As I type this, I'm about half-way through my trip to England. It's a whirlwind trip of visiting family, seeing long-lost friends, making new acquaintances and cramming in sight-seeing daytrips when I can -- not to mention fighting a rampant case of jetlag. But through it all (and as you may well imagine), I'm taking a lot of photographs ... which has got me thinking about how I choose the images that I choose to shoot. I mean, why do I take one shot over another? Is there a "right way" to shoot a vacation?

Obviously, the answer to that question is about as varied as the number of people who own cameras: the "right way" differs for each person. And in truth, the way I shoot for my own personal use (that is, to capture as many vivid memories of a trip as possible) is far different from the way I shoot for professional purposes. But I've heard time and time again from people who say "my vacation photographs don't move me as much as my own memories do," and I think that's really unfortunate. So I thought I'd share some of the ways that I shoot my vacation, in the hope that perhaps it will trigger something for you.

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the Flipbac.

The "Flipbac Angle Viewfinder and LCD Screen Protector for Digital Cameras" is a little mirror on a hinge that attaches easily to any digital camera to make it possible to "shoot from the hip," as they say. Snapped shut, it looks nice and tidy, and protects your LCD screen from scratches, smudging, and lipstick from your purse.

This reminds me of the kinds of toys I had for playing "spy" as a kid, only it's for grownups, it's useful, and it's totally respectable-looking. You can use the FlipBac to take photos from the ground or around a corner, and if you hold your camera upside down, the Flipbac enables you to take photos from high overhead! Useful in airport bathrooms. Wait ... no. Forget that.

You could get this for your next vacation to Banff or your next trip to the pub. It would also make a good gift, especially for someone who's about to travel somewhere (and has an LCD display camera - most are compatible, list here). It's only $19.99 and $5 shipping to anywhere in the US. Get one for me here.

I mentioned last week that I was getting ready for a trip to England -- and I was a bit panicky about the fact that I hadn't finished packing. The truth is, whenever I pack for an international trip, I pack with two "me"'s in mind: Me The Tourist (who, at all costs, needs adequate underwear and hair products) and Me The Photographer (whose head would explode if she forgot her camera charger or, God forbid, her camera). So since I've already written about what I pack on any trip abroad, today, I'd thought I'd talk about how I prepare from a photographer's standpoint.

If you haven't seen the footage already, here's a clip of the now-famous Kiwi kitesurfer that had an encounter with a whale.



When I first heard this story, I couldn't help but think it was another piece of outrageous sensationalism. Then, I thought about those times when I've surfed alone or gone free diving and remembered the real fear that crept into my mind: There's a whole world in these waters -- a world that is wild and unpredictable.

Thanks for all your comments on the previous post, "what kind of camera should I buy?" -- there were some really going points made, and some great feedback. Today, as promised, I thought I'd go through a quick guide on why there are so many lenses out there and why they differ -- as well as why you might want a particular one on your trip.

Generally, lenses are described by their focal length. A quick Google search of the term "focal length" returns some fantastically technical definitions -- my current favourite is, "The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly it converges (focuses) or diverges (diffuses) light. A system with a shorter focal length has greater optical power than one with a long focal length."

Mmkay.

Raoul, the traveling pug may have a future as a dog travel consultant. "I love to travel, enjoy napping on anything wool or with down feathers, and I adore brussel sprouts!" he writes in his profile that also highlights his interests and favorite books.

This dog's blog "Raoul's Travels" is utterly charming and a breezy read, chock full of pictures with captions that highlight Raoul's world travels. Just this week, he visited Zurich where the pig's ears were every dog's dreams. Raoul has lived in Geneva for the past three years.

Travel from Raoul's life is the pace we might all enjoy. Visits with friends in parks, taking delight in the simple things--like a hole, or that great nap in a seat to ourselves. Then there are those dogs (or people) that make our heart skip a beat with a casual chat on a sidewalk. Raoul's heart pitapat came from meeting up with a poodle who he describes as "foxy."

As for the people Raoul travels with, I'd say they've discovered an excellent way to reduce stress during their own adventures, much better than taking a fake baby around. [Thanks to Darren Cronian who posted a link to Raoul's blog on Twitter.]

The blues and the clouds first attracted me this shot. Or was it the angle of the structure that draws one up and up? Or perhaps it was the dock that leads outwards.

The combination of the simplicity of each element compels me to keep looking. There's the froth from the waves that is moving over the rocks on the left. There's the dead plant at the right corner and the way the water is a greenish brown in the foreground but changes color in gradations towards the distant shore.

This is the type of shot one could use for a meditation or something. I've already been sitting here for hours. . . .

Jepstar captured this mood in at the Portulano Resort in Batangas, Philippines. What mood have you captured lately? Send it our way at Gadling's Flickr photo pool for a Photo of the Day consideration.

Veteran photojournalist Alexandra Avakian has spent much of her twenty-plus year career working for prestigious magazines like Time and National Geographic and newspapers like The NY Times. Much of her work has been focused on the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Northern Africa. Stints in Iran, Somalia, Gaza and amongst American Muslims has given her ample opportunity to photograph the adherents of Islam in many different settings, both religious and cultural. A sampling of some of her best work is coming out in a photo-book published by Nat Geo. It is titled Windows of the Soul: My Journeys in the Muslim World. Avakian has also started a blog, which has the same title as her book, on National Geographic's web site. The blog is an interesting introduction to her work. Avakian reminisces about things like visiting a movie set in Iran and learning how the country's leading actress got around the strict theocratic laws by donning wigs and being hush-hush while applying make-up. While Avakian has by no means produced a definitive work on Muslims (I don't think that was her goal), she offers a unique and human take on a culture that is often in the press, but not usually seen in-depth.

[Via American Photo's State of the Art]

Sure, some retired airplanes are converted into super-chic hostels, but what about the rest of them? It'd be nice to think that they go to some airplane heaven, or are recycled into something useful, but as this piece from WebUrbanist shows, many planes are simply left to rust and decay when they're finally put out of commission.

Especially in places like northern Canada, Alaska, and remote parts of Russia, where flying conditions are often difficult and plane crashes are more common, mostly-intact planes will often be found dotting the landscape due to the difficulty of retrieving the wreckage.

Go here to see more. (Pictures courtesy Abandoned but not Forgotten)