First off, equipment. As much as cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fisheye lenses which I call "spam" lenses. They cram everything in, with equal blurriness and boringness. Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame shot you may need to move long distances. Imagine using a fixed lens on Washington Monument, when you're half a block away! Zooms get my vote, even though they often don't have as wide an aperture, which limits their capabilities in low light situations.

Practically speaking, an SLR is absolute best. They are lightweight, and can be used with top quality lenses. Film SLRs tend to be less expensive, but have limitations of film, meaning you have to get it developed and so forth. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. With digital, resolution is also a critical factor, so look at specs before you buy.

OK, we've got camera, emotions are running high, and that's great, but not too great! Sometimes I find a spot that is so wonderful, I start shooting like a madman, only to be disappointed by pictures. What happened? Emotions. When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas and breezes as well as visuals of spot. Needless to say, you can't photograph all of these elements, only visual. When overwhelmed by spectacle of a scenic hotspot, we are often overwhelmed by all of these elements.