Turn your trip into a work of art

There's nothing like capturing the all-American summer vacation in images and reliving the fun and flubs with the family -- like the time the rented RV got stuck in Indiana mud or the trip to the ER after our son skateboarded down a flight of stairs in Mexico or … I digress, of course.

The evolution of film to digital photography means there aren't more shoeboxes of unorganized photos in your attic; now they're all on your computer waiting for you to sort. This summer, plan to turn your family vacation into fine art for the generations, a Hollywoodesque TV show or movie or a 21st-century version of a slide show for the world to see.

Some of your best shots are taken on the family vacation because your senses are heightened by the unusual surroundings, interesting people and opportunities to do things you can't do at home (jumping on your backyard trampoline can't compare to zip-lining over the otherworldly Haleakala Crater in Maui, for example).

Instead of processing your memories at the local grocer or pharmacy, or using online processing that offers mediocre quality, consider a top-notch Internet photo service, such as Myphotopipe.com, www.myphotopipe.com, for five-star-quality prints. Targeted to those who want professional photography options, the service offers digital photo processing and finishing, automatic cropping tools and other time-saving features.

The company's special blend of 300-plus print options and professional color management appeals to pros as well as parents. Check out your best travel pic on all five surfaces -- matte, canvas, gloss, pearl and fine art -- when you order a free paper sampler at the Web site.

Your walls are bare because schlepping to a custom frame place to figure out mats and framing is as much fun as a tooth scaling at the periodontist. Like a lot of errands these days, doing it online has its upside. You can get that never-to-be-repeated family travel shot, framed with custom matting and finished with a personalized foil caption and delivered to your door when you use www.RealMemories.com.

With overhead costs eliminated, frames average 50 percent less than those at custom framing shops. You simply upload a digital photo, choose from an extensive selection of frames, personalize the mat with a caption and see your entire creation before buying it on a virtual wall to match your home or office.

If the older kids in the family are already rolling their eyes at the idea of leaving their friends, their room and Xbox for a week, get them involved in the trip in a truly creative way. The family comedian, the wholesome tween idol-to-be, the emo musician and wanna-be actor who really wants to direct will get that youthful exuberance back on track when you offer them a copy of Easy Media Creator 10.

Your family vacation can be on the screen in minutes and tech-savvy kids will feel like Spielberg with the product's Hollywood-style menus in standard and hi definition. It's easy to add a soundtrack to your movie or slideshow, too (I already hear Miley Cyrus for the princess and Fall Out Boy for, well, the boy).

Easy Media Creator 10 allows you to make digital photo scrapbooks, create Hollywood-like DVDs, get 50 hours of music on a DVD (for those long car trips) and a heck of a lot more.

It's not just for the kids and teenagers -- even technophobe adults can quickly and easily turn vacation photos, video and music into impressive multimedia projects that can be shared on CD, DVD, the Web or a range of mobile devices. Don't be surprised if you overhear Junior saying something like, "Yeah, it was super boring to be with my sister for a week, but check out my MySpace page to see my new video."

To get an idea of how one family captured its vacation using Easy Media Creator 10, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUDDq1Wutno.