Read this blog post and learn how to get good photos of yourself on solo travel. Here are 5 tips and tricks.

I am often asked how I take good pictures of myself while on solo travel. Here are the 5 methods I use to get good pics of myself on solo travel. They are all relatively low cost. Many just require your mobile phone. I use an iPhone XR for most of my pictures.

1. Master the Selfie

You can get really good photos of yourself if you master the art of taking the Selfie. Always take Selfies in front of amazing backdrops.  Practice taking selfies at home and outdoors. Determine the best light and best facial expressions.  For example, take your photo with a smile, without a smile, smile with your teeth, and without, with your mouth closed or slightly closed.  Figure out what looks you like by practice.

Here is a selfie I took at Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.

The selfie may yield lower-quality pictures but if your backdrop is on point, it will still be quite nice.

2. Bring along a remote Tripod with Bluetooth (my favorite)

Another way you can get good photos of yourself is to travel with a Selfie stick with a remote wireless shutter. I always travel with a Selfie Stick, 40-inch Extendable Selfie Stick Tripod with Wireless Remote Shutter.  I never leave home without it! It is small enough to fit easily in my personal bag or backpack.  It allows me to take great selfies as well as posed pictures. I also like this smaller tripod with a flexible stand and Bluetooth Remote that I can sit on a table to take photos as well. It’s amazing! I can wrap it around a tree branch, or the top of a chair, and get a perfect shot. It is very lightweight and takes u very little space.

Again, practice makes perfect so take some time to take photos in your leisure time. Figure out what poses and facial expressions work and then go for it! One of my favorite poses using my selfie stick tripod is the back of the headshot. Here is a favorite from a solo trip to Tulum Mexico that I took with my selfie stick tripod.

3. Take a Tour and ask your Guide

Another way you can get good photos of yourself is through tours. I love tours when I solo travel! It’s a great way to learn a lot about a city or town in a limited period of time. I regularly do guided tours with Viator and GetYourGuide, guided individual tours, and walking tours through Airbnb Experiences. All are great ways to get quality photographs if you have a tour guide with a good eye.

If you buy a guided individual tour ask your guide to take some photographs. They are usually happy to do it. You’re not always going to get the best photographs this way because most guides are not photographers. Make sure you set up the photo exactly where you want it taken, gauge your light and then just have them point and shoot. Guides make better photographers than random strangers or fellow solo travelers on your tour. They usually have experience taking pictures and usually have a better eye for a good shot. Here is a favorite photograph taken by a guide on a tour in Bali, Indonesia.

4. Ask another solo traveler

Yet another way I get good photos of myself is by asking another solo traveler. I look for someone else taking selfies traveling on their own and ask if they would be willing to take a couple of pictures of me in exchange for me taking pictures of them.

I don’t like to just walk up to random people and ask them. Instead, I will pick someone with a nice camera also trying to take a snap with a tripod, or a couple taking pictures of each other. I often zero in on younger women because younger people have a better grasp of photo technology. and young women know how to get a great snap for the gram! I will offer to take a picture for them in exchange for one of myself.

I try to assess carefully who I ask to ensure that someone doesn’t run off with my camera. Most of the time I only ask a stranger to take a photo of me on walking tours or a day trip booked through a reputable tour company. I like to use Viator and GetYourGuide, Walking tours are also a great way to make new friends while traveling solo and to get a good snap!

Here is a pic from my solo trip to Thailand that another follows solo traveler on a tour took for me.

I find this to be the method that will yield the least predictable result. So be careful. You need to pick the spot, the light and just have the person point exactly where you selected and shoot and you STILL may end up with a lackluster result.

5. Book a photographer

The final way I get good photos of myself on solo travel is by booking a photographer. This is the most expensive method but the one most likely to give you the best result! Another great thing about using a photographer is many of them will also share history, cultural intel, and restaurant recommendations with you during your photo shoot. I have gotten great information about restaurants, activities, and historical facts during photo shoots. You can find a photographer on a tour website like Viator, GetYourGuide, TripAdvisor, or Airbnb Experiences.

Be careful to READ all reviews to ensure the best outcome. Also, ask for referrals from fellow solo travelers whose photographs you admire.

I’ve gotten really great pictures this way. Prices can range from $25-$65 and up.

Here are a couple of photographs from shoots I did in Queretaro, Mexico, Florence Italy, and Venice, Italy. These photo shoots were all booked through Airbnb experiences and I love the results.

Pro Tip: Do NOT provide a review until you get your edited photos. No matter how much you like the initial photographs. I recently had a photographer take several months to send me my fully edited photographs. I had no recourse because I had already given her a good review and Airbnb was not very helpful.  Lesson Learned.

Final Tip

Take your photos early or during the golden twilight hour! The best time to take your own photographs is early in the morning or right at sunset. My favorite time is early morning before key spots get crowded and the sun is still low. The golden hour is also nice but there are likely to be more crowds so I stick to early morning.

Practice practice practice. Practice taking pictures and posing. When you’re at home, practice setting up your tripod with your phone camera and taking selfie shots and posed shots. Be patient with yourself.

Don’t take your eyes off your things when shooting in public. Always keep your eyes on your phone and never put your purse down when taking photographs in public. I suggest carrying a nice cross-body purse or waist bag that you can keep on you throughout your photo shoot.

There you have it! My five tips on how to get good pictures of yourself while Solo Travel.  Don’t forget to subscribe to this website and to my YouTube channel for video blogs (vlogs), video shorts, and more tips and tricks to make your Solo trip memorable and fun!

No matter where you plan to solo travel your travel should include a travel safety plan. Grab the BaldGirlWillTravel: A Guide to Travel Safety and Security for Solo Female Travelers and ensure you follow the safety tips to ensure a safe solo travel experience.

A great way to plan safe and fun travel excursions especially is through  Viator. Check them out for great deals on walking tours, tours of popular places and airport transfers.  As a woman traveling alone, I make a special point to plan my excursions in advance and I especially love Viator because I have the option of not paying in full until 48 hours before my tour date and I can get a refund until 24 hours before my tour!

How do I get the best prices on flights to all my adventures? I rely on Going (formerly Scotts Cheap Flights). I am always confident that the prices I find on Going are the lowest I will find anywhere.

Thank You For Reading!

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Check out these solo travel blog posts:

3 WAYS TO BUILD A SOLO TRAVEL MINDSET

10 SOLO TRAVEL MISTAKES TO AVOID!

4 MORE OF MY FAVORITE SAFETY APPS & GADGETS FOR SOLO TRAVEL!

7 SAFETY TIPS FOR WOMEN OVER 40 TRAVELING SOLO

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