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Its amazing how little thought some people put into the photos they take on the road.  It may seem like a hassle to spend a minute or so getting a good shot, but one of the worst things in the world is coming back from a trip, going through your pics are realising how little quality you have.  Once you get into the habit of taking good travel photos, it becomes second nature.  Here are some tips that I follow:

1. Carry a Camera Everywhere – my camera of choice is now the Apple iPhone.  Before that I took a small Canon point and shoot.  Now these aren’t the two best cameras, and if you’re really after quality than nothing compares to a Digital SLR, but an SLR is big and bulky.  An iPhone and easily slip into your pocket, and the recent models have really good cameras.    Carry your camera with you all the time.  Get in the habit of taking it out and taking a shot.  Don’t just wait until you arrive at the destination to take a picture.  The journey is often the most interesting bit.
2. There Are a Million Pictures of the Eiffel Tower – Your picture of the Eiffel tower will mean nothing if it doesn’t have any context.  Don’t just point and shoot at a popular tourist attraction.  These pictures are boring and will have no emotional impact on you in the future.  ADD CONTEXT!!!  Take a picture of your family in front of the Tower.  Take a pic of the other tourists, capture the weather, the crowds, the people you are with.  This is what makes a picture exciting.
3. Capture Life – Continuing on from my last point, try and capture “life”.  I’ve found some of the most interesting shots I’ve taken are of the locals.
4. Use Instagram – Don’t be afraid to use tools like Instagram, which is available on your iPhone.  This tool will add filters and effects to your photo.  Remember, a photo is NEVER an accurate representation of location.  Instead its a representation of how you saw the location.  For example, on a dull and dreary day I like applying a slight grey/blue filter to match the image I have in my head.