Exposure to thousands upon thousands of vacation photos is a hazard of the travel desk. If you've snapped it, I've seen it.

Common themes quickly emerge. The most frequent travel image by far is that of a loved one standing in front of a thing, such as the Grand Canyon or the Eiffel Tower. There's nothing wrong with this kind of photo; it proves you were there. But if you want to get a little more snap into your snapshots, read and heed.

Get closer. This remedies many common problems. If it looks close enough to you through the viewfinder, take another five steps forward and then take the photo. (Unless you're at the Running of the Bulls or standing on the edge of the aforementioned canyon.) Memorable photos of people are often a direct result of being close to the subject.

Take lots of photos. Once you've gotten closer, take several pictures. People often relax after the initial click, making for a more natural-looking portrait.

Ask permission. Be a good global citizen, even if it's just by holding up the camera and asking with raised eyebrows. (This ideal can be relaxed at street fairs, carnivals or other public events where people are celebrating and expect to be on display).

Look for the light: Pay attention to where the light is coming from and magic starts to happen. Backlighting can create dramatic silhouettes or halos of shimmering silver. Sidelighting creates texture and gives a photo dimension. Direct lighting brings out the detail in a person's face.

Experiment with composition: Move the subject off center sometimes, even if they're standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Please.

Experiment with point of view: I've seen a lot of photos of cute kids looking up; they're always cuter if you get closer, crouch down to their level and then shoot.

Signs are not good photo subjects: A photo of a sign that says Grand Canyon is no substitute for the Grand Canyon (though I have seen A lot of photos of signs cross my desk.)

Bring the manual: Even the smallest digital compact camera has too many options to commit to memory. Read the manual and try out all the various settings. It will pay off, I promise.