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Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Overcome Camera Shyness
For many people, posing for photos can induce anxiety and self-consciousness. Being on the other side of a camera lens can feel vulnerable, especially if you're not used to having your photo taken. However, overcoming camera shyness is an important part of fully embracing travel and creating lasting memories.
A common cause of camera shyness is simply not being accustomed to being photographed. The more practice you get posing for pictures, the more natural it will start to feel over time. Consider asking a friend or family member to practice taking some test shots in different environments before your trip. The more you replicate that photo taking experience, the less intimidating it will be when the real deal comes along.
It also helps to remember that nobody looks perfect in every single photo. Even professional models take hundreds of shots in order to capture some winners. When posed well, imperfections and minor flaws get minimized. Keep in mind that nobody scrutinizes your photos as harshly as you do. Viewers are focused on the memory and experience being conveyed, not zooming in to critique your appearance.
Many travelers find that a few glasses of wine or cocktails on vacation can go a long way towards lowering inhibitions and making photo ops more fun. A drink or two can reduce self-consciousness, allowing your personality to shine through. Just don't overdo it to the point that it affects your safety or decision making.
Try channeling a character or adopting an alter ego in your photos. Envision how a super model or famous influencer would behave in front of the camera, then do your best to emulate that. Pretending you're someone else liberates you to have more fun with poses. The photos will turn out great and you might learn new techniques for looking and feeling more photogenic along the way.
Start following body positive influencers who radiate confidence and self-love in their photos. Draw inspiration from their carefree attitudes and ability to work their angles with ease. Before you know it, you'll be feeling just as comfortable in front of the lens.
It also helps to direct the photoshoot and take some control. Don't just passively stand there waiting to be told how to pose. Suggest locations, poses, and photo concepts to the photographer. Know your best angles and poses ahead of time so you can guide the shoot. Being an active participant puts you in a more empowered headspace.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Flaunt Your Surroundings
The backdrop of your travel selfies can make or break the photo. While the focus should remain on you, flaunting unique or striking scenery establishes a sense of place and enhances the visual interest. Experiment with using your surroundings to create intriguing frames, colors and depth. Snap photos in front of noteworthy architecture, spectacular lookout points, lush gardens, local street art or other photogenic settings.
When sightseeing at bucket list worthy attractions like the Eiffel Tower or Taj Mahal, resist the urge to just take a basic selfie right in front. You"ll get better results if you walk around a bit and find an angle that incorporates the landmark in the background or side. This adds context while keeping you as the focal point. Frame shots so the landmark is off center rather than right behind you. Clever framing allows the viewer to appreciate both you and your fabulous locale.
Urban graffiti, murals and wall art offer an edgy and colorful backdrop for chic city travel shots. Photos in artsy alleyways or against an abstract painted wall communicate a vibrant, contemporary vibe. Fashion and lifestyle influencer Danielle Bernstein is skilled at boldly posing in front of modern street art with creative poses. Mimic her body language and angles to make the art a dynamic part of the composition.
Natural scenery also makes an ideal selfie backdrop if you position yourself strategically. Sunset silhouettes on a beach, misty waterfalls, desert sand dunes and mountain peaks all provide dramatic options. Lifestyle vlogger Kara Williams frames herself in crystalline alpine lakes or amidst wildflower meadows to mesmerizing effect. She uses outstretched arms and big movements to incorporate nature. Just avoid blocking the best views entirely with your poses.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Strike a Pose
Striking an epic pose transforms a selfie from boring to bold. While getting the backdrop right sets the stage, your pose steals the spotlight. Finding poses that flatter your body type and reflect your personal style communicates so much more than a simple smile at the camera ever could.
Posing with intention shows viewers a glimpse into your attitude, mood and persona. An elegant dress paired with a graceful ballet pose indicates femininity. A power stance in workout clothes conveys confidence and strength. Dramatic or sassy gestures add an element of theatricality or mystery. When traveling, you want to capture a side of yourself that reflects the vibe of that destination.
