Category Archives: Weekly Tips

October 5, 2015

Tips for Travelling with you Camera!

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This week I have a bit of a different selfie tip for you, as I’m writing to you from a cafe in Edinburgh, Scotland…far from my home in Vancouver, Canada.

Of course, travel is on my mind and packing camera gear for travel is an important decision I ponder with every adventure and also a question I often get. I had someone recently ask “I’m heading out on a trip and am not sure if I should bring my big camera or just my phone. What cameras do you travel with?”

So I thought today was the perfect day to share my answer with you and share the things I ponder when faced with the questions: What camera should I bring? What is too much? What is not enough?

Of course, the answer is individual, but here are some things to consider to find the right answer for you:

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What do you most love to shoot with?

This is the biggest question I have for you in deciding what to bring on a trip. What is your everyday gear that makes you happy to get out and take photos with. Is it your phone? Then it might make sense to not take your DSLR if it is usually not something you shoot with.

This may ebb and flow too as some times or seasons we may be more into one type of camera, so it’s a question I like to ask myself regularly with each trip as the answer may be different.

As well, what camera is your selfie-taking happy place? Because especially when travelling, it’s easy to get caught up with being behind the camera but it feels important to be in the visual story of our trip too, right? You may want to make certain camera decisions based on general photo needs, but ponder your needs around what you’re most likely to take a selfie with too?

What’s happening on the trip?

After pondering which gear you are most likely to use, this is another factor to think of before deciding. What is happening on the trip that might feel like you don’t want to be without a camera? Are you visiting someone special? Is it an event? Is it somewhere special?

Recently I went on a trip to Latvia, where my mom’s side of the family is from originally. To me, it was the most special trip of my lifetime so this question was clear. I knew that in response to the first question here, I would 100% bring my DSLR and favourite lenses and my iPhone. But I also love taking photos with my Polaroid SX-70 and decided to bring it, along with some film to use. I wouldn’t normally bring it on a trip, but in this case I didn’t regret it at all.

If I knew the trip was likely to be busy with little time for photo or selfie taking, I’d probably just travel with my iPhone.

What’s going on in your next trip and will you want to have your camera in hand?

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How are you travelling?

Another vital piece might be how much of the trip will you be carrying your gear?

As a transit rider and car-free person, packing light is pivotal both for everyday especially for travel. My travelling to different places often includes riding transit (or at least from the airport) into the city so my gear is on my back a lot. If you’re going on a trip in a car or are flying and won’t have to carry your bags around during your trip, it may be an option to bring heavier or more gear than you might if it was going to be on your shoulders the whole time.

On this recent trip, I knew I’d have a few big days of travelling but mainly I’d have a home base in each city I was in. Had I been doing a lot more carrying of my bags and travelling from place to place that might have changed things!

Can you go on a photo walk?

When I travel, if I can make space (even 5 minutes) for going on a photo walk and capturing the landscape, the light, the geography of where I’m staying, it feels worthwhile to bring my DSLR no matter how many other photos I may take. If you can commit to taking your camera out on one day of your adventure and bring it with you, I’m sure you won’t regret bringing it!

Even if you don’t normally go on photo walks at home, it is such a divine tool for capturing the story of your trip and truly doesn’t take long at all. I define a photo walk as going out with no other intention than to see what delights you and to capture it through your lens…yourself included!

Pick a Lens!

So if you’ve decided you do want to bring a big DSLR with you, the next question might be…what lens should I bring (if you have multiple lenses). I find that with travel it makes the most sense to bring a wider angle lens as we’re more likely to want to get the big picture of the landscape, cityscape, of group photos or of a self-portrait in a larger context. A more portrait focused lens like a 50mm lens is one of my favourites and is much lighter to travel with but may not have the same big picture perspective as a zoom lens. I find that the most versatile lens (like a zoom lens) is the most ideal for travel.

Picking 1 lens that most suits your needs is a great way to bring your DSLR but not ALL your gear. Unless you know you’ll be doing something that needs specific gear it’s probably ideal to leave stuff at home like an external flash, a tripod, even extra camera cleaning tools or filters. That can help a lot in making a camera bag lighter.

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What about a Tripod? Or a Selfie Stick or Monopod?

