Solo travelers, have you ever asked a stranger to help you take a photo for you?
 

Hello fellow travelers, would you please help this girl out with some advice?

I'm leaving for my solo Euro trip next week and my friend asked me how I'd ever take a (proper) photo of myself over there. I have no idea except to take photos of only scenery or to try to take my pictures holding the camera at arm's length. Have you asked or would you ever ask a stranger to take a photo for you? I'm afraid someone might run off with my camera. I was thinking of bringing along a disposable camera for this purpose, but after hearing from a friend whose plastic grocery bag (filled with groceries) was ripped off by someone on a Vespa, I'm not so sure that even a cheap disposable camera could do the trick. Are thieves desperate enough to steal a disposable camera? Then again, it was possible that person on the Vespa didn't recognize that it was a only grocery bag? Am I just being paranoid? How did/would you solve this problem?

Thanks a bunch.

You ask a very good question. I wonder about that for myself too.

I guess if you can ask someone who's also a fellow tourist to take your picture provided you're near a tourist spot. Otherwise, I'm not sure; I guess you can sort of judge who you should ask.

ALL the time. I've never had a problem and never been refused. Even when I couldn't speak the language, I would make eye contact, smile, hold out the camera and ask "Photo?" as a question. Again, I've never been refused by a tourist. Wait-staff have always accomodated with a smile - including the waiter in Paris that appeared to be from central casting playing the role of snooty French waiter.

And I ALWAYS stop and offer to take a picture of a couple or a group when so all can be in the shot.

Take a disposable camera if you feel more comfortable, but I think the source of that fear was just an inventive commercial.

Muimei, yes, of course! Otherwise, I wouldn't have had photos of myself taken, when I wanted.

As a female solo traveler, I usually ask it to a couple, or to a family apparently in the same circumstance I am, meaning traveling, never to a single male, as I don't know how a man would take my request...

To have the camera stollen never occurred to me.

Please, don't get paranoid. Use common sense, and you shall be fine. Paranoia will likely ruin you trip, and take away all the pleasure of experiencing a new culture.

PS - at least half of our France pictures were taken by strangers walking by, standing on the Eiffel Tower with us, wait staff, etc. At the Lido we had to wait until after the show - the waiters could not take photos before. It turned out to be one of the best pics of the trip.

Yes, I have asked people to take a picture of my husband and me together, and have had other people ask me to take pictures of them as well. It's just another nice way of "sharing", right?

<i>&quot;I'm afraid someone might run off with my camera.&quot;</i>

Where in the world do people acquire such fears?

I've put my $15,000 Contax into the hands of strangers hundreds of times. Of course, holding a camera of this stature seems to empower and embolden (more like intimidate) the uninitiated.

Strangers abroad are incredibly generous and all-too-happy to step in and &quot;play&quot; photographer because everyone traveling can imagine themselves in a precious situation alone. I've <b>never</b> had anyone turn me down.

The last thing that ever occurred to me was someone running off with my camera. I guess that's the power and security of theft insurance. Let 'em take it. Then, I get to buy the newest version. ((P))

I have travelled solo for years (Europe, Asia, South America), and always get strangers to take photos for me.
Generally I try to ask other people who look like tourists (easy to spot as they are usually stopped to take photos of the same thing). If there is no one like that around, I'll smile and ask someone around who I feel comfortable handing my camera. Chances are the business man out on his lunchhour or the older couple out for a stroll aren't going for a run with my camera.
Stolen cameras do happen - but I have only heard one story in all my travels.

YES!! I love pictures of my vacations and often want to be in them!

For years I, a formerly single girl in my 30s, travelled alone, sometimes to Third World countries and have never had a problem and people have always been gracious...in some cases asking to have my picture snapped lead to very nice conversations with strangers!

Often times people will offer to take your picture. Use common sense and like anything else, you'll be fine!!

I usually ask if I see someone taking a picture for a group if they want me to take it so they can all be in it and then I ask if they will take one for me. Always works.

You should always make sure you are in your pictures! A Chinese friend was always taking our camera off us on a trip because she was adament we were in our own pictures and the same rule applied for herself. She said you need to see yourself in these places years from now and it will bring better memories when you see yourself in the pictures. I like to see how I change/evolve over the years.

Muimei -

I understand your fears. There's a big difference, though, between someone coming up to you and asking to take your picture for you, and you asking them a couple or family to take yours. Be aware of your surroundings and who you are asking and you'll be fine.

Hi

actually, I am one of those people who always offer to take group photos of strangers. if I walk by two people, one in the picture and one taking it, I offer to take one with both of them - I don't think I've ever been refused yet.

you walk away feeling good, too.

For those of us who don't have 15,000 cameras a solution is to ask fellow tourists who are carrying similar or more expensive cameras to your own - no motive to steal yours!

I have often asked others to take photos when I want my husband I both in the shot and often offer to do the same when I pass couples who may want the same but not think to ask a stranger. Only once did I have someone glare at me and shout &quot;no&quot; even though I had my own SLR round my neck which was clearly better than the crappy compact they were carrying. Maybe they still felt I had camera envy!

;)

Yes. I have been handed the camera from others and then I hand them mine....oh and we laaaaugh!

Well, it has happened that some scammers do run off with cameras. That's probably why someone else has that &quot;fear&quot;. Lucky for you your camera hasn't been stolen that way.

It was 1999 - our last day in Paris, we were enjoying the Luxembourg Gardens one last time and I desparately wanted to have a photo taken of us with the beautiful gardens in the background. Another couple were leaning on the railing with their backs to us. I plucked up the courage to ask them to take a photo for us. By chance they were Australians (as are we) who were working in London, and in Paris for the weekend.

We talked for at least three hours on that day, and last year we flew across Australia for their wedding and gave one of the speeches (they are 20 years younger than us - more like our children's ages!) but what a wonderful friendship we now have. Their first baby is due any day and we have another trip across Australia planned later in the year to wet the baby's head. All because of a photo.

I've done this around the world - Africa, the Middle East, and throughout Europe. I try to pick out other tourists who are also holding a camera - have never had a problem at all!

Great story Launa.

I think you must apply common sense.
As the other replies have said; Always ask someone who is taking pictures already they may be in a group or a couple. Then get them to return the favour. I have never been refused and it can be a great ice breaker as Launa found out. Now that must be fate.

Good luck

Muck

I do that all the time. I usually look around me, and look for tourists. Since I use a film camera, I don't have the luxury of viewing the picture after it's taken, I always look for tourists with SLR cameras rather than point-and-shoot. I'm convinced that the SLR owners are(generally speaking) better photographers than those with point-and-shoot.

I would be more afraid that they'd drop it, rather than steal it.