It’s all well and good to have photos of the places you’ve visited, but sometimes it’s nice to appear in them yourself. I like having photographic proof of my presence somewhere, especially when I’ve travelled half way across the world to see something spectacular. It’s not just for Instagram (although I won’t lie, I obviously want it for that too), but I want to send it to my mum and say, ‘Look where I am!’, or to have it put in a frame for memories. Travelling solo means you might not always get a great photo of yourself, but here’s how I manage it:
Tripod + self-timer
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| Taken at Montane Mansions, Hong Kong |
This is one for the dedicated bunch. I travel with a Manfrotto mini tripod which attaches to the bottom of my Olympus Pen E-PL7 so I can prop it up in any old place. My camera has a remote viewing option, meaning I can see what the camera sees from my phone and can position myself in the right place to take the photo. It takes a bit of practice, and if I go too far, the phone loses range of the camera and then just starts taking photos whenever the hell it likes, but with some patience, you can get an awesome shot.
Selfie mode
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| Taken at Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Hong Kong |
For a quick, easy pic of myself somewhere, I’ll just use the front-facing camera on my iPhone 7 to get a selfie. There’s no shame in it and you absolutely won’t be the only person doing it if you’re somewhere well-known. Lots of tourists opt for selfie sticks, but a lot of attractions and sights are actually now banning them, so check before you go!
Ask somebody!
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| Taken on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to Lantau Island, Hong Kong |
It can be a bit awkward, but just asking somebody to take a photo of you is the easiest way to get a full length photo of yourself with a decent view behind you. You’re likely to ask people who are used to using their mobile phone for photography though, so if you’re handing them an actual camera, do both of you a favour and switch it to auto mode! It’s also a great way to meet people when travelling solo, as you can return the favour and then strike up a chat. That’s exactly how I made travel buddies in Kuala Lumpur and on the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
There’s no need to be embarrassed about wanting a photo of yourself when travelling alone, so figure out what you’re comfortable doing and how patient you are, and shoot!
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