How To Capture Great Tripod Travel Photos While Solo

First thing’s first. In order to capture anything with a tripod, you’ll first need to buy one. But what do you even look for? Well, that depends on your goals.

Before my first ever solo trip to Austria, I knew I wanted to try shooting with a tripod. And after a bit of research, I found a lightweight option that I thought would suit me. And for the most part, it did.

My first three days were spent in Vienna where I captured all the city shots I had wanted perfectly. Once I made it to the countryside, however, things took quite a turn.

I was perched on a rocky hilltop high above the Wachau Valley, attempting to capture a photo of myself peering at one of the region’s medieval castles. There was light rain, but the weather wasn’t too crazy, so I lined my camera with protective gear and set up my tripod with some extra support, nestling the legs in between a few of my travel bags. I moved into frame, sitting down while facing away from my camera and started snapping. That’s when I felt it. A sudden, strong gust of wind came barreling through followed by a loud crashing noise. My tripod had blown over – and almost completely off the edge of the rocky outcrop.

What To Look For:

First, check what kind of connection your camera will support – WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Your camera may have multiple options available, or just one. In either case, you’ll need to make sure the remotes you’re searching align with your camera’s functionality.

Next, try to focus on remotes with longer wireless ranges. The further away you are from your camera or phone, the more difficult it will be to connect your remote and take a photo.

Finally, check to see if the remote(s) have separate autofocus and release controls. Having these separated is immensely helpful for shooting with a shallow depth of field.

There’s a reason that films, shows and even commercials have a long period of scripting and storyboarding before they go into production. While the same level of detail may not be necessary for your travel photos, don’t be afraid to get creative and plan ahead. By that I mean challenge yourself to find work that you like – is there a perspective, a mood, a style that you gravitate towards? How about color? Do you want to stand out from your background or blend-in?

By answering these questions ahead of time, you’ll already have an idea of what to wear, what lenses/equipment you should bring, etc. And you’ll be able to hone in on specific angles, distances and perspectives a lot easier – leaving more time for exploring!

The busier a location, the less safe it will be to step away from your camera to get a shot. And on top of that, most people won’t realize you’re capturing a moment if you don’t have a camera directly in your hands. Even with just a few others around, you always run the risk of them walking in between you and your tripod – ruining your shot.

So, it’s best to plan your visit outside of peak visiting hours. Research before you go when your spot is the least crowded.

Once you have your points of view picked out, prioritize your “must haves” over your “nice to haves”. And if your must haves include any shots that you’ve seen on Instagram, move those to the very top of the list! At some point, other visitors will begin to arrive, so it’s best to get the most popular ones out of the way first!

Before jumping into frame, take a few test shots from behind the camera. Check the lighting and make sure the composition is set up just as you’d like it.

After that, move to take a few test shots in front of the camera! Sometimes I might not like how my outfit is photographing, how the light is hitting from a certain angle, etc., so seeing everything together helps me quickly adjust for where and how I want to position myself in the photo.

Finally, regardless of whether you’re shooting from a camera or a phone, make sure to keep moving in between each shot. This will not only help your camera pick up focus better, adjusting for any variables that inevitably change during your session, but it will also force you to try different poses and play with the space a bit more. Some of my favorite travel self portraits have been captured exactly this way!