Influencer and entrepreneur Rachel Ward is a posing pro at showcasing her fabulously curvy figure against stunning tropical backdrops. She advocates embracing your body's shape with poses specifically tailored for broader shoulders, fuller busts, rounder tummies or thicker thighs. Cinching the waist, elongating the limbs or turning 3â4 to the camera minimizes areas of concern while highlighting assets.
Ward advises using props to occupy any awkward hands that don't know what to do. Big hats, intricate fans and local market baskets give hands something functional to hold. This prevents them from clinging onto love handles or crossing self-consciously over the stomach. Structured poses direct attention towards your chic outfit and fun accessories rather than places of insecurity.
When posing boldly in bikinis or bathing suits, Rachel's pro tip is to activate the core muscles to appear long and lean. Elongating the neck, tilting hips, pointing toes and arching the back slightly all shape a flattering silhouette. Splashing in the waves or turning into motion are great tricks for blurring any problem spots. Poolside, she advises sitting up tall and using the legs to frame the shot. Lounging on your side with an arm propping up the torso also slims everything down.
Male influencers like Trevor Donovan embrace poses celebrating strength and masculinity. Outdoorsy vistas call for power stances with legs set sturdily apart and hands on hips. Leaning into a chopping motion conveys rugged capability and vigor. Sitting on boulders or fallen logs with elbows resting casually on knees exudes laidback confidence. A tip of the hat or sunglasses add a dash of mystery and intrigue.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Perfect Your Angles
Finding the most flattering, visually interesting angles can elevate any selfie from mundane to magnificent. When it comes to posing for photos, angles matter just as much, if not more than the backdrop. Mastering a few go-to angles that complement your features and body type ensures you'll love the end results.
First, identify your most flattering facial angles. For many people, a slight tilt of the chin downwards combined with tilting the face slightly away from the camera minimizes the appearance of double chins and highlights cheekbones. Positioning yourself at a three-quarters angle to the lens creates dimension and depth in facial features. Turning the upper body towards the camera while the legs remain angled away can elongate and slim your silhouette.
Lifestyle blogger Denise Martinez recommends avoiding straight-on headshots because they tend to distort proportions and highlight flaws. Instead, she suggests perfecting your side profile. "Facing all the way to the left or right allows you to play up your best assets while still capturing your outfit details", she explains. Full front angles work better from farther away in full body shots.
When posing full length, frame the shot to cut yourself off around mid-thigh for a leg lengthening effect. Influencer Katie Sturino coaches her followers on optimizing their stance in mirror selfies: "Put one foot forward and bend the front knee slightly. Pop your rear hip out to the side a bit for curves and make sure the camera is angled down towards you." This simple trick slims everything down.
For group travel selfies, interior designer Gemma Shear advises always turning your body on an angle towards the others. "Straight on ends up looking so awkward. Layering everyone diagonally makes you all look great while fitting more people in the frame." She positions taller friends in the back row and embraces the chance to get silly and show off everyone's individuality.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Lighting Is Everything
Finding the right light is crucial for travel selfies that make you glow. While perfectly flattering lighting doesn"t occur naturally too often, there are ways to seek out or create ideal conditions for your snapshots. Paying attention to lighting has the power to take your travel photos from drab to fab.
"I always scope out which side of my hotel room gets the best natural morning light before unpacking," says lifestyle blogger Steffy Degre. "Then I set up a little selfie station there with my ring light and get gorgeous golden hour glow every day, even if I"m jet lagged. Low sunlight through windows creates a natural contouring effect." She tilts her body at a slight angle towards the light for depth.
For outdoor lighting, sunset and sunrise provide the most universally flattering illumination. "Soft, diffuse light at the start or end of the day conceals wrinkles and skin imperfections," explains photographer Leanne Baker. "The lower sun casts a warm glow instead of harsh shadows." If possible, schedule outfit changes and photo ops during the magical hour leading up to dusk or just after dawn. Midday light tends to be too direct and glaring.
