Something I have been asked a lot recently is how I get these seemingly difficult shots while travelling alone. I am asked who is taking photos of my back/hair and how I get them to do it, so i decided to write about it! Here are a couple of tips about photographing while travelling alone.
1. Invest in a selfie stick. I know its cliche and trust me I have resisted it till about January this year, but honestly, it makes things so much easier! You can control and capture so much more with a selfie stick than you would, if you just used your hand.
2. Make friends. One of the perks of solo travelling is how uninhibited you can bemeaning that you are more like to make friends with locals or just other travellers. This is also easiest way to get a good shot and perhaps the best way to become friends.
3. So, this might be a somewhat weird one, but i scout out certain types of people to take photos of me, not only because i want the right shot, but also to ensure that no one runs away with my camera. So keep an eye out for a) Family: Usually at least one person in the family is very good at taking Photos. Plus they are less likely to run away with your camera. b) Travellers with bigger or better cameras than yours- because they probably take better photos than my i do with my iPhone and lets face it, no one wants my phone when they have a Cannon D500. c) Older people – because when was the last time a lovely old lady ran away with a camera? d) One person from a bigger tour group: usually, if they are not good at taking photos, they will ask someone else from the group who is better to take it.
I hope this post has been useful and informative for you! If you can think of any topics you want me to write about please be sure to email me on : malihaaroundtheworld@gmail.com. And if you like this article, please show a sister some love, head over to instagram and follow my page: @maliharoundtheworld:D
4. Go on a Walking tour. Many big cities offer free walking tours that are based on tips, this is a good time to learn about the different great photo spots as well as take good photos at the right time and angle, as advised by your guide.
5. Finally, this is my favourite trick yet- offer to take photos for others. I often see solo travellers or families try to take selfies and offer to take photos for them. This creates a lovely bond of reciprocity and theres a 99.99% chance, people won’t say no to whatever crazy photo shot you want to take, plus you are doing somehting nice for someone! 🙂
Maliha Fairooz is a 27-year-old Bangladeshi solo traveller, who has travelled to 83 countries, on a Bangladeshi passport. Through her blog www.maliharoundtheworld.com, she shares her experience of travelling as a brown, Muslim, Bangladeshi woman while simultaneously encouraging a culture of travel amongst Bangladeshi youth.
