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If you are like me, you arrive home from an adventure somewhere to find that you have very few, if any travel photos of me on those adventures. While I really do not like having my photo taken, it is nice to be in some photos to show you actually did go to those amazing places.
So, as a person who hates being in photos, here are my ten ways to include yourself in your travel photos.
1 – Be a Small Part of the Overall Photo
By being a small part of overall travel photos, you do not become the main focus of the photos. In the photo below, while I am in the bottom right corner, the path leads your eyes up to the beautiful Cradle Mountain (Tasmania) in the background.
2 – Hide Your Face
Hide part of your face with something such as food or a drink. In this example, we had just purchased some waffles from a vendor in Paris so I had my husband take a photo of me pretending to start to eat them. That way the focus of the photo goes from me to the waffles.
3 – Be Literal
This one can be difficult to be able to get a photo but it can also be fun if you can. In this example, we had just finished hiking the first major peak on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I had spent the six months before the trip working hard on my fitness to make sure I would survive the hike. So when I make it to the top of the first peak, which is named “Dead Woman’s Pass”, I had to have a photo of a “dead woman” at Dead Woman’s Pass!
You need to be aware of sensitivities with these photos and make sure you are not doing something that may be considered rude or insensitive in these types of travel photos.
4 – Embrace the Terrible
There will always be times when it simply is not possible to take a good photo. In these times, I say, “embrace the terrible”! Let me show you some examples from our trip to Iceland.
In this photo we were about to go snorkelling at Silfra in Iceland. You are snorkelling between two tectonic plates in glacial water that has filtered down through lava fields. The water is freezing cold so you need to wear a dry suit to keep warm. There is no way you can look good in one of these things, but the experience was amazing.
In this next example, I felt like the Michelin Man in this outfit. Again there is not way to be glamorous in an outfit like this. But the adventure made up for it. We were about to head out on a Zodiac boat trip on Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
These were two of the most amazing things we have done while travelling and being able to capture being there was important. So what else is there to do but embrace the fact that we were not going to have glamour photos. Rather its fun to have real life photo of the adventures we went on.
5 – Only Include Your Feet or Hands
Feet first. This method can be a lot of fun. Think about the things we walk over everyday that we usually ignore. For example, are you in a old building in Italy that has beautiful old tiles on the floor. Or are you walking through a field of spring flowers. These can make great photos and you can easily incorporate yourself.
In this first example, I found this cover while walking up to the snow monkeys in Japan. I loved the design on it so decided a great way to be in the photo was to include my feet.
Or are you on an adventure where you are doing something different. We were doing a glacier hike in Iceland and needed to wear crampons on our shoes. To add to the photo, I included the ice pick for a bit more drama.
Now our hands. There are so many fun ways to include your hands in your travel photos. You could be holding a ticket or an ice cream or an autumn colour leaf. The possibilities are endless.
6 – Embrace the Inner Diva
Find opportunities to embrace your inner diva. It’s so much fun and can be so unexpected for our friends and family to see photos like this. For me, every time I see a set of wings on a wall, I have to get a photo with them.
7 – Don’t Face The Camera
This technique is used so often in Instagram photos especially those where the person’s arm is reaching back to the photographer (no I don’t have any of these as examples). But you can simply turn from about 90 degrees away from the camera.
By looking away from the camera, the person looking at the photo is drawn away from you to the scenery you are looking at.
In this photo, I am looking out at the sun setting over the glaciers around Hofn in Iceland. Having on a large jacket and my hands in my pockets gives the sense of the cold temperature. Also the orange jacket provides impact as a dark coloured jacket would have disappeared amongst the rocks and water.
In this photo, we had stopped by the road side in the Westfjords in Iceland to have a snack while taking in the spectacular scenery. It was so cold, hence the big coat, beanie and gloves. But again I’m looking at the scenery and not the camera.
8 – Start a Travel Photo Tradition
I think the easiest way to explain this one is to tell you about our tradition. I love photography and for me capturing where we travel to is really important. So, on each of our adventures, my husband gets at least one photo of me taking a photo.