This is another thing for us to ponder! Do we need to bring a tripod or monopod? Or a selfie stick? I’ve shared about selfie sticks (and the pros & cons of them including travelling with them) in this post but I wanted to mention them here as it’s something to consider.

How light is your tripod or monopod? While I take self-portraits nearly everywhere I go, I rarely use a tripod even at home. I can always find a bench or a fence or use my purse to prop my camera on. So while you might think I’d be the type to travel with a tripod, I’m not. I’d only bring a tripod personally if I was planning to shoot a lot of video and have yet to bring a tripod on an overseas trip.

That might not be the case for you though. Tripods can help us keep our photos stable if our hands are shaky. A monopod is a way to add stability but is smaller and lighter.

A selfie stick might be a good choice for you too if you’ve decided your phone is your primary camera for your adventures. Selfie sticks allow us to get a wider range of view around us (you know for things like getting the Eiffel Tower in the frame with us)! It might be a good choice for you.

In these recent travels to Europe I didn’t bring a tripod but did bring my selfie stick as I wanted to try it in Paris. Honestly, they were everywhere there so it wasn’t out of the norm to use it. That said, I didn’t once use it in Latvia. Even taking selfies was far less common and overt there, and I didn’t feel comfortable using it there. I did still take selfies, of course, finding places to prop my camera.

So a tripod or selfie stick might be a good addition for you, but are added weight in our bags for a lot of us. Something to ponder though!

Get a Comfy Camera Bag

If you crave to bring your camera gear on more trips, a comfy bag is really worth investing in. I’m a fan of camera bags that don’t look like they would have a camera in them which luckily are much more common these days. For travel, it’s vital that the bag have a cross body strap option for me as when I’ve got my backpack on, perching a purse on my shoulder just doesn’t work (nor would another camera backpack).

Having my camera bag look more subtle and have room for things like my wallet, water bottle and journal are important too.

Here are a few of the kinds of camera bags that I would recommend for travel:

The Jo Totes Bellbrook Backpack looks like a dreamy backpack for travel. I tend to travel with my luggage in backpack form, so it might be more ideal for those who travel with a rolling suitcase and would make a great carry on bag as it can hold your computer too.
The Epiphanie Chelsea Bag looks like a dreamy small bag for travel. I’ve owned a few styles of bags from them (like the one in the photo above that they no longer make) and loved them.
I’ve never owned a Kelly Moore bag but swoon over them…especially the Collins Bag which looks nothing like any camera bag I’ve ever seen. I love that the camera pockets are inserts that you can remove if you want to use it like a regular bag!

What if you decide to just bring a phone?

I think my back would thank me if I made that choice and yours might too! If you’re using your phone the most to shoot it might be the best choice for you and especially as our phones take such high quality photos these days.

Here are a few extra suggestions for you if your phone is your main camera for travel:

Clear out your camera roll before you go just like you would clear out a memory card on a DSLR before you head out.
Make sure it’s the highest quality size of photo you’re taking (for example use the basic camera in the phone rather than Instagram)
Use the front facing lens which is a higher quality to take your photos.
Get a timer app like Gorillacam to help you be able to get in the photo along with the beautiful place you’ve travelled to!

What do I bring?

When travelling, I almost always bring my DSLR and my favourite lens the Canon 24-70 2.8. The drawback being that it is actually very heavy to carry around. This is my favourite self-taking lens too especially when I want to get the big picture of the place I’m in too. For me it’s worth it for the photos it takes, but for others it might be too heavy to be ideal (it definitely leaves me with achy shoulders after a day of wandering).

I also bring my Canon 50mm 1.4 lens which I find I use on days when I’m craving a lighter lens and don’t expect to be taking landscape photos. It’s small and light so it’s easy to bring as an extra lens but don’t use as much as the other lens (so I could see myself leaving it behind if I had to travel with less).

I also chose to bring along my Polaroid SX-70 this trip. I don’t tend to bring it on every trip but I mean, there’s castles and gorgeous old buildings and beautiful landscapes. I couldn’t resist and will make sure to use it.

And my iPhone of course. With lots of space to take photos with it.

I also bring 2 batteries and 1 battery charger, 2 memory cards but leave all other camera accessories at home including a tripod or flash.

So do I pack light for travel? Not so much, but from experience of other trips, I know I’ll use what I do bring. It only takes overpacking camera gear once to really wake us up to what we do actually use, so another suggestion I have is to write yourself a note of what worked and what didn’t so you’ll have it to refer to next time!

