Tripod? Nope needed. Here are 4 easy tips for taking great solo travel selfies

People often ask me who takes my photos, and when I say I usually take them myself, many assume I lug a tripod around the world just to snap selfies. Clearly, they don’t get it—when you’re a backpacker, you travel light with just one bag. There’s no way I’d bother carrying a tripod on trips.

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Honestly, my usual luggage is just a few T-shirts. There’s absolutely no way I’d bring a tripod along.

To be honest, the heaviest thing in my bag is usually my camera, but these days I mostly use my phone for photos. So all the selfies I post on Facebook are taken with an iPhone. Now, the question is—if there’s no tripod, how do you take selfies that don’t look like selfies?

Let’s just say I’ve gotten pretty addicted to solo travel. No one can stop me from exploring—so here’s how I pull off those shots.

1. Find the angle you want to shoot

When you see a scene you want to capture, first use your phone to find the best angle. Pay attention to the lighting—if it’s backlit, the photo might turn out too dark. Adjust your position to get the best angle, then test with a shot. If the lighting and colors look good, move to the next step.

For example, at \抢锏旱睦短煜拢?different angles will yield different results. Try walking around with your friend and explore various perspectives. You’ll discover the ideal distance and angle for your shot.

But remember to use your phone’s rear camera to frame the shot—just as if you were taking a regular photo. Don’t use the front camera, or the image quality and resolution will be terrible, making editing much harder.

2. Find a stable surface to hold your phone

Almost anything can work as a platform—as long as it’s flat and solid, like a park bench, railing, step, table, or shelf, as long as it can keep your phone steady.

Example: if your phone has rounded edges and can’t stand upright, use something to prop it up—like a water bottle filled with water.

Even a tree branch can serve as a stand, as long as it can support the phone for at least 10 seconds.

Also, check the wind conditions. If it’s too windy, your phone might tip over—so a good phone case can really come in handy.

If there’s absolutely nothing around to use as a platform, your bag can act as one. Once, when I was surrounded by just grass and no surfaces, I had to use my secret weapon.

Of course, your bag needs to be the kind you can place on the ground—like a backpack or tote. The folds in the bag can help prop up the phone, and you can also use the zipper area to secure it. This works best for overhead shots, full-body shots, or seated photos. If the scene is at a higher angle, this method might not work.

3. Set your phone’s 10-second selfie timer and start shooting

Most modern phones have a 10-second selfie timer, and the iPhone’s burst mode is super convenient—it’ll capture you even if you’re jumping around. Just don’t move too wildly or the shot will blur.

Like that time I tried to take a levitation shot in a Macau hotel, but my movements were too big and the photo turned out blurry.

Instead of stiffly posing, try walking naturally—that usually looks more relaxed. The 10-second burst gives you 10 shots to choose from. If none work, you’ll have to try again, but there’s usually at least one decent one.

4. Pick your favorite shot and edit with an app

Sometimes things go wrong—like your phone shifting or a random passerby photobombing. That’s where editing apps come in. You can adjust the angle, crop out unwanted elements, or use retouching tools to remove distractions.

I usually rely on Snapseed and VSCO—they’re my go-to apps for editing. There are tons of tutorials online, so I won’t go into detail here.

Sample photo breakdown:

Phone placed on a small roadside stone pillar—like the one on the right in the photo.

Phone placed on an information stand to my left.

Phone placed on the staircase railing in front of me.

My phone was placed on the beach chair in front of me.

Finally, here are a few tips for taking timed selfies with an iPhone:

1. The position where you stand should not be too far from the iPhone, otherwise your face may appear blurry and fail to focus properly.
2. Make sure there is plenty of light when taking the photo; otherwise, the image may have a lot of noise, which is not ideal for post-editing or retouching.
3. If you have a professional photography app on your phone, such as ProCam, use that — the results will be better than the iPhone’s built-in camera.
4. A 10-second timer is not very short, so don’t just stand still — move around.
5. Before placing your phone on any surface, make sure there are no other people nearby and that the spot is safe. Be cautious — you don’t want to lose your valuables just for one photo.
6. A sturdy phone case can help reduce damage if your phone takes a tumble.

So you see, I don’t need a tripod at all. Whether it’s a bottle of mineral water or my backpack, these are things most of us carry when traveling anyway — just use whatever you’ve got on hand. Of course, when you’re taking solo photos, other travelers might sometimes see you, and they may even find your selfie-taking a bit funny. But who cares? No one knows you out there, just be bold — there’s nothing to be afraid of.

When traveling alone, people often say there’s no one to take photos for you. But actually, that person can be you — having fun on your own is a kind of joy too.

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