stewart_life

Hi all,

So, I'm going alone to Nice for language course for 12 weeks. And I will be visiting Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, etc during that period. I will bring my Sony A300 DSLR camera as well as my Sony T2 compact digital camera in my daypack when visiting those cities.

My question is what are the best and safest ways for me to take pictures of me with the background of the city? Do I need to bring tripod so that I can pose in front of a background while setting the camera on timer?

This seems like a rather silly question, but I can't find any advise or information about it in travel guides. My main concern is theft if I'm handing my camera to people on the street to take my pictures (especially in big cities). And moreover, this is my first time traveling to Europe. So, any suggestion or advise is most welcomed.

Thanks in advance!

suze

For that purpose, I use a disposable camera. You can hand it to strangers without worry, and everyone can figure out how to use it (just push the button) in situations where you don't speak a common language.

Sure you can bring a tripod, but for me as a solo travler having TWO expensive cameras AND a tripod would be way too much. Unless you are a professional photographer, I would focus more on other parts of your trip, and less on all the equipment. And I mean this in the nicest way
;-)

Iowa_Redhead

Honestly, I simply hand my camera to strangers. I tend to pick people who are older, a family with kids, a couple, etc and not the creepy looking young men. Small groups of other young women are usually really nice about taking pictures for me. I've had quite a few people notice me holding the camera at arms length and offer to take a photo for me. Often I'll offer (in English and charades) to take a picture for someone else or a couple if they'll do the same for me. That works pretty well for me.

I do carry a small gorilla pod with me and have set that up to take pictures of myself when there's absolutely nobody around but it usually takes about half a dozen tries to get something close.

I have seen a girl who had her camera on a 2-3' pole with a bend right before it connected to the camera that worked really slick for taking photos of herself. I think she simply set her camera up on a short timer, held the pole out so that her camera was about 3-4' back from her and waited for the timer. I have no idea where you would get one of those poles, if they collapse to fit easily in a daybag, etc.


Most people are happy to help a stranger if you approach them with a smile and say please and thank you in the local language. It is a risk to hand your camera to a stranger, but I have yet to get burned by that method. If you're in the photo, even if it's not exactly what you want, smile and say thank you. You can always find someone else to take another one in a few minutes.

suze

i know this will sound a little bit dopey, but you can extend a disposable camera, to the length of you arm, and shoot back to your face with scenery behind it and get decent shots, with practice. Also when you're doing this i've found usually people step up and offer to take a photo for you.

stewart_life

Thanks all for the great advices.

I guess asking other people to take my pictures are not as bad as I thought then. I will also probably get that gorilla pod (instead of bringing the tripod), it sounds useful.

Other people have also recommended the pole that Iowa_Redhead talked about. But I wonder where to get that in my city, which is Singapore.

suze

Here's what I do... I only ask other people who already have their cameras out & are taking pictures themselves. Sometimes I'll offer to take a photo of them (this works well for couples, so they can both be in a picture), then they'll usually offer to take one of you.

I saw the Gorillapod's in an LL Bean mailorder catalog & agree it looks like a great idea. Inexpensive, small, easy to pack.

thursdaysd

Interesting... I don't like having my photo taken, so perhaps that influences me, but what is the big deal about having your photo taken in front of sights? The Japanese are especially bad about it - everyone on the tour bus has to have the same photo of the Eiffel tower/wherever, with them in it. To me, it's the Eiffel tower/whatever, that's worth seeing, not me in front of it.

LSky

You can probably buy one on amazon.com

thurdaysd, I agree with you but stewart_life asks such great travel questions it's a pleasure to answer his posts. He's actually doing research and thinking about his vacation!

It's welcome relief stewart!

Iowa_Redhead

Thursdaysd, sometimes I almost have to look at the photos with me in them to make sure that it wasn't just a dream!

I like to print the pictures that don't have me in them, but my family and friends like to see the ones with me so I take both and cover all bases.

stewart_life

Thanks all for the replies and comments. All are very useful and interesting!

I always bring at least my point and shoot camera when traveling to capture the moment, and as Iowa_Redhead said as a proof that I wasn't dreaming in visiting those places

I will bring DSLR because I don't want to regret later not being able to take good photos, as my point and shoot camera is not so good in low light conditions. Although the weight of DSLR is a bit of an issue too.

Apparently my boss has a gorilla pod, so I will test his and probably borrow it for my trip

JackDarcy

Hi stewart_life!
I do agree with you, camera must be in travel for capture fabulous moment.

spcfa

As appears to be the case, often, Iown_Redhead beat me to it: get a gorilla pod. They are empowering and don't weigh a thing. And they come in sizes depending on what camera you usually travel with.

fluffnfold

stewart_life:

The foldable/collapsible pole thing that people are talking about is available from 9mart.

It's called a Digital Camera Telescopic Pole Photo Extendable Monopod:

http://www.9mart.com/products/Digita...e-Monopod.html

It's $9.00. The shipping is free (mine arrived from Taiwan, I think, in about a week).

I have one of these gizmos, and although it takes a little practice (particularly so that you don't include the pole in your photo), it works!

stewart_life

fluffnfold, great info!

Did you use it for your pocket digital camera? Or have you tried to mount it on a DSLR as well?

fluffnfold

The camera that I've used it with is a Nikon Coolpix S10 - it's not exactly a tiny pocket camera, but it isn't a DSLR either. The pole works well with the S10 because the camera has a lens that flips out from the camera and can twist around 360 degrees. I'm able to view the LCD screen at the same time that I'm taking my own photo, so it's easy to see whether I and the background are framed properly. When I purchased it 4 years ago, it was the smallest camera I could find that still had a 10x optical zoom. It weighs 7.8 oz (plus the additional weight of the battery, memory card, and the lens cap). The metal of the pole isn't particularly heavy; I don't know that I'd use it with a heavier, newer, or more expensive camera than the S10 (which I love, BTW!).

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/im.../s10/index.htm

tenthumbs

stewart~just hand the camera to someone you're certain you can outrun....

I have a gorillapod that is made for the heavier SLR cameras, but I'm often too lazy to set it up properly.

stewart_life

I guess I will bring the gorilla pod, but probably will only use it to take tricky shot.

Most likely will ask someone to take my pictures, with all the suggestions here in mind when choosing that someone

VolCrew

What lens will you have on the Alpha?

stewart_life

I have the kit lens 18-70mm, but I also have the zoom lens 18-250mm. So, I'll probably bring the all-round 18-250mm, even though it's a bit heavier than the 18-70mm.

VolCrew

My daughter has a 18-200mm on her A100. She takes self portaits at arm's length.


But if you really have to let someone else handle it, tenthumbs has the right idea!