Who takes your picture when traveling solo?
 

I guess I can ask other tourists to take my picture infront of the Trevi Fountain for example. But I'd be afraid someone will run off with my camera....How do you handle this situation??

I usually just pick someone who with a group who just had their photo taken... but the thought of someone stealing my camera has crossed my mind-- I was planning on taking a nicer disposable camera with a flash and use that only for my self portraits-- no one would want to steal that thing and they even have digital models-- but not one with a screen I dont think :) Just a thought.

susan

That's a very good idea! To either have an inxpensive camera for certain pictures. Or to just aim for tourists in groups....THANKS!

Pick out a couple (tourists) who are taking eachother's photos. Offer to take one of the two of them together. Then ask them to take one of you. Works every time.

That just isn't something to worry about - I've taken other's photos and had others take mine more times than I can count.

You can easily tell who is "reliable". A typical family - w/ probably a more expensive camera than yours, might be your best bet. Or a couple of young women - Japanese tourists are ALWAYS asking me to take there pictures.

That's true! And it's not really a "big deal" to have a regular digital camera today:-) Most people have one.....Thanks!

This strikes me funny a bit 'cause one of the many reasons I love solo travel is that I don't have to be in the pictures! :-) (I have two camera-crazy friends who have more pix of me on two vacations than I've had taken otherwise in my whole life.)

Absolutely Catbert! The couples are so happy to have their picture taken they are thrilled to take yours!

Just got back from a solo trip awesome by the way. Actually I took a lot of pictures myself I just hold the camera at arms length. Also using the timer is cool if you're a little more isolated and dont have to worry about someone taking the camera while I'm posing.

I like to think I was careful about who I let take my picture. Nobody ran off with my camera there was one time in Barcelona when I was worried about this but nothing happened. The funny thing is that after holding the camera at arms length and taking a few shots people often volunteered to help me out.

And yes some people think it's the weirdest thing to want to take a picture of yourself when you're by yourself. I was showing my boss my vacation pics and she was like you sure like to take a lot of pictures of yourself like I'm vain or something. But arms length pictures are the best.

Terrence

I returned from my solo trip to Italy last month and had no problems asking people to take my picture. I even asked a few to take a second shot and some of them said to me, "look at the photo to make sure you like it" before leaving me. I will find couples taking their photo of each other and will offer to take theirs. They are always happy to take mine. I had thought of bringing a disposible camera but I felt it wasn't necessary. I just look for people that are obviously tourists.

Monica ((F))

When two are traveling it's also a question of who do you ask if you want a picture of you and your travel partner in front of some noteworthy sight. We have a pretty nice single lens reflex digital camera since my wife and I are both pretty serious about photography. A couple of years ago when the camera was brand new, we were at Azay-le-Rideau and wanted to have our picture taken in front of the chateau. There weren't too many people about,, unusual for a nice summer afternoon. We'd seen one fellow at various points playing with his child, so we decided to ask him. We just were hoping for a picture with something that was part of a chateau in the background. Well, we gave our camera to this fellow, and he began to back up, shook his head, and just kept backing up. Meanwhile his child seemed to have disappeared. By the time he was rounding a tree in the distance, 100 feet away, we were pretty sure the camera was gone. At that point he took our picture, having decided on his own that we probably would want the entire chateau in the picture. It turned out to be a great shot of the chateau, and even though we were barely recognizeable, we used it on a holiday card because my wife's upraised arm (she was trying to get the man to come back with our camera) made it appear as if she were gesturing at the chateau as if it were ours. Later we passed the man with his child and his whole family spread out on a picnic blanket, and we thanked them profusely.

Ditto monica.

At the risk of sounding sexist, I would probably seek out a 40+ year old woman. I hate to say it, but I think I could catch and beat up a woman a little easier than a guy if they stole my camera (just kidding :-) )

Since we have all been made aware on Fodor's ad nauseum how much tourists stick out because of their short pants and sneakers, I would ask an "obvious" fellow sightseer to take my picture.

Too funny Zeus!
Good thing the hubby has me run/walking the park every morning. Er, purely as and incentive for the exercise; just how nice is your camera?

I generally forget to get pictures taken of myself anywhere. But often people ask me to take their picture. That jogs my memory, so then, if I feel like it, I ask them to take mine as well.

Hilarious tidbit: a friend came to visit me in BCN last year but I had classes in the afternoon, so she was on her own. One day she came home all in a huff and told me the following (summarized) story. She had been in front of the Sagrada Familia and had asked a guy to take her picture. He had said OK, but then she thought he might be sketchy so she said "how about I hold your camera so I know you won't take mine?" He I guess gave her this "you are an idiot bitch" look and then said "how about not being such a psycho?" because she got no picture and was thoroughly upset, saying the he was "irrational."

Hilarious!!!

I do the self-timer thing like victorious but I will NOT do the arm's length trick. I always get either a nasty shot looking up my nose or the dreaded triple chin . :-(

Obviously you've seen some of my work.

Oh, I got a good laugh on this one! Especially "Midnightsun"...that was a great story! I'm glad I posted this question:-)I'm not good at taking my own picture either. I'm just going to have to bother people:-)