In this photo, I am photographing the amazing Dynjandi Waterfall in the Westfjords of Iceland.
So to start a travel photos tradition, think about some of the things you love doing why travelling to create your travel photo tradition. To get you started here are some ideas:
- Enjoying your first coffee of the morning overlooking the amazing view
- Enjoying a glass of wine at sunset
- Blowing a kiss to the camera
- Holding an ice cream
- Trying a local delicacy
When choosing an idea remember that doing things like cart wheels or jumping may be fun, they may also be considered rude / inappropriate in some places such as religious sites.
Read more about the amazing Dynjandi Waterfall here.
9 – Be Part of a Crowd
In many places we visit there are lots of other people, either locals or tourists or both. By blending into those crowds you do not become the focal point of the photo.
Another way is to be part of a photo of a new group of friends you meet. In this photo, we had stopped on the side of the road in the Westfords of Iceland (actually on the way to visit Dynjandi Waterfall above). We were taking drone footage of the amazing landscape. As we were bringing the drone back to us two cars arrived and our new friends were more excited about the drone than the amazing scenery. So this is a photo from our drone of us with our new friends taking a photo of the drone!
Other examples include being part of the crowd sitting on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Or you could be part of the crowd in Time Square in New York.
10 – The Obligatory Selfie
I am not a huge fan of selfies, not because I don’t like the photos, but because some people can be really annoying when they are trying to get that “perfect” selfie. I also find people walking around with their mobile phones attached to a selfie stick to be annoying (ok rant over haha). But a quick selfie can be a great photo if it’s taken respectfully.
In this photo we had just hiked to the top of Cradle Mountain and grabbed a selfie as we started the trip back down.
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Tiff
March 9, 2019I really enjoyed the honesty of this piece and your photographs! Great tips.
admin
March 9, 2019Thanks Tiff. And so glad you like the photos!
Nat
March 9, 2019These tips are so good and really helps! Thank you!
Lisa
March 10, 2019Thanks Nat. Hope you can use them.
Jyoti
March 9, 2019These are exactly the things I like to do to avoid being in front of the camera. I do the same for my family’s pictures and avoid having us in pictures.
admin
March 9, 2019I have never liked being in front of the camera but I am slowly realising it’s nice to be in some.
Deb
March 9, 2019Great article. Thanks for sharing! I’ll definitely remember these tips for my future trips!
admin
March 9, 2019Glad it’s helpful Deb.
melissa
March 10, 2019This is great! We definitely all know someone who hates being in photographs.
Lisa
March 10, 2019Thanks Melissa. I’m definitely one of those people!
Rowena
March 10, 2019Haha yes girl, I hear you. I end up with a lot of funky photos of myself bc I don’t love being in front of the camera (ironic since I used to be a TV reporter). But that funkiness brings back lots of good memories!
Lisa
March 10, 2019You definitely get some really different photos Rowena.
Anna
March 10, 2019This is perfect! I’m really struggling with the same problem but I’ve been trying to make an effort and include myself in at least 1-2 photos, haha. And that’s really an effort to make the pics look worthwhile when I’m in them (in that odd one or two). These are great tips! I think I may need to start that tradition…
Lisa
March 10, 2019Thanks Anna. The tradition is a great way to get photos.
Holly
March 10, 2019Great tips! I found myself going ‘yep done that one!’
Lisa
March 10, 2019Haha that’s perfect. So glad you do these too.
Mona
March 10, 2019This is funny but so relatable! Sharing this with my best friend. She hates being in travel photos.
Lisa
March 10, 2019Thanks Mona. I’ve had some very “bad” photos to be able to get to this list haha.
Alison
March 24, 2019I love these ideas! I’m definitely a fan of getting my feet in shots and have been known to embrace the terrible on more than one occasion! I’ll definitely be sharing this post.
Lisa
March 24, 2019Thanks Alison. I’m definitely a feet photo person too. Oh and there are always embrace the terrible times haha! So glad you enjoyed the post.
Margarida Vasconcelos
January 25, 2020Great tips. Thank you for sharing it.
Lisa
January 26, 2020You’re welcome Margarida