• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content

The Wandering Suitcase

Travel Blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • New Zealand Travel
  • Destinations
    • Australia
    • Fiji
    • Finland
    • Japan
    • New Zealand
    • Scotland
    • Singapore
    • Sweden
    • USA
    • Vietnam
  • Musings
  • Tips & Tools
    • Balancing a Career with Travel
    • Blogging
    • Budget Travel
    • Driving Overseas
    • Hiking
    • Moving Overseas
    • Photography
    • Winter Travel Tips
    • Sustainability
  • About
  • Home
  • Start Here
  • New Zealand Travel
  • Destinations
    • Australia
    • Fiji
    • Finland
    • Japan
    • New Zealand
    • Scotland
    • Singapore
    • Sweden
    • USA
    • Vietnam
  • Musings
  • Tips & Tools
    • Balancing a Career with Travel
    • Blogging
    • Budget Travel
    • Driving Overseas
    • Hiking
    • Moving Overseas
    • Photography
    • Winter Travel Tips
    • Sustainability
  • About
Travel Selfies - Miyajima Island, Japan

7 tips for taking great travel selfies

April 14, 2018 //  by Mae-Gene//  13 Comments

Why, hello there! This post might contain affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you purchase from them. 

Pin2K
Share66
Tweet
2K Shares

I’m often asked when I’m traveling solo whether I have someone following me around with a camera. The answer is a big resounding NO! I’m not rich enough to hire someone to take photos of me, nor is it practical for me to always travel with someone.

One of my most common questions on my Instagram account and on my blog is asking how I take such beautiful travel selfies.

Photos serve as a great memento of your travels. They can help you remember where you’ve been and have the added bonus of being lightweight “souvenirs”. Gone are the days of awkward travel photos, or taking 10 billion photos of the same thing. There is an art to snapping a good solo portrait.

To help others take great photos when traveling solo, I’ve put together a list of ways you can take a great travel selfie.

1. Pack a travel-sized tripod

Travel sized tripods are my secret weapon when it comes to taking an epic travel selfie. When you’re short on luggage space or are hiking up a mountain, a full sized tripod just isn’t practical. My favorite is the JOBY GorillaPod. This one is especially useful, as you can set up your camera on a ledge or wrap it around a railing or tree branch (yes, I have done this before!)

These are also great when you’re traveling with family and want to get group photos. This tripod is especially helpful when there aren’t other people around!

Pro tip: Make sure you buy the right size for your camera (i.e., point and shoot vs. DSLR). The version for the point and shoot won’t be strong enough to carry the weight of a DSLR. They screw into the bottom of your camera (you don’t need to worry about fittings apart from making sure you buy the right version for the weight of your camera).

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  A dummies guide to getting "that" instagrammable shot

This is the JOBY GorillaPod for DSLRs, and this is the JOBY GorillaPod for point and shoot cameras.

Travel Selfies

Shot on a beach in Fiji by wrapping my GorillaPod around a tree and setting my camera on a timer before running into the shot. 

2. Pack a full-sized tripod: this is my favorite and is how I get many of my travel selfies

Yes, full-sized tripods can be heavy, but they make a world of difference when getting that perfect shot. If you’re into photography, a tripod is a must for capturing low light shots or for photographing at sunrise or sunset. I always get asked “who” takes my photos when I shoot with a tripod – people are always surprised when I tell them I got the shot with a tripod!

My favorite is this budget-friendly tripod from Amazon. While cheap, you may want to upgrade to a sturdier version if you’re traveling to windy environments (the Amazon basics tripod is quite light) If you don’t travel solo that often, or you’re not spending massive amounts of time in the great outdoors, this is a great option!

Pro tip: learn how to adjust your tripod before you set out. You can play with heights and angles (i.e. you can angle your camera up or down). They’re a great replacement in the absence of a person.

Set your camera on a timer or purchase a wireless remote so you can snap your travel selfies from a distance.

Travel Selfies - Antelope Canyon USA

Shot in Antelope Canyon, USA with the Amazon tripod. 

3. Prop your camera on a ledge (or place it on the ground/steps)

If all else fails or you forget your tripod, set your camera on a ledge or steps. You can then set your camera on timer mode and voila! It’s almost like you had a physical person there to take your photo.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  A dummies guide to getting "that" instagrammable shot

Travel Selfies - Tasmania

Shot in Tasmania, Australia by setting my camera on a rock and setting it on a timer!

4. The good ol’ selfie

What can I say – you can never go wrong with a travel selfie. This is a great option if you want just a photo of you in front of something. You can also get super cool effects if you have a fisheye or wide angled lens on your camera or phone. If you want a wide angle lens, the Xenvo lens kit is a great option. It comes with a wide angle and macro lenses that you can play with and you can clip onto your phone camera.

