Bring Home Photo Souvenirs

I love to travel and when I travel, like most people, I love to bring home souvenirs. The trouble is that when you're traveling to take pictures, whether its your job or your hobby, there's enough gear to contend with without lugging home a lot of extra stuff. One solution I've come up with is to photograph things that I'd really like to buy but don't have the energy (or the money) to bring back home.

Photographing souvenirs is a great way to remember some of the neat things you found along the way--and it's free (and there's no chance they'll get broken on the way home). If I'm photographing something I really want and think I'll regret not buying, I usually grab a business card so I can order it later from home. But the real benefit of photographing interesting finds (like these Mexican pots I found in Tubac, Arizona) is that they add an interesting and colorful twist to digital slide shows or to your Flickr Photostream. Sourvenir photos are also a great way to preserve memories--and they can help you decide later if you chose the right pot or not if you gave in and bought one anyway.