Give us your best shot for our summer vacation photo issue

What are you doing on your summer vacation? Chances are you’re taking photos of it.

Each year, the Los Angeles Times Travel section asks readers to share with us some of their favorite snaps from summer. The photos are evaluated by a group of photo editors and are selected for inclusion in print and online. This year, the print section will appear Sept. 21.

The photo gallery above shows off some of the results from the 2013 issue.

One difference the editors noted last year: Many more photos were taken using smartphone cameras, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

“Along with bigger screens and higher resolutions, better cameras have been a mainstay of new models for the last couple of generations,” PC World said of smartphones.

It noted that front cameras are being improved, all the better to take selfies. But for the purposes of our summer vacation image issue, a photo that gives a sense of place is what the editors are looking for.

That doesn’t mean that photos with people won’t work; you can see in the above gallery that people and places can blend for terrific photos.

Among 14 Photo Tips for 2014 offered by Times editors, three elements contribute to great photos: lighting, composition and moments. People can help provide those moments.

The photos we’re after are those from talented amateurs, not from those who make their living as professionals.

As for technical specifications, we are seeking high-resolution photos. They need to be at least 1300 megapixels wide and at least 200 dpi (dots per inch). Photos should be at least 1 megabyte; 10MB is ideal, but 20MB is too large.

Also, photos may not be altered. In other words, if there’s a big light pole that appears to be growing out of someone’s head, you can’t use a photo editing tool to take that out, nor can you add elements.

We are asking for photos taken between June 4 and Sept. 4 of this year so that we have great, fresh photos to remind us of all the possibilities of summer.

Please include your name and city of residence, along with when and where the photo was shot. Tell us a little bit about what led up to the photo.

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. Or upload them to Flickr.

Please limit submissions to 10 photos.