Ever tried to snap a quick holiday selfie and ended up horrified with the results?
Whether it’s an unwanted double chin, an unflattering red eye or a blurred background, taking the perfect holiday selfie can be much harder than it looks.
But don’t worry.
MailOnline Travel has spoken to Lisa Michele Burns, a professional travel photographer and teacher, to get her best tips for the perfect holiday selfie. Lisa, 40, is also the founder of the Travel Photography Club, an online community for keen travel photographers.
She says: ‘Some of the best selfies I’ve seen reflect the moment and the joy of travelling. They’ve got expression, they’re creative and have great light.
‘It’s not just about raising your arm, phone in hand and taking a quick shot, it’s considering the scene, using a tripod or propping your phone against something and stepping into the shot, rather than filling most of the frame with your face because your arm only extends so far!’
From the ideal time of day for a selfie to the most common mistakes made by amateur, find out how to update your Instagram feed this year…
Lisa’s top tips for the perfect selfie
Lisa Michele Burns has shared her best tips for the perfect holiday selfie. She’s pictured above while travelling
Lisa explains that using a wide angle, such as in the shot above, helps to show off your experience
Let the scene lead the shot
Lisa explains: ‘A good selfie should be as much about the destination and experience as it about how you look in the photo. Instead of centering yourself, place the focus on where you are. Use a wide angle, then place yourself subtly in the scene either walking, looking up, sitting or interacting with your surroundings.’
Get creative with reflections
‘Capture your reflection in windows, puddles, mirrors or polished surfaces,’ suggests Lisa. ‘It’s a subtle artistic way to include yourself in the frame while making the location the star.’
Tell a story with movement
Lisa recommends using a timer or ‘burst mode’ to catch yourself in ‘fun natural motion’ like ‘riding a bike, walking on a trail, or twirling in a new outfit’.
Back to the camera
Lisa explains: ‘Face the view instead of the camera so you’re saying “This is what I’m seeing”. It’s a powerful perspective that captures wonder and makes anyone viewing the photo feel like they’re right there with you.’ The photography pro adds that this is also a great technique to use when it’s sunny, as no one will ‘see you squinting’.
Shooting from the ground can ‘add texture and depth’ to your photo, explains Lisa
Frame yourself with the environment
The photography expert recommends framing yourself ‘naturally’ with ‘doorways, arches, trees or windows’ to fit into the ‘landscape or architecture’.
Capture the candid moments
Lisa says: ‘Some of the best selfies aren’t selfies at all, they’re moments of laughter, coffee breaks, or quiet reflection. Use your camera’s self-timer or set it on video to capture genuine reactions or pull stills from the footage.’
Play with light and shadow
Lisa recommends using ‘golden hour light, dappled shade or dramatic shadows’ to ‘add mood and emotion’. She adds: ‘A shadow selfie on a cobblestone street or a silhouette at sunset can say more than a posed grin without any creative consideration.’
Shoot at golden hour
Golden hour is usually ‘shortly after sunrise or just before sunset’, says Lisa. She explains that the light then is ‘soft, warm and flattering, with long shadows that add depth and atmosphere’. At this time of day, Lisa explains that ‘harsh lines’ are reduced.
Using a self-timer, as in the photo above, can provide more ‘creative self-portrait opportunities’ says Lisa
The most common mistakes people make
Prioritising poses over the moment
Lisa says: ‘Overly posed images often feel stiff and disconnected from the experience itself. A photo taken in the moment after observing the scene, rather than quickly posed, often tells a more meaningful story.’
Forgetting the light
‘Photographs taken at midday can suffer from harsh light, resulting in flat, washed-out scenes or unflattering shadows,’ says Lisa.
‘Golden hour light, which falls in the early morning or late afternoon, adds warmth and depth to an image.’
Always being centre-stage
Lisa explains: ‘Standing front and centre in every shot can take attention away from the place itself, especially in scenic or culturally rich locations.’
Selfie-takers can instead position themselves off-centre to ‘create balance’.
LEFT: This photos uses a wide-angle to put Lisa in the scene. RIGHT: Lisa took this image on self-timer using a tripod
Taking one photo and moving on
The photography pro reveals: ‘One quick photo rarely captures the full essence of a place. It can lead to missed moments that unfold just a few steps or seconds later. Try taking a few versions from different angles, move around, switch between horizontal and vertical compositions and allow time to experiment creatively.’
Ignoring background chaos
A ‘cluttered or distracting background can unintentionally pull focus away from the subject or scene’, says Lisa. ‘A quick check of what’s behind can make all the difference.’
The best angles to shoot from
Low and wide for grandeur
Lisa says: ‘Place the camera low and tilt it slightly upwards to capture towering architecture, dramatic cliffs or tall trees behind you. It gives a sense of scale and makes the viewer feel small in a big, beautiful world, just like travel does.’
Over the shoulder for cinema
For a ‘cinematic’ point of view that ‘invites people looking at the photo into the moment’, Lisa suggests using an over the shoulder shot. This might require a tripod, or another person to take the photo for you or you could ‘hold the camera slightly behind you and over your shoulder’.
Side profile for a natural look
‘Try a side angle, looking out a window, across a mountain range, or watching street life unfold,’ says Lisa. ‘It creates a more thoughtful, observant tone and feels natural rather than posed.’
From the ground for texture and depth
Lisa says: ‘Set your camera on the ground and step in to the scene. Let the foreground lead the shot and guide towards you. It adds texture and depth while making you part of the environment, not just placed on top of it.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .