Justin and I went up to NYC to visit family this weekend and we had an amazing time. A lot of awesome walks as we explored the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line, and other parts of Manhattan. Here are a few shots from our weekend...

We also saw some fireworks Saturday night, which was an awesome prelude to next week's Fourth of July!

-Michelle

As the weather gets warmer many families also start planning their summer vacation. A lot of you will choose to take your family to the beach for some sun, sand, and surf!

In the past when you have come home from your trip and wanted to share your photos with your friends and family you may have felt like you did not take enough photos. Or maybe you thought you could have taken a special shot differently if you could go back and try again. Well no worries, here are my top five tips for beach vacation photos:

Point & Shoot Beach Photo Tips

1. Select the right camera setting. If you are shooting a portrait of your child playing in the sand, portrait mode is a great way to capture this scene. Portrait mode may add emphasis to your child while slightly blurring the background to create a nice portrait.  If you would like to shoot a picture of the gorgeous beach, choose landscape mode to capture as much detail as possible.

2. Bring a disposable, waterproof camera. While the digital point and shoot is a great camera to have, if you want some shots of your family splashing in the ocean or making fun faces underwater, you can't beat the inexpensive disposable camera. My husband and I tried kayaking on our last trip to the OBX and I didn't want to risk my expensive point and shoot. The waterproof disposable captured great shots without me worrying about dropping it in the sound. They float!

3. Be selective about the time of day. If you are looking for really great, flattering light, shoot some of your family beach photos in the morning when you get to the beach, or in the late afternoon when the sun is a nice golden yellow... you may even catch some peaceful shots of your family sleeping under an umbrella.  Forget the midday sun, it is a better time to eat lunch!

4. Set the stage for action. If you have surf boards, beach toys, football, or frisbee, encourage your family to have fun and then sit back with your camera and enjoy the spontaneous action shots.

5. Remember the details. Your child's small flip flops next to a parent's shoes, or their sea shell collection are memories waiting to be captured of this time in their lives.

Sand castles, surfing, sea shells, and the boardwalk are all amazing opportunities for fantastic family vacation photos---keep some of these tips in mind and you'll have beautiful memories to share with everyone when you get back!

-Michelle