Send us your summer vacation photos

In June, we asked Times readers for their best summer vacation shots to feature in our Sept. 21 issue. So far, we’ve gotten quite a response. Many of you have journeyed far and wide, but it’s not just the places you’ve gone -- it’s the people you’ve met.

In addition to visiting exotic locales, readers have also been interacting with locals. Here are a few of our favorite portraits readers have captured so far.

The early bird catches the worm

Times reader Emily Rifkin of Culver City was vacationing on the Greek isle of Mykonos when she ventured down to the old port. She wasn’t the only there at that hour. “I saw a fisherman arrive with bags of fish to sell to locals.”

Though he had work to do, the fisherman stopped to take a smoke break, fish and scales waiting in front of him, and Rifkin snapped the shot with her Canon EOS 60D.

“Experiencing local food is my favorite aspect of traveling, so it was fun to witness this morning ritual,” Rifkin said. She also said she was lucky -- the photogenic island of Mykonos provided a beautiful backdrop for her photo.

A window to the future

On a visit to Tanzania, Times reader Philip Jen Kin’s tour included a very special stop: a Tanzanian primary school.

With permission from the school, Jen Kin, a Cerritos resident, snapped photos of the students with his Nikon 600. He liked how the children exuded a different spirit than the youth in America. “I thought this picture captured innocence, and the joy of youth in a culture where there is not an abundance of materialism.”

Though he likes photographing people, Jen Kin said it can often be a tricky business, especially when they’re strangers.

“I find it always both challenging and intimidating to take close up travel photos of people I do not know,” Jen Kin explained. “I am careful to not offend people by sticking a camera in their face.”

“Freaks” and drinks on Coney Island

Venice resident Todd Stern was visiting Brooklyn in June when he found a special place. “I fell in love with Coney Island,” he said. “The area around the park has become a little seedy, but the families are still making the trip there and having a great time.”

On his trip to Coney Island, Stern knew there was one place he wanted to go in particular. “The Freak Bar is an institution on Coney Island. I had read stories about its history and was excited to check it out.”

While there, Stern befriended one of the bartenders. “I began chatting with a woman who worked there for many years... She just embodied the character of the place.”

Stern was so enamored with Coney Island and the larger Brooklyn area, he never left.

“I found it so full of life and character that I didn’t even step foot in Manhattan,” Stern said.

How you can submit a photo

If you’re an amateur photographer (no professionals, please) interested in submitting a photo for our summer vacation issue, the deadline for submissions is Sept. 4. Please, include your name and city of residence, along with when and where the photo was shot. Photos must be taken between June 4 and Sept. 4 of this year.

Also, tell us a little bit about what led up to the photo and what you like about it.

The photo must be high resolution, at least 1,300 megapixels wide and at least 1 MB but not larger than 12MB.

By submitting them, you agree that The Times may reproduce your photos in any format. Send them via email, with “Vacation Photo Issue” in the subject line to yourscene-travel@latimes.com, upload them to Flickr or submit them using the hashtag #LATimesVacationPhoto on Twitter or Instagram.

Please limit submissions to 10 photos.