Travelling solo? Enter to win a $500 travel voucher. Just tell us why you like travelling solo (in 100 words or less). Entries close July 30! Click here to enter!
It’s the classic superimposed ego shot in front of a really cool landmark. The one snap with that really long arm and as many crammed-in friends as can fit. A crazy wide angle frame with curved edges making the world look like it’s been smashed into a Christmas snow globe. This is the beginning of my explanation of the famed social snap and how to get that perfect traveller “selfie.”
I think the advent of the front-facing smart phone camera really changed the way we view ourselves – literally. About a year ago, the selfie brought about an entirely new travel trend and began to saturate the social media world. Something that began as a bit of a joke turned into an art form of sorts. Who could get the coolest selfie? Is mine cooler than yours? Who could get the craziest wild animal in the background? Who has the best expression or the most extreme adventure activity? From there, it turned into an international craze when Ellen DeGeneres’ infamous Oscars pic hit Twitter.
I hope that everyone reading this knows what a selfie is and would think you’ve got a stash of awesome ones in your photo collections. And why not? As travellers, we live pretty cool lives and are all devilishly good-looking. The world should know about it, right? Yes, they should. This is one of my favourites from Taronga Zoo in Sydney:
So, how does one perfect this art form? Here are a few easy tricks to help you take that perfect traveller selfie on your next adventure.
- First off, a super wide-angle camera like a GoPro or Sony handheld make it incredibly easy to get a sweet-looking selfie. The wider the frame, the better.
- Infinity focus. Try and make sure that your camera doesn’t automatically focus on only you (the subject) but the entire frame. Most cameras have a manual focus feature which can be set to infinity. The GoPro has a built in automatic infinity focus and makes selfies very easy.
- Get a magnetic wide-angle extension for your smartphone camera. There are lots of really cool magnetic add-ons for smart phones that act as filters for your phone’s camera. One is a wide angle and immediately turns your phone into the perfect selfie device.
- Aim the phone/camera slightly up at a height just above your head, then tilt it downward to take the snap. This is pretty simple and incredibly helpful in making the selfie look much more impressive than it actually is. Test it out a few times; you should see a difference right away, especially if you’re shooting in front of landscape.
- Have fun! Put as many people in it as possible, make a funny face, get pets or and food in it, and make it interesting. The more you can stuff into it, the better.
The best selfies I’ve seen are usually in places that most people are familiar with, like Machu Picchu or the Taj Mahal. Other good ones often have animals in them. For a long time, one of the most popular photos on Tourism Australia’s Instagram account was of my friend Cameron Ernst and a cheetah.
The quick-and-easy selfie is a shining example of how our digital society continues to lean towards the most convenient ways of sharing how awesome we all are. It’s the epitome of the somewhat self-obsessed idea of, “Hey! Look at me and where I am, and how cool it all is, and why aren’t you here too?”
What is your best travel selfie? Where was it taken? What were you doing in it? Was it just you or did it include other people or animals? And most importantly: Is it cooler than mine? Tell us and tell the world… just don’t forget that all-important #selfie hashtag!
Travelling solo? You could win a $500 travel voucher.
Travelling solo gives you the chance to recharge, reenergize, and re-connect with yourself. G Adventures wants to make it a little easier to get out there. Enter to win a $500 travel voucher and get closer to your planet than you ever could on your own. Just tell us why you like travelling solo (in 100 words or less). Entries close July 30, so hop to it. Click here to enter!
