Most Americans will, at some point in time, need a break from the monotony of their daily lives. Taking a vacation to recharge your batteries is a necessity, and chances are that when you set out to do something that’s calculated to provide you with fun times and lifelong memories, you’re going to want it documented in more places than just your mind.

Taking a professional-grade camera with you on your trip is how you’re going to get your best shots, and if you’re an aspiring photographer, we at Tumbleston certainly recommend you get some practice reps with that professional-grade camera whenever possible. But the truth of the matter is that most such cameras are large and bulky, and because of the amount of space they take up, can be very difficult to travel with (particularly if you’re flying). Luckily, smartphones come equipped with some very advanced cameras, and although they still don’t match up with the real thing, they certainly can be viable backup options to document your trip.

But there’s much more that goes into photographing a vacation than simply selecting the right camera. Here are a few tips from the pros on how to collect the perfect collage of pictures from your trip.

Photograph the journey as well as the destination

If you live in Summerville, SC, and your family took a trip to Las Vegas, you’re certainly going to want to remember all the sights you encountered in Las Vegas. But how did you get there? The travel is part of the vacation, too. A simple photo of the kids smiling with their backpacks over their shoulders outside the entrance to the airport can do the trick, just as a quick photo of your boarding gate with “Las Vegas” flashing on the marquee leaves no doubt as to where it is you’re heading.

Use props in your photos if appropriate

As we’ve previously mentioned, props can punctuate any good picture and turn it into a great picture. It can be slightly more difficult to incorporate props into your family vacation photos than you might think, though, at least without making it seem like you forced the props into the shots. But if the situation is such that a prop seems natural, by all means, include it! For example, if you took a vacation to Hawaii, having your kids pose on a beach with a surfboard fits the theme perfectly. And if you took a trip to the Rocky Mountains, posing with skis in front of a large mountain would be appropriate, too.

Be sure to photograph people when they’re in the mood to be photographed

Nothing can ruin a vacation photo more easily than someone who just does not want to smile. Looking back at such a photo decades later could taint the memory; even if this person truly loved the trip, that picture didn’t say otherwise. And that’s a bummer. So, if possible, try to coordinate times to get some good pictures with members of your traveling party so they can prepare themselves to put on a happy face even if they’re not really in the mood to do so. That’s not to say you can’t quickly grab a spontaneous shot in a fleeting moment, because you may not have the chance to replicate it, but you should just make sure you’re getting some pictures of people while they’re ready to give you a warm, authentic smile- because years down the road, that’s how you’re going to want to remember the trip.