Get up early or stay up late. Move around. Remember details. Pay attention to lighting, composition and moments. Those are among the keys to making great photos, Times editors and photographers agreed in this story.

THE PHOTOS:

Judging by the photos that were submitted for our Summer Vacation Photo Issue 2014, people took to heart (or already knew) these suggestions. But others who submitted also ignored the “rules” to great effect. The result is a varied, fascinating collection from L.A. Times readers.

Of the more than 1,300 photos submitted, we’ve chosen these as examples of the most memorable pictures. Readers trotted the globe, bringing back photos from places as varied as Madagascar and Rome, Paris and Cuba. Their subjects are as diverse as their destinations: children, monuments, beaches, animals, starry, starry nights and more. But all of the pictures have one thing in common: They represent a photographer’s memory of that time and place, of course, but they have meaning for the person who is seeing the work for the first time. In essence, the picture transports us to a place we may never see, but thanks to the generosity of the photographer, we now know a little better.

Favorite photos from past years:

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009