Travel Selfies - Philadelphia

The famous LOVE statue in Philadelphia – shot with a fish eye lens.

5. Use a selfie stick

I’ve never been a selfie stick person, but I have many friends who swear by the sturdy selfie stick. You can prop it over your shoulder to mix things up or take great group shots by holding it in front of you.

Remember: Make sure you only use your selfie stick in places where they’re allowed. Some places like Disneyland have banned the use of selfie sticks.

 

6. Make friends who love to take photos

If you make friends easily, try to make friends with fellow travelers at the hostel you’re staying at. Or better yet, reach out to fellow travelers in FB groups who might live or be visiting the same city or country you’re traveling to and see if they might be up for a day of traveling with you.

In the past, I’ve met up with fellow travel bloggers I’ve met via travel Facebook groups or Instagram. If you’re doing this, be careful and only meet in public places. There are a lot of strange people out there on the internet!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:  A dummies guide to getting "that" instagrammable shot

Travel Selfies - Rhode Island

Shot on Rhode Island, USA by my friend who blogs over at City and See who I met via Instagram!

7. Ask a stranger

If all else fails, ask a stranger! I’ve been asked SO many times by complete strangers to take photos of them.

Look out for fellow photographers (if they’re carrying a large camera, chances are they would be willing to help) or offer to take photos for others and then when you’re done, ask if they can take a photo of you!

Travel Selfies Pintrest Image

There is an art to taking a great travel photo, but the effort is 100% worth it. Travel is such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you may not have a chance to visit the city or country again!

Don’t miss out on beautiful travel photos just because you’re traveling solo. There are so many ways to get the elusive solo travel photo – just use what works for you and your travel style.

Pin2K
Share66
Tweet
2K Shares

Category: Photography

About Mae-Gene Yew

Why hello there, new friend! I'm Mae-Gene, the travel-obsessed Aussie girl behind The Wandering Suitcase blog.

I'm obsessed with eating copious amounts of sushi and hiking in New Zealand. But on most days you can find me in my home city of Melbourne dreaming of my next adventure, working my lil' corner of the internet (this blog!) or gettin' ready to strap on my hiking boots. Read more...

Previous Post: « The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Monument Valley
Next Post: Why this travel blogger is re-thinking their love of travel »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maggie

    April 20, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    I’ve always wondered how some people take selfies by themselves!! These are great tips, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Mona

    April 20, 2018 at 7:35 pm

    This is great advice! Now I just need to learn how to pose…

    Reply
  3. Jayne

    April 20, 2018 at 7:39 pm

    These are great tips. I’ve been wanting to invest in a tripod for ages but wasn’t sure which sort to go for. I’ll check out your recommendations.

    Reply
  4. Viola

    April 20, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    Haha yes life has changed since I started traveling with Mr. Tripod. Definitely the secret weapon! See I always thought you were traveling with your husband. Didn’t know we are on the same tripod team 😛 Always love your photos!

    Reply
  5. Mateja

    April 20, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    These are truly great ideas! I am usually using a tripod or ask someone to help me with it. You’ve become a real pro in taking selfies! Love all your pictures <3

    Reply
  6. Sarah Shumate

    April 20, 2018 at 8:20 pm

    I have a ‘just say no’ policy when it comes to using selfie sticks, but everything else you suggested I would totally do if I didn’t always travel with two humans who can take a pretty decent picture. 🙂 One of these days I’m going to give solo travel a go, though, and when I do I’ll be using your tips!

    Reply
  7. Sojourner

    April 20, 2018 at 8:41 pm

    I’m going to Mexico solo soon and these tips are perfect! Thank you!

    Reply
  8. atravellersfootsteps

    April 21, 2018 at 1:27 am

    This is really helpful. We all want the perfect shot when we travel haha

    Reply
  9. Rosie Gilbert

    May 2, 2018 at 5:07 pm

    I’ve been using tripod and selfies stick for ages and they do great job. Also you can always ask someone to take picture of you.

    Reply
  10. Umrah Travel

    October 3, 2018 at 5:18 am

    Some useful tips.
    I loved the Shot in Tasmania, Australia.
    Yes I’ve tried this tip before of making friends who love to take photos, which results useful every time.

    Reply
  11. John

    October 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm

    Great tips!
    A tripod is a must! I would recommend getting a gorilla tripod.

    Reply
  12. Megan

    October 30, 2018 at 3:50 pm

    Amazing tips. I would totally recommend a tripod.

    Reply
  13. Haley

    March 13, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    I always take a mini tripod when traveling. It’s a must!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Site Footer

The Wandering Suitcase is a participant in several affiliate programs.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You can find our full disclosure and privacy policy here.

Copyright © 2023 The Wandering Suitcase · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme