What We're Reading: Do We Really Need Professional Vacation Photographers?

Caroline Costello's travel accomplishments include surviving a 2 a.m. whitewater rafting excursion in the Canadian wilderness, successfully biking from Dusseldorf to Cologne without a map, and gaining access to a covert pizza speakeasy in New Orleans.

Caroline is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). Her work has appeared on USA Today, the Boston Globe, AOL.com, MSNBC.com, ABC News, TODAY Travel, and CruiseCritic.com, among other publications.

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Find out why travelers are hiring professionals to take vacation photos in our weekly roundup of travel news and stories.

Travelers Hire Professional Vacation Photographers

Given the planet’s abundance of cheesy staged engagement photos, awkward family portraits, and contrived wedding-party snapshots, one might consider travel the last bastion of imaginative, unplanned photography. No longer, it seems. According to a report from Today Travel, more travelers are hiring professional photographers to shoot them on vacation.

According to Sophie Pasquet, a photographer who was interviewed for the story, “One customer said it’s the best souvenir they’ve ever gotten—instead of buying trinkets, they have a photo where everyone’s together and having fun and nobody’s missing. It’s kind of priceless.” Pasquet charges $199 to $599 for photo packages in Paris. She also suggests that her subjects get make-up done by a professional before shoots.

Photos: Why We Travel

A while ago, The New York Times asked its readers to submit photos that communicate the deeper meaning of travel. In a collection of images called “Why We Travel: Photos From Times Readers,” the best, most inspirational shots are revealed. Check them out here.

Is It OK for Your Boss to Text You on Your Vacation?

No, says Susan Lucas of MoneyWatch. It’s not illegal for your boss to keep emailing or texting while you’re on an official vacation day, but it is kinda rude. According to Lucas, “Your boss has issues. Big issues.” Although Lucas admits to taking conference calls at Disney World (she’s self-employed), she advises those plagued by an over-eager boss to set boundaries.

What do you think? Do you work while on vacation?

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