How to Take Good Photos of Yourself Traveling Alone

The setup

Couples come home with photos of each other in front of everything. Solo travelers come home with 400 photos of buildings and three selfies where your arm is the main subject.

Why it's hard alone

The photographer is the person you want in the picture. Selfies are always too close and from the same angle. Asking strangers works sometimes, but you get whatever they frame, and handing your phone to someone in a busy square isn't always wise.

The solo method

1. Use your phone's timer, not the selfie camera. The rear camera is much better. Set a 10-second timer, or burst mode with the timer, so you get several frames.
2. Find a ledge. Walls, benches, railings and café tables all make tripods. Prop the phone against your bag.
3. Frame first, then walk in. Compose the shot with yourself small in the scene. A person in a landscape looks better than a face in front of one.
4. Use video, then screenshot. Record yourself walking through the scene, then grab the best frame. More natural than posing.
5. Shoot early. Popular spots are near-empty in the first hour after sunrise, and the light is better.
6. If you ask someone, pick wisely. Look for another traveler with a good camera, and offer to take theirs first. Show them exactly what you want framed.
7. Use a remote shutter or your watch. A Bluetooth remote, or a smartwatch camera app, lets you check the framing and take the photo from where you're standing.

What nobody tells you

The best solo travel photos often don't show your face at all: your back to the camera looking out, your hands holding the coffee, your shoes on the cobblestones. They're easier to take alone and look more like the trip felt.