Capturing the Selfie

To selfie or not to selfie, that is the question. The rise of modern day social media in the last 15 years with MySpace followed by Facebook, has generated a new form of taking pictures. The reaching your arm out as far as you can and use your digital camera and take a picture of yourself. This form was used for photos for profile pictures on sites. Today, it is a common occurrence in everyday life. Just because you can does not ALWAYS mean you should.

I admit that I have been "that person" who when they travel have taken selfies because it was the thing to do. Looking back on them I have learned...I was not meant to take selfies (my arms are not long enough). Taking selfies doesn't capture the whole scene that you are trying remember. As mentioned in other posts, I have traveled both alone and with friends and have learned that there are better ways to take the pictures while traveling of yourself. Here are a few photo tips I recommend from trial and error myself.

• If you are travelling with at least one other human being, let them take your picture. It will be better quality, aligned properly and it will be more visually appealing. Your travel companion can also capture the moments leading up to the actual picture, like if you are trying to put your feet in the ocean, they can capture the almost fall in trying to balance yourself. Although humiliating, great memories are captured that way.

Trying to put my feet
in the Bay of Fundy

Actually putting my feet
 in the Bay of Fundy

• If you are travelling alone, have a camera with a timer on it. Balance your camera on a tree branch or on top of your car and set the timer to run into place. It will seem as if you had someone traveling with you.

• If travelling alone, have a travel companion you can pose in the picture you would like to be in and pretend it is you. The storyline and comments from your travels will seem unique and entertaining if they were pictures of a knome or a large stuffed animal on social media or in photo albums.

Angus at the Alberta-Saskatchewan
border 

Angus checking us into our hotel
for the night.

On your next road trip, remember these tips and see the reactions you get when you get more creative with your photos then just the selfie.