Cloud cover also diffuses sunlight for pleasant, even exposures. But if it's completely overcast, flat lighting can make features appear one dimensional. Adding a portable reflector illuminates the face with a touch of directional brightness. Fashion influencer Isabella Gerome scouts for pretty reflections and shadows to pose in. "I look for water, mirrors, windows or glass buildings to get those mesmerizing visual effects lenses can"t recreate," she remarks.
Artificial lighting works beautifully when wielded skillfully. Ring lights are popular with influencers and vloggers for their instantly perfecting radiance. They beam out a halo of soft yet bright light right into the eyes, minimizing shadows. While flattering, ring lights can look somewhat unnatural up close. Cinematographer Zoe Yu prefers portable LED panels. "They give me complete control over the direction, intensity and color temperature of light. I can recreate moody sunsets or candlelit ambiance."
For nighttime or dim interior shots, photographer Michael Rossi relies on off camera flash. "Flash brings out vibrant color and catches fleeting moments indoors. Bouncing it off ceilings or walls fills in shadows for a balanced look." He warns against using harsh direct flash that creates red eyes or ghostly pallors. When wielded correctly off camera, flash fools the eye into believing the scene is naturally illuminated.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - accessorize Your Look
Accessorizing your travel outfits takes them to the next level for photos. The right accessories add interest, personal flair and an element of local immersion to selfies. Savvy traveling fashionistas use accessories to convey their individual sense of style while showcasing destination vibes.
Influencer Danielle Bernstein is a master of complementing her chic jetsetter wardrobe with striking earrings, hats, bags and more. "I shop local markets for accessories everywhere I go," she says. "It"s the best way to make an outfit pop in photos while capturing true local flavor." When shooting in Mexico, woven raffia tote bags, floral crowns and bright embroidered espadrilles lend her selfies vibrant tropical energy. In Greece, she pairs breezy goddess dresses with leather sandals, mirrored shades and sun hats.
Fashion and lifestyle blogger Caroline Vazzana relies on accessories to customize bought pieces into original looks. "A basic white sundress becomes something special with a colorful belt, floppy sunhat, fresh flower crown and bold sunglasses." She suggests starting simple with neutral outfits then building personality around statement accessories. Structured straw bags, fringed shawls, funky sunglasses and dangly earrings all make safe bets.
Male influencers accessorize to displaylaid-back sophistication. "I always pack my favorite timeless accessories that make me feel like my most stylish self, regardless of the destination," remarks travel vlogger Rickey Newm. "Aviators, slim leather belts, sleek watches, straw fedoras and unique jewelry like stamped silver rings and beaded bracelets polish off any casual look."
Lifestyle blogger Gemma Shear embraces the mindset of "more is more" when it comes to vacation accessorizing. "I layer long beaded necklaces, piles of bangles, oversized sunglasses and floppy hats galore! Travel is the perfect chance to take fashion risks that I'd feel silly wearing at home." She sees exotic locales as a chance to play dress up. "I stuff embroidered clutches, woven scarves and jewel toned sarongs into every purse and tote bag. Then I can throw together an Instagram-worthy ensemble at any moment!"
Of course, you want to strike a stylish balance and avoid looking costumed. Fashion writer Leah Willis cautions against going overboard mixing loud patterns and textures. "Stick to one bold print at a time then pull it together with solid basics." Traveling offers prime opportunities to break out favorite statement pieces. "I get to wear my funky vintage jewelry and eye-catching shoes that are too much for my everyday life back home," Willis says.
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Edit Your Pics
Once you"ve nailed the perfect pose against a stunning backdrop and captured images you love, the work isn"t over yet. Retouching your travel photos in editing apps puts on those essential finishing touches for social media ready shots. When done right, editing enhances the atmosphere, mood and tones of the image without distorting reality.
"I always edit my photos before posting to bring out the colors and details captured in the moment," says travel blogger Gemma Shear. "Basic fixes like cropping, brightness and contrast make a huge difference in playing up the vibrancy." She relies on user friendly apps like Snapseed to make quick adjustments in just a few clicks. Boosting the structure adds depth to architectural details while bumping saturation intensifies the azure blues of ocean waters.
