Headshot Photography 101: How To Take A Good Selfie While Traveling

Selfies are no longer new. Wherever you go, you’ll always find a person or a group of friends who are taking selfies – even if they’re eating at a fancy restaurant, doing their workout at the gym, or trying out new clothes at a boutique. Once they’re satisfied with how their selfies look, they’ll immediately upload these in their social media accounts.

Good selfies gain numerous “likes,” which is why more and more people are hopping into this bandwagon. This seems to be the trend today. Selfies are getting popular by the minute, especially for individuals who want to express themselves through photos. And when traveling, taking selfies will always be a requirement. How else can you capture scenic spots with you on the picture, right?

Taking selfie headshots while traveling can be very convenient because you don’t need the help of other people. However, it can also be challenging especially if you’re traveling solo. You won’t have someone to tell you how to pose or which angle suits you best, making your selfie headshots too long to capture.

You’ll be caught up in the cycle of posing in front of the camera, taking selfies, assessing if these selfies are good enough, and take more selfies if you’re unsatisfied. To steer away from this direction and ensure that you’ll have great selfie headshots while traveling, consider the tips below:

1 – Invest in a handy camera

The device you’ll use can significantly affect the quality of your selfies. If you use a low-quality camera, your selfies will also be low-quality and not like-worthy.

If you want to capture the best selfies on your next travel, consider buying a handy camera. The market is now full of cameras that come at different models, sizes, features, and prices. Compare different models and purchase one that suits your needs and preference. A good-quality handy camera can be an excellent investment especially if you’re always traveling or if you’re working as a blogger.

2 – Bring a selfie stick or tripod

Usually, people don’t like to bring any selfie stick or tripod because it’ll make them look like “tourists” and they don’t want to be labeled as such. Don’t make the same mistake – go ahead and bring your selfie stick and tripod. Don’t worry if you’ll look like a tourist because you are one!

Selfie sticks and tripods allow you to capture selfies on a larger frame. When you use either of these, you’ll be able to have high-quality selfies without compromising the beauty of your backdrop. If you’re walking through a desert for the first time or seeing floating lanterns in person, use a selfie stick in capturing your selfies. You can showcase the colors and the entire experience of your trip when you do this. Just make sure that you’ll bring lightweight selfie sticks and tripods. The lighter these tools are, the easier it’ll be for you to carry these around wherever you’ll go.

3 – Use self-timer, remote control, and burst mode

Taking great headshot selfies might be hard, but there are a lot of tools that can make this process easier and simpler. Take advantage of the self-timer feature of your device. Positioning your device to capture the right angle and timing it carefully can help you achieve breathtaking selfies as if these were taken by another person.

You can take your selfies while you’re on a rooftop, while you’re enjoying the sunset, or while you’re frolicking on white-sand beaches. And because you don’t need another person to capture beautiful pictures, you can shoot as many selfies as you want without bothering anybody to take pictures for you!

If you want to capture great selfie headshots that show your adventurous side, use the burst mode feature of your device. This will capture continuous shots in one click, allowing you to choose several pictures. When using burst mode, do big movements in your poses so your selfies can show your activities during your travel.

4 – Find the right lighting

Lighting will always be an important factor when you’re taking photos, especially in selfies, since these photos will focus your face. If you want your selfies to capture your good side, find the right lighting. Avoid using flash in your device and opt to use soft and diffused natural light.

The latter is more flattering and can highlight some of your facial features. Just look for a well-lit spot, show off your best pose or angle, and you’re good to go! While the sun can be your best friend in taking great selfie headshots, too much of it can wash you out from the photos. Your face will not be visible when this happens.

5 – Choose the right background

Although it can be tempting to pose just about anywhere when you’re traveling (who knows when you will be back in this location, right?), don’t do it. Pay attention to the color and details of your background. Make sure that you’re not posing in front of a background that will overpower you. A great selfie headshot should always have balance.

If you’re wearing light-colored clothes, pose in front of a dark-colored background, and vice versa. If your outfit has too many details, look for a background that is either plain or monochromatic. Following this rule allows you to highlight the different locations in your travel without compromising your overall look. After all, you probably took the time to plan what you’ll wear during your travel, so it’s just right that you showcase these.

6 – Ask a stranger to take your photo

Desperate times call for desperate measures – especially when it comes to your selfie headshots while traveling. If you’re traveling alone and you’re having a hard time taking selfies by yourself, ask a friendly-looking stranger to take your selfies instead. Not only will this allow you to have beautiful selfies, but this will also help you gain a friend.

Have your new friend take at least three selfies with different poses so you’ll have options to choose from. However, be careful to whom you entrust your camera or cell phone. Taking a selfie should never become the reason why you’ll lose any of your devices while you’re traveling. 

7 – Photograph other body parts

Today, selfies aren’t just limited to capturing your face; selfies can include taking photos of different parts of your body. Doing this doesn’t only create unique photos as your selfies, but it is also a creative way of remembering your recent travel. Start by taking photos of your feet while walking on a colorful pavement, your hands while leaning in a city’s mural, or your lips when you’re enjoying the local cuisine.

8 – Find inspiration

You don’t have to be burdened with thinking how to pose in your selfies; there are a lot of bloggers and Instagram influencers that can teach you how. You can also visit some websites, such as www.jaheadshots.com, to know more about headshot photography.

You can either copy poses from these sources or reinvent one as your own. Take time to read these platforms weeks before your trip. Practice whenever necessary. Let these be your inspiration in taking great selfie headshots while traveling.

9 – Install photo-editing software or apps

Because of the advent of technology, it’s now easier to have a flawless-looking selfie headshot. There are software and apps that can help you achieve this goal. If you’re using your cell phone in taking selfies, ask from your friends and families about their recommended apps or software. If they’ve been using these in the past, ask them how to use these tools properly. They might even share some tips and tricks so you’ll end up posting great selfie headshots online!

On the other hand, if you’re using a camera for taking selfies, you might need to bring with you a laptop to edit your photos, only if you don’t mind bringing a laptop in your trip. If you’re someone who’s keen on how your selfies look, this option might be more suitable. Editing software and apps installed on laptops can do so much more than those free apps on your cell phone.

Make sure that you have the essential apps and software on your devices before you travel. You should also spend time learning how to navigate through these apps and software and practice editing. There are a lot of editing tools to choose from, so make sure that you use one that suits your skills and preferences.

Live in the Moment

Taking selfies is a great way of capturing all the memories of your travel. However, this shouldn’t be your priority. You should take the time to put all of your devices down, bask in the sceneries, and just enjoy your travel. All of the great selfie headshots you post in your social media account would be meaningless if you didn’t take the chance to have fun during your travel.