Hi

This is my first post here...

This year, I just recently started traveling on my own. My question is kind of dumb but I need all the tips I can get from all the globetrotters here.

I love taking pictures of places and I love being in pictures. It's hard to accomplish the second option because, well...I'm alone. How do you approach people to take pictures of you and not have the fear of them running off with your camera? I had a situation where someone took off with a brand new digital camera after taking a photo of me overlooking the Niagara Falls. How do I avoid such situations? I don't want to miss the opportunity of taking pictures of all the places I've been to

THANKS!

Hi globalgirl, couples have the same problem when they want to be in a photo together..impossible, right?

The solution is to look around and find a pleasant looking mature couple. Ask them to take a photo of you and offer to do the same for them. They will no doubt be more than willing to take your photo and will be pleased to have you take a photo of them. BTW, your question was not dumb at all. Enjoy your trips and your photos!!

I travel solo often & take a disposable camera(s). Then you don't have to worry about it.

In a situation where everyone's got their cameras out (tourist site), I will offer to take a picture of a family or couple so everyone can be in their picture. Usually in return they'll ask if they can return the favor and snap one of me.

With practice you can also take photos of yourself! Simply stretch you arm as far as it will go and aim for your face with something in the background (Eiffle Tower, beautiful flowers, etc.). You can get pretty good portraits/head shots this way.

That's not a dumb question at all. Here are three options:

1. Mount your camera on a tripod and use the self-timer. This option is useful in uncrowded places where there might not be anyone around for other options, but it's often hard to compose a good picture this way. That's what I've done on those very rare occasions when I thought I wanted a picture of myself while traveling solo.

2. Look for someone who is carrying a "professional"-looking 35mm or digital SLR-- or better yet, a medium-format system. Such a person is unlikely to steal your camera as he or she clearly doesn't need it. More significantly, such a person is more likely (but not guaranteed) to be a serious photographer who knows what he or she is doing, resulting in a better picture. I occasionally get requests like this (indeed, it's about the only time any family, couple, or group shows any interest in talking to me, a solo male traveler). I do my best to take well-composed, interesting pictures but I have no way of ever knowing how they turn out. Essential tip: always turn on the flash, even in bright daylight, before handing over the camera. It makes a big difference.

3. Carry a disposable camera specifically for shots of yourself. It is very unlikely that anyone would steal it, and if someone does you won't lose much. Look for a camera with a multi-element lens (such as Kodak's "High Definition&quot for the best quality.

Suze: "With practice you can also take photos of yourself! Simply stretch you arm as far as it will go and aim for your face with something in the background (Eiffle Tower, beautiful flowers, etc.). You can get pretty good portraits/head shots this way."

This will only produce a sharp picture if you have a very wide-angle lens, stopped down and set to the hyperfocal distance so that the depth of field stretches from your face (at arm's length) to the distant monument. The distortion a wide-angle lens produces under those circumstances is likely to make an unflattering portrait, but it might be an interesting picture anyway.

Well, I do this using a disposable camera. It takes practice. I've done it for years with great results (and plenty of not so great ones that I tossed). It works for a single person or a couple (two heads in the shot).

While I like a snapshot of myself on vacation there's no way I'm toting a fancy camera, tripod, etc. traveling.

;-)

But I really like the suggestion of asking a person who has a more expensive camera than your own! That's brilliant!!