Top Tips for the Perfect Family Selfie on a Road Trip
Have you ever gone on the perfect vacation but forgotten to get a good pic of your whole family? Those days are over! Read on for some helpful tips on how to capture the perfect family selfie.
There’s nothing more true to the American spirit than hitting the open road, and most families love to take road trips. Exploring the unknown provides them with a sense of adventure, exploration, and freedom that many of us lack in our daily routine. The more spontaneous these outings are, the more rewarding they tend to be.
As social beings, we love to share our experiences with friends and family. Yet, there’s nothing worse than to browse through your travel photos only to find that you’re not in any of them. Fortunately, with modern technology, this is no longer an issue.
Whether you love or hate them, selfies are a convenient way to include yourself and your kids in those family pictures.
So, the next time you’re taking a road trip, start to include yourself from the word go. After everything is packed, and just before you pull out of the driveway, take a picture of yourself in the driver’s seat, and upload it to Instagram using car captions such as ‘hittin’ the road, baby!’ or ‘don’t be a tourist, be a traveler.’ Or you can share it with your friends and family on your favorite family app.
To aid you in taking better selfies, have a look at the following tips.
Keep Your Essential Gear Close for a Family Selfie
Whenever you’re taking a road trip, it’s vital to have a basic setup within reach and ready to go. Your camera, a fully charged battery, versatile lens, and your settings already set up should be sufficient for those surprise photo opportunities. Yet, don’t forget the rest of your gear. Be sure to pack these in a separate bag and load it in with the rest of your luggage.
Keeping a short list of essential gear for your go-bag comes in handy when you need to pack one in a pinch. Some items you may want to consider to include are:
- A camera bag
- Fully charged batteries
- A tripod
- A fully charged power cell (in case your camera runs out of power)
- Camera and lenses
- Filters
- Dust cloth or air blower
- Memory cards
If that seems too much, you can always find a gorgeous background and use your smartphone to capture the perfect photo. A selfie stick attached to your phone is another easy way to get the perfect happy family selfie.
Stop Stressing About Strangers
A sense of awkwardness is natural when snapping selfies in public as we tend to believe that everyone is watching us. Yet, the truth is quite the opposite. People are too concerned about what’s happening in their own lives to be bothered with you taking a family photo.
So, if you find yourself in a situation that you believe will make a great photo opportunity, use it to your advantage. The feeling of awkwardness will soon pass, and you’ll be going home with an awesome snap as your trophy.
Use the Timer Function to Your Advantage
Traditionally, we had to rely on a willing passerby to help us take a decent family photo. Yet, there are two problems associated with this. For one, there is always a possibility that the friendly stranger will run off with your gear. The other concern is that people, due to feeling uncomfortable and forced to pose, typically look a lot less natural in snapshots like these.
The timer function on smartphones and digital cameras enables you to get around these problems. You can place your device on almost anything, set it for 30 seconds or so, get in position, and snap a unique, natural-looking picture for the family album.
Show up Bright and Early for Your Family Selfie
Early mornings and late afternoons usually have the best light for snapping photos of you and the kids. Additionally, there are always fewer people around during these times, making you feel less self-aware and more relaxed about taking selfies. So, use this time to take as many pics as you want to ensure you get that perfect shot. Fewer people around might encourage your teenager or child to get on board with the family selfie, too!
If available space on your device is a concern, consider investing in additional memory cards or an online storage facility.
Say, Cheese!
Road trips are fun, adventurous, and an affordable family holiday that typically comes with many unique moments for snapping those perfect selfies. They’re a great opportunity to get gorgeous shots, not only of your son and daughter but the whole family. So, stop worrying about strangers and remember, the timer function is your ally. However, don’t forget to keep a go-bag close by as you never know when an opportunity may present itself.
