Submit your summer vacation photos for our reader issue here

Grab your camera and get ready to find your best shot. The Los Angeles Times Travel section again is asking readers for photos of their summer vacation for possible inclusion in the Sept. 22 print section and the online photo gallery.

Here are the rules:

The photos must have been taken between May 25 and Sept. 2, 2019, from the beginning of Memorial Day weekend to the end of Labor Day.

They must be submitted by 6 p.m. Sept. 6.

This is new: To submit a photo, fill out this form below. We will need your contact information in case we have a question on your photo. It will not be used for marketing or any other purpose.

Please make sure you are seeing this page (latimes.com/summerphotos) from your browser to access the form.

The deadline has passed.

By uploading a photo here, you are granting the L.A. Times permission to use this photo in print and online. You also affirm that you do not make your living as a professional photographer.

Submission FAQ

May I use a smartphone to snap my photo?

Yes.

How big should the photo be?

It should be at least 1MB; 5MB is ideal. Please do not submit photos larger than 15MB.

May I send a photo taken in March or April?

No. Photos must have been taken between 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 25, and 11:50 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2.

When are photos due?

By 6 p.m. Sept. 6.

What if I miss the deadline?

There’s always next year.

How many photos may I submit?

No more than 10.

Why are you asking for my email and phone?

If your photo is selected, you will be contacted, but neither your phone number nor your email will be used in print or online.

What makes a good photo?

Because this is the Travel section, we are especially interested in photos that have a sense of place.

What are other important elements of a good photo?

Lighting, moments and composition. Lighting can be tricky; photos shot at high noon tend, for instance, to have too much harsh light. A moment captures an expression that, frozen in time, reflects the essence of the experience. Composition means you don’t have telephone poles “growing” out of someone’s head.

What about the flaw in my photo? Can’t I just take it out?

No. You may not fundamentally alter the photograph. You may enhance the color or lighten a photo, but you cannot remove, except by cropping, something you do not want in the photo.

Does that mean I have to go on an expensive trip to get something exotic?

Not at all. You and your family may be at the beach or in the mountains when something happens that captures the joy of travel.

May I shoot photographs of children at the beach or anywhere else?

Yes, if they are your children or grandchildren or are related, but please make sure that, if you’re not the parent, you have their OK. Otherwise, please do not submit photos of random children (unless their faces are not shown) because of privacy concerns.

What if I have more questions?

Email [email protected] with Reader Photo Issue Question in the subject line.