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I’m in no way a professional photographer, but when I travel, I always want to get the best photos possible. While I do have a digital SLR camera that I absolutely love, many times I’ve only got my iPhone on me. So, many times I end up taking pictures with my phone, which works well for when I want to upload to Instagram right away. Over the past few years I’ve gotten some photos I really love. Here are my top amateur travel photography tips.

Use Leading Lines

I love this technique, and end up using it a lot. Leading lines take the viewers’ eyes to a focal point. In the image directly above, I photographed the pathway to the Marco Island Beach – the eyes go directly to the beach. When taking a photo like this for Instagram, remember that the photo will need to be cropped into a square.

Find a Different Perspective

The best photo isn’t always taken straight ahead. Look up, look under things, and find an interesting and fun perspective. I loved this photo of the hot air balloon so much that I had it mounted on canvas and have it hanging in my office.

Photograph the Details:

This fountain, located in the Gaylord Opryland Resort, is just one tiny fountain in a giant hotel. But I loved the detail on it, and years later, it’s still one of my favorite photos from that resort.

Capture the Moment

I didn’t have my DSLR in hand when my kids posed like this, but I was able to quickly snap a picture with my iPhone. The composition/lighting of this photo is awful, but it brings back such great memories.

Keep Snapping

You can take an almost endless amount of photos with a digital camera, so don’t feel limited. When the dolphins on the Marco Dolphin Explorer started playing in the wake behind our boat, I snapped dozens of pictures before I got one great one of a dolphin mid air. This is one of the reasons I prefer to take my Instagram photos right in the iPhone camera app first. That way, I can wait until I find the perfect photo.

Use the Rule of Thirds

I was so excited when I saw these two white beach chairs on the this perfect spot of land that I didn’t do a great job composing the photo. Imagine how much better this picture would look if I’d put the beach chairs either a little to the left or a little to the right. The good thing is that with Instagram, you can crop it perfectly after the fact!

Chronicle Your Journey

When we were delayed three hours at the Fort Myers airport, my kids slept on the floor for a while. I made sure to get a photo, because it’s definitely one of our big vacation memories from that trip.

Be Ready To Snap a Photo Anytime

Because you never know when you’ll see a man, at Starbucks, with two birds on his arms.