Influencer Steffy Degre takes editing a step further to achieve consistency across her Instagram grid. "I developed my own preset filter packs so my feed has a signature moody, cinematic look." She applies her presets in Lightroom to give travel shots a richer, artful aesthetic. The custom filters deepen tones, add film grain and frame subjects artistically. "Formatting all my content this way makes it instantly recognizable as my brand."
While some influencers strive for uniformity, Caroline Vazzana prefers tailoring edits to each individual shot. "Every image gets fine tuned differently depending on the location, outfit and mood I want to convey." Using tools like Contrast, Shadows and Dehaze in Adobe Lightroom, she enhances the ambience whether it"s misty, sunny, or mysterious. Vazzana zooms in on small details like jewelry to intensify glimmers and sharpness. "I remove any distracting objects in the background to draw focus towards me."
Amateur travelers simply aiming to improve their vacation photos can utilize editing apps for straightforward corrections and easy sharing. Microsoft Lens removes unwanted background objects with a few taps while slimming and smoothing skin. Mylio organizes all your travel shots in one place while auto adjusting lighting, contrast and focus. For hassle free prints and albums, apps like Motif and Artifact Uprising refine images with preset filters and artful layouts.
However, influencer Katie Sturino cautions against over editing your physique into unrealistic proportions. "I lightly retouch to correct minor blemishes but never alter my body shape." She stresses the importance of representing your authentic self. "You want followers who appreciate you as you are, not a fictional version." Travel blogger Denise Martinez admits she went overboard editing in the past: "I got caught up slimming myself down until I looked distorted. Now I just gently enhance the lighting and colors."
Pose Before You Go: Tips for Snapping Epic Travel Selfies - Share Your Adventures
The entire purpose of traveling and capturing epic selfies is to share your adventures with others. After going to the effort of journeying to photogenic locales, curating chic outfits, perfecting your poses and editing your pics, you'll want to showcase the fruits of your labor far and wide. Strategic sharing brings your experiences to life and inspires wanderlust in fellow travelers.
Overcome any shyness about drawing attention to yourself and share without abandon on social media. Let your photos motivate and fill others with possibility. Fashion blogger Danielle Bernstein remarks "I share my travels to spark curiosity and make people believe they can also have these once-in-a-lifetime experiences if they want it badly enough." Post vivid imagery projecting the feeling of being whisked away to exotic places.
Fill your Instagram feed with photos spread out over time to provide an unfolding visual journal of your trip. Vlogger Katie Sturino reveals "I'm mindful to share just 2 or 3 curated pics spaced out each day rather than dumping everything at once." This builds anticipation and gives each memory moment maximum impact. Use Instagram Stories for bonus behind-the-scenes content that won't clutter your grid.
Hashtags expand your reach tremendously by exposing your post to endless niche communities. "Tagging my images properly helped me build an engaged travel community that lives vicariously through my adventures," says blogger Gemma Shear. Relevant hashtags like #travel, #travelgram, #wanderlust, #solotravel, #adventure, #travelphotography, #travelblogger, #explore and #vacation connect you. Location tags ensure your images populate in feeds of users browsing that destination.
Share a balance of posed selfies along with candid moments conveying the essence of each locale. Capture your fascination wandering lively markets, gazing at stunning architecture, hiking scenic vistas, enjoying street food, mingling with locals and embracing the culture. Photographer Michael Rossi reminds "while the postcard worthy glamour shots portray where you went, the in-between images reveal how it felt to be there." Show, don't just tell, the story of your travels.
Varied perspectives make sharing more dynamic. "I ask my husband to capture me strolling through vineyards then have my BFF snap me laughing over wine tasting," says influencer Steffy Degre. Alternate selfies with shots of companions, views, plates of food, street scenes or amusing mishaps. Infuse your content with a spirited sense of adventure.
Share purposefully in the moment as well as upon returning home. "I do live posting throughout each leg of a big trip to take my followers along in real time," remarks blogger Denise Martinez. But revisiting your photo archives back home elicits nostalgia. "I'll reminisce by resharing my favorite travel moments on throwback Thursdays," Martinez adds. Year end highlight reels revive your most epic spots and outfits.
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