Turn Your Camera into a Travel Lifesaver -- 10 Tips for Making Your Camera Your Travel Assistant

A camera is a camera right?  You bring it to take those beautiful travel memories.  Yes, but today's powerful digital devices are more than snapshot takers.   Here's some suggestions for augmenting their value and turning a camera into an important travel aid.

Scan Documents


You need to carry separate copies of your passport with you or other important documents, e.g. insurance policies, etc.  Easier than copying or scanning, take photos and store the jpegs in your lap top or  tablet.  (You may also want along to take copies of valuables in your home -- just in case.)  You can also photo documents, information en route that you might need later in your trip or at home.

Capture Important Visitor Information


While walking around you discover a location you want to visit, but it isn't opened. Take a photo of the sign to remind yourself of the location and when it is opened.  This is also useful if you are doing a travel blog or article and want to store key facts.

Mark Where You've Been with Sign Photos 

I can't emphasize enough the usefulness in taking sign photos.   Take a photo of an informative sign while your visiting a location so you will remember where you were and important facts you may want to recall later.  Take photos of intersection signs, building signs etc. near where you have taken a number of memory photos.  This is particularly useful because the sign will show up near the memory  photos you have taken and will be time dated so you can easily place where you were when you took the photos.   

Find Your Rental Car

Avoid spending time looking for a car that you left in a large parking lot or place you might forget.  Take a picture of the car and its surroundings, especially street signs, buildings and other landmarks. .


Record your rental car, ticket or other information  


Take a photo of your rental car and documents and other important paper information just in case. You may want the photo as a memory as well -- good or bad.

Remember a Restaurant 

Want to remember what you had to eat at a restaurant or maybe what you want to have there in the future, take a picture of the menu.  This is another memory device if you took other photos there and later may have trouble remembering where the photos were taken. The day and time of the photo will place the menu near the photos you took when you upload them.   Make sure to get the name of the restaurant in the photo -- take a sign picture here as well.   

In Worst Case -- Have Help to Find a Lost Child 


Take photos every day of your children before you start on the day's journeys.  If you're  in a crowed place and child wanders away you will have photos of them with the clothes they are wearing.

Capture Details of an Event You Want to Attend


Take a photo of the fliers for events that you may want to attend: a concert, theatrical performance, art show. This way you will have all the information you need to buy tickets and attend the event without writing it down.

Remember a Dish You May Want to Recreate at Home


Take lots of photos of food.  It's fund to remember meals you have had, and also there may actually be one you want to try to recreate yourself at home.   Frequently you will find that in other countries,  the presentation or combination of foods are different and interesting.  Having a photo of unique meals will be useful when you are entertaining and want to do something a little different yourself.   

Keep Track of Items You Want to or Have Purchased


You can't always buy a book or other item when you see it.   If not, take a photo to remember it.  You can also take pictures of items you have purchased and the receipts (especially ones of value that you haven't yet insured).  If they are lost or stolen, you have a record.