Big game hunts and fishing adventures to the far reaches of the planet are not inexpensive vacations. While some sportsmen and women have the means to take a trip every couple of years, for others a caribou hunt on the tundra, an elk hunt out west or a fishing trip to Alaska may be a once in a lifetime event. In either case, preserving the memories of your adventure on film or disk will enable you to relive the experience as well as share it with family and friends for years to come. Not being professional photographers, we sometimes can be disappointed when we get our pictures back and they just don't tell the story; something was out of focus or too dark or whatever. Has this happened to you? Well, over the years I have picked up some tips that have greatly helped an amateur like me improve on my ability to "capture the moment".

Let's start with the obvious; take a camera. Sounds simple, but how many of you have ever said, "Darn, I wish I had my camera!"? Disposable film cameras cost less than $5, put one in your day pack or fanny pack and leave it there. For that cost it would probably be a good idea to have one in the glove box of the truck as well.

Now, I am not necessarily advocating that you should rely solely on a five dollar camera to record the memories of a $5,000 Newfoundland moose hunt. Equipment options are numerous, however the basic decision of whether to shoot film or digital is ground worth covering. The big benefit to shooting in digital format is that beyond the one-time cost of your camera and the software to import pictures onto your computer, you can virtually eliminate processing costs. Photo paper and other printer supplies are minimal when compared to the cost and inconvenience of traditional film to print processing. As a result you can shoot a lot more pictures which is paramount to ending up with good shots. Where most film comes in 12 to 36 exposure rolls, a single compact disk card, which is a device the size of a matchbook in your camera that stores your shots, can hold hundreds. This simple difference in capacity and cost means you can shoot and shoot and shoot. If there is one thing I have learned it is that the more pictures you take the more good pictures you will end up with. Plus, you can just delete the ones you don't like. No processing, no printing, no added expense to eliminate the photos that did not come out well.

Even professional wildlife photographers like Sandy Macys are now shooting digital almost exclusively.

"The technological gains in digital photography over the last 5 - 10 years simply have erased what used to be the benefits of film." His comments generally support the common belief that companies like Kodak, the undisputed leader in the film photography industry, are walking down the same path as the dinosaurs.

So how do you insure that you are taking a reasonably good photograph that will make it into your "keeper file"? Frame your pictures. This takes a little discipline; whether you are looking through the view finder of a trusty 35mm or your digital camera's LCD display you must scrutinize everything that is within the outside borders of your picture. It is easy, especially in the heat of the moment with your animal down or the fish in the boat to not notice all the other stuff within the frame. If your partner is holding up a 40 inch northern and you have the camera at ready, look beyond the fish to see what else you are capturing. Is there anything in the foreground or background that will detract from the glory of boating the lunker? You might also be mindful of things like beer cans, cigarettes or garbage when framing your shots. Take only one picture and you can be sure that either your fishing partner will have his eyes closed or you won't have noticed something ugly or distracting over his shoulder in the background. Take several shots and you greatly improve your odds at ending up with a well composed picture.

The majestic big game we hunt seldom looks as stately in death as in life so be sure to take shots of live animals; elk in a mountain meadow, moose in a bog, deer feeding on mast in an oak forest. These pictures will help someone looking at the scenes understand your adventure from a broader perspective. When it is time for the trophy shot, I have a couple simple recommendations that will improve your photographs and show respect for the animal you have harvested.

First, your trophy will look far more dignified with you standing behind it holding up the head or horns than it will look hanging from a meat pole, so stage your shot in the field. Also, clean blood away from the animal's face and tuck the tongue back into the mouth if it is hanging out. Move away from the gut pile and lay the animal on whichever side is more photogenic; bloodied exit wounds or open body cavities don't add anything positive to your picture. You might also note that extending your arms to hold the big fish closer to the camera lens or crouching behind your trophy, again with arms extended holding the head up toward the camera, will generally improve the composition.

Lighting is another factor that greatly can influence the quality of your travel photos. While professionals may be well studied on the subject of creative lighting; capturing the subtle hues of a majestic sunset or taking artistic advantage of the contrasts between shadow and light, for the amateur, just getting the exposure somewhat close would be an improvement. The old standby rule of keeping the sun behind the camera will prevent you from taking photos where the primary subject is too dark to see. Again here, if you study the frame before clicking the shutter you will learn to recognize when detail is obscured by shadow or blown out by glare.

Finally, make sure your guide, outfitter and hunting companions know how to use your camera so you get to be in some to your pictures. I can't tell you the number of trips I have been on where upon returning I realize I have photographs of everyone who was there but me! Take your time framing your photo and take lots of shots. Follow these tips and the quality of your photos will certainly improve.