Editorial desk · Practical notes

Keep a place notebook beyond photographs

Write the place name and date at the top of a page. Add three details you noticed: a building material, a sound from the waterfront or the shape of a street.

Attach a simple sketch or a photograph reference. Note where you stood so you can understand the scene later.

At the end of the day, choose one observation to describe more fully. A few specific details often recall a place more clearly than a long list of stops.