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How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

supermilch
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Do you bring a selfie stick and use your phone? Tripod on a timer? Ask trustworthy looking strangers and hand them your camera? Any other methods I'm missing?

Not sure which board this best fits into, but because discussion is likely going to be about tripods and related gear I figure "General gear" probably fits best

Feb 18, 2024 at 10:39 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Generally, I don't.

I have taken many group shots including myself, using a variety of timers and remotes (corded and not), with the camera usually on a tripod. Pretty much all of the gear kits that I use, enable this in some fashion.

Feb 18, 2024 at 11:34 AM

sjms
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

what jcolwell said

some places are somewhat resistant to the use of selfi sticks. they will subtly let you now.

NIKON D7200 17.0-70.0 mm f/2.8-4.0 lens 26mm 1/125s 450 ISO

Feb 18, 2024 at 11:53 AM

supermilch
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

I usually don't either, but am about to head out on my honeymoon, and the wife casually mentioned "wouldn't it be nice if we had more photos of us together from this trip"

Feb 18, 2024 at 06:33 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Sounds like you should pay attention.

If I was traveling light on my honeymoon, I'd probably take my two APS-C mirrorless cameras; Canon EOS M5 and M6, along with some small lenses. I'd probably have a tabletop tripod (at a minimum), and I'd operate the camera in selfie mode either by remote or timer (if I lose the remote).

Here's an example of using a selfie stick in safe conditions. Only the ice and the ocean to worry about.

Peggy's Cove NS, 2015

Feb 18, 2024 at 08:36 PM

Craig Gillette
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Tripod and timer is easy if you have a tripod along. I've been known to use the "trustworthy looking stranger" method. And am apparently a "trustworthy looking stranger," as I've been asked numerous times, too. People look at a nice camera and figure you can take a picture with their phone or camera. I look for somebody with Sony gear as I use Sony, figure they'll not be too intimidated. Back button focus fools some of them, even if explained. I like to have them review the shots I take and vice versa, as my vision is such that I've got the diopter cranked in, etc. So want a quick check before getting away.

That or somebody that looks older and/or slower.

Feb 18, 2024 at 09:23 PM

GroovyGeek
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Hard earned advice from some about to celebrate their 35th anniversary - unless your bride is also into photography leave the camera at home. The high end phones these days are good enough for all casual shooting. IMO selfies on a tripod are clumsy, a tripod is unwieldy to lug around all day long on a honeymoon. Just buy a good selfie stick and call it a day. We have one and always forget to bring it on family trips.

Feb 19, 2024 at 08:40 PM

jwpstl
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Front facing camera on the phone. These aren’t going to be made into large prints, they will be shared on social media so no need to hassle with the “real” camera.

Feb 20, 2024 at 09:31 AM

Jim Dockery
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

I agree with Groovy, unless your fiancee is also a serious photographer with her own gear, and you are going someplace you both really want to shoot. Otherwise if you have a good phone just leave the other camera gear. A selfie stick would then be nice to have, they collapse down and take up almost no room. You also don't need to keep the camera on it doing mostly selfies - which always seems overly self-centered. It can also be handy getting shots in cool high and low angles. Congrats!

Feb 20, 2024 at 10:48 AM

supermilch
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

The wife isn't a photographer but she does enjoy the photos, making albums, printing & decorating the house, etc. She was the one who asked to pack the tripod in the first place so we could get photos of us together, I wanted to pack light and not lug it around all day. To me it sounds like finding someone to take a snap (we're going to Japan = should be easy finding someone else using Sony gear?) and a selfie stick for when we can't is the way to go.

Feb 20, 2024 at 07:37 PM

jeffbuzz
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

I refuse to use a selfie stick because, well, selfie stick. And there is no way I'm handing my phone to anyone I haven't known personally for at least 10 years.

A mini tripod is the least awkward thing to carry and use. Get a phone clamp or use a mini ball head with small camera.

If you're being asked to get some "together" shots, you've been granted some amount of gear tolerance. A decent point & shoot and pocket size tripod should be acceptable to both of the parties involved. Congratulations.

Feb 20, 2024 at 08:33 PM

tzhang4284
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

What kind of camera are you planning on bringing? I think a small prime or zoom lens that start at 16mm or 20mm full frame equivalent would do the trick. Just flip the camera and the distortion isn’t too crazy and you get some background. A mini tripod isn’t a bad idea and could be useful but I rarely ever took the time to actually setup a shot while traveling.

Most selfie sticks can’t really handle real cameras so they’re mostly only useful for iPhones, GoPros, or really small point and shoots.

Feb 21, 2024 at 05:27 PM

tntcorp1
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

supermilch wrote:
I usually don't either, but am about to head out on my honeymoon, and the wife casually mentioned "wouldn't it be nice if we had more photos of us together from this trip"

oh oh.. a honeydo list coming up! it always begins with the harnless phrase "wouldn't it be nice if.." ))

Feb 21, 2024 at 05:51 PM

CanadaMark
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

I use the Samsung Ultra phones, which give me two really convenient options for "couples" selfies:

1) The phones include a built-in stylus which doubles as a wireless shutter remote with a range of ~30ft. Very simple and self explanatory.

2) I can also use my watch to control the phone's camera - not only will it display a live preview of what my phone camera is seeing for easy framing, I can combine it with the timer function so that I am not looking down at my watch at the time of the photo.

I just prop my phone up somewhere and it's very easy to get nice photos of the two of us without a long arm or selfie stick in the way, and without having to harass passers-by to take our photo or worry about theft

Feb 22, 2024 at 01:02 PM

GroovyGeek
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

Regarding mini tripods - these days they sell selfie sticks that have tripod legs. This one is solid and not junk. But it is intended for action cameras and does not have a Bluetooth trigger.

Insta360 2-in-1 Invisible Selfie Stick + Tripod, Compatible with GO 3/X3/ONE RS(1-Inch 360 Excluded)/ONE X2/ONE X/GO 2/ONE R/ONE https://a.co/d/fsyiHpV

Feb 22, 2024 at 10:56 PM

wordfool
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

I don't take photos of myself. Not even selfies. I think the close-up wide-angle lens of a selfie camera makes me look too much like an alien

When traveling with my significant other, however, I always take plenty of pictures of her but, alas, she never takes any of me. And when I point this out she's all "right, stand over there then..." which is obviously a recipe for a very un-candid photo. And five minutes later she's over the whole take a photo of me thing!

Feb 23, 2024 at 06:44 PM

clu3.clew
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

...smile when you see those dome security cameras and then ask for the footage? Hahaha

I've only taken selfie on a trip once while near Big Bear. They have some really huge pine cones that can prop up a phone pretty well.

Mar 07, 2024 at 04:11 AM

photeliza
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · How do you take photos of yourself on solo travel?

My phone's front camera has the capability, yet I opt not to use it. It is something I reserve for times when traveling with my wife.

Mar 11, 2024 at 09:34 PM


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