How to Take Photos Of Yourself When Solo Travelling

July 7, 2025
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Solo travel is one of the most incredible ways to experience the world, but how do you get those amazing travel shots when alone? Here are the best ways to get solo travel photos, from the perfect self-timer setup to asking and directing a stranger for that perfect photo.

I love solo travelling. I have met so many incredible people and made the most immersive experiences while exploring the world alone. You may already be an experienced solo traveller or just planning your first trip and wondering how you can get the perfect Instagrammable travel photos when alone.

I’ve actually found getting photos of me easier than I thought at all of my solo destinations and there are multiple ways to get that shot. I have summarised all my top ways here from the self-timer setup to a fool proof way to get a good photo from a stranger.

Table of Contents

How to get the perfect photo when solo travelling

1. Prop up your camera or use a tripod and self timer

You can go from super easy and no equipment to complex with expensive cameras for this option. Personally, I tend to prop my phone up against a bag and use the back camera. I also have the Octobuddy on the back of my phone to stick it to some surfaces (glass works best).

Ways to take photos this way are using the self-timer, using Burst Mode or an app that takes a picture every second or so (e.g. Lens Buddy), using a remote shutter and finally taking a video and using screenshots. The last option is usually what I tend to do as it gets me a video and several photo options at once.

I tend to use the back camera of my phone when possible as it has better quality, but you could also use an actual camera on a tripod for even better photos.

A great small tripod to bring along is this flexible one as it can be attached pretty much anywhere and weighs very little, or this light, extendable one.

2. Ask a stranger

This photo at Lake Louise in Canada was taken by an elderly couple who had previously asked me to take their photo. I took the opportunity to ask them if they could get mine too. While I had to cut out his finger in one of the corners and fix the alignment, the overall photo wasn’t bad.

My top tips to get decent photos from strangers would be to ask them to not zoom in, have live photo on and maybe show them roughly how you’d like the photo framed while handing over your phone.

I also often move around a lot in front of the camera to get candid shots like the one below and ask the person taking photos to keep shooting. They may find this a bit weird, especially if they are older, but the photos tend to turn out really well.

3. Take part in a tour

In my time solo travelling, I have visited many places by myself. However, there are also countless things that you do need to book a tour for. The Inka Trail to Machu Picchu is one of my recent examples.

My tour guide was amazing. He constantly offered to take photos and would take many at once at different angles. Exactly what you want when taking photos in front of such a special place.

During all of my tours, the tour guides have offered to take photos, but you can also ask fellow tour members. They will want photos as well and are always happy to take some of you. Some tours even include professional camera photos which is great.

4. Make friends

I have written a whole guide (see below) on making friends and not being lonely while solo travelling, and it comes in handy when you want photos taken. The majority of photos from my trips were taken by people I met along the way who had become my friends.

Often they are fellow solo, female travellers so they also want tons of photos PLUS they are usually great at taking photos. A win-win situation.

5. Take a selfie

I used to think that selfies don’t make travel photos, but experience has taught me otherwise. They are such a cute and authentic way to celebrate and showcase your solo travels.

I love using the 0.5 mode and shooting with my back camera to get more of the background in, especially at viewpoints.

6. Take photos of body parts

This one may sound a little strange, but hear me out. Sometimes you don’t want to ask a stranger or don’t want to have your face in the photo, but still want something a little more personal than just a shot of the place. A great alternative is taking a photo of the sight/background with some part of your body in the foreground.

Good examples are holding up some food with your hand or getting your legs into a beach shot. They make the photo unique and yours without taking much effort at all.

FAQ about Solo Travel

Travel insurance I would recommend for solo travellers:

True Traveller Insurance

I have used these guys for most of my trips and had a big claim with them once and it went flawlessly. I had my money back within 24 hours. They also cover quite a few activities and are great for backpacking trips that span several countries, so I can only recommend them.

What are the benefits of solo travel?

I have grown immensely as a person since I have started solo travelling – in my overall confidence, trust in my own abilities and also people skills. Making friends used to be hard, now I am very comfortable talking to new people and have met so many of my closest friends while travelling. The best part about the people you meet while travelling is that they have a similar mindset to you and also often a lot to share about their own culture and traditions, meaning your worldview opens up a lot.

Travelling solo also means I get to choose where I go when, I can change plans last-minute and if I don’t like something, I will simply leave. These are all things you can’t do as much when travelling with another person. In addition, you get a lot of time for self-reflection but also to take in this new destination. I have noticed that I experience a place much more intensely when I am solo travelling, compared to when I am with e.g. friends.

Overall, I think solo travel truly changes you as a person. Once you have navigated a new country by yourself, you feel like you can do anything. I would recommend any woman to solo travel at least once in her life! Learn to trust yourself and that you don’t need anyone else to do things for you. Obviously it is nice to have someone else to rely on, but solo travel teaches you that it is not necessary – and that will change your whole perspective on life and relationships.