting travelers with local, vetted photographers.
• PLAN THE DAY AND TIME
  Consider time zone changes, sunrise and sunset, and at which point in your trip you’ll be feeling like a low-key day when you book your photo session.If you’re traveling over multiple time zones, we recommend planning your session for mid-trip, which gives you time to acclimate to the local time, while still allowing flexibility to reschedule if a storm or rain rolls through on your originally slated date.Likewise, plan your shoot for a slow day that won’t leave you exhausted and running behind. Or, aim for first thing in the morning so that you can make the most of the afternoon and evening. Whatever time you choose, pack layers and extra snacks!
• MAKING IT SPECIAL
  While in Kauai, we planned our photo session to align with a visit from my in laws. This way, they were able to be a part of the photo session and the resulting framed print was a special part of our holiday gift to them.Similarly, if you’re planning a maternity photo shoot, babymoon pics, or honoring any other special occasion, make sure to pack any items or momentos that you’ll want included in the photos. An ultrasound photo, a pair of tiny baby shoes, a special outfit and so forth. Which reminds me, you may want to pack a travel steamer too ($19), just in case!
• THEN WHAT?
  We gifted the kids’ grandparents an Aura digital frame (we chose the Carver model!) last year and I can’t say enough great things about it. From an easy-to-use app, all of us can add photos that rotate on a beautifully matted frame throughout the day. (The hangable Aura Walden frame – with a 15” screen – is on my own wish list!)But if digital frames aren’t your thing, you can find simple and modern printed options over at Framebridge, or the most convenient peel-and-stick wall decor prints at Mixtiles. Want something even more memorable? A custom View Master will do the trick.

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