55 by 55 Travel Truths: Taking Pictures of Yourself

I don't have an instagram husband. To get him to hold the phone and snap a picture of me is always a battle and doesn't end well. The energy is bad, it's hard to smile and look good, and often the rest of the hike/trip/day is stained. It’s not worth it. The same thing happens with my kids. Most of the photos from my trips have been taken by my girlfriends, but I’m often traveling alone and sometimes worry about the risk of asking a stranger to take a photo and handing them my phone, not knowing if they’ll run off with it or not. With my new 55 by 55 Travel Quest and Adventure Blog, I'm trying to get more photos of myself in all of the incredible places I visit, and thought I should practice taking pictures and find ways to take picture of myself, on my own.

I'm not a fan of selfies or posed photos so I've been pondering other options. I love jumping photos and have taken quite a few over the years with my kids and friends. After watching a few Youtube videos, I decided to try it during a hike I was taking with the dogs. I headed for a secluded spot where I thought I'd be alone, set up my phone with a selfie stick, and started jumping! I ended up taking a total of 135 pictures. Whew. This certainly was an exercise in determination and patience, and the jumping part was a good workout, too! I think I would be mortified to do this in a busy place but maybe I'll get used to it. The selfie stick is actually perfect for jumping shots as it sits low to the ground which makes the jump look cooler. Have you tried taking pictures of yourself? Do you have any apps, gadgets or tricks that make taking pictures of yourself look

For this photo I used my phone (Motox4) and this $15 selfie stick:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KT1SMRX/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Love Claudia