So what should you bring? I hope these suggestions are helpful in figuring that out.

Alas, I can’t really answer that question for you, but I hope these will help you decide to either take the pressure of yourself to bring a camera other than a phone or to get inspired to!

I’m happy to provide suggestions for your situation in the comments if you’re still torn as to what you want to bring along on your next trip!

September 28, 2015

Weekly Selfie Tip – Take a Quick Selfie

One thing I often about selfie taking is that folks don’t have the time in their day. And hearing about some of the busy lives folks have, I can see why. But time passes quickly when we’re busy and there is something mighty powerful about pausing even for a quick second in a busy day to get grounded and check in with yourself. So for today’s selfie tip I wanted to encourage you to make it quick. Your selfie doesn’t need to be grand or taken with that DSLR you have at home…what about that phone you probably have in your pocket or purse right now.

I shared in this post why I think it can be powerful to keep our selfies simple sometimes (especially if our expectation of what our selfie ‘should’ be or what would be good enough is stopping us from even taking them). But time is also a factor that can keep us from being a part of our visual story. But truly this can just take a second of your day within your day, not necessarily taking time away from everything else you’re doing.

I thought I’d share a few quick selfie ideas with you today…and I dare you to make one happen today and share it with me using the #beyourownbeloved hashtag on Instagram!

While you wait. Are you waiting for an appointment? Or waiting in the car to pick the kids up from school? Or waiting for dinner to be ready? Next time you’re in a waiting moment in your day, why not make it a selfie taking moment. Remember selfies aren’t just arm’s length selfies and something like a foot photo or hand photo can be a lot more subtle if you’re in public (but no less a selfie)!
Right here, right now. You’ll see lots of people doing the #stopdropandselfie game on Instagram and that’s all about sharing this moment. You don’t need to go anywhere or do anything!
The washroom. Yup, I said it and I mean it…washroom selfies aren’t a bad thing. Maybe the washroom you’re going to will have a great mirror or be a private 1 stall washroom with great wallpaper and lighting. Plus, it’s a valid time to take a moment for yourself, right?
While you work. What is keeping you busy in your day? Why not tell the story of the day. Whether you’re busy taking care of the kids…what about taking a quick selfie with them! Or if you’re working at a desk, put that phone a few feet away from your hands, set the timer and capture your work without really taking time away from it! I bet the part of your day that is busy could also be a part of your visual story!
While you walk/roll. Where are those moments in between your busy moments where you are strolling somewhere. Perhaps to your car from work or walking the dog? Those in between moments can be a great moment to sneak in a quick selfie and also moments where just for a moment you could slow your steps, feel the ground beneath you and have a mini mindful self-care moment along with your selfie! Keep an eye out on your stroll for your shadow or reflection that could make for a fun a quick selfie.
Take it now, process it later. Taking quick and low-pressure selfies throughout the day is a great way to be a part of your visual story. Often if we keep a bit of time separate from the moment we take them we’ll see the photo with more kindness too. Taking time to get creative with your photo and play around with photo apps later in the day can be a great way to relax too, right?
Take a 1 block walk. I’ll often do this on rainy days or when I don’t feel like I have the time but know that I will feel more grounded, more ready for the rest of the day if I can do this mini self-care photo offering to myself. Go down 1 block and back and see what you can find that could be a place to pause and take a selfie of your feet or a backdrop for an arm’s length selfie!

I hope these ideas help make it feel more possible to add a little part of your day into your visual story. I know especially when things are wildly busy these little moments feel more like self-care than ever!

If you do take a quick selfie today and share it, I’ll be on the lookout for it via the #beyourownbeloved hashtag! Or if the idea of taking selfie at all is outside your comfort zone and you’d like a supportive experience exploring seeing yourself with kindness though your camera , come join in for the November Session of Be Your Own Beloved (and get early access to inspiring videos to support your journey as soon as you register)!

September 7, 2015

Weekly Selfie Tip – Try Your Timer

These days, when we think of a selfie we are probably picturing an arm’s length photo of our face, right?

But that is truly only one kind of a selfie.

Today’s selfie tip is to…try your timer.

Because while finding that angle that you love to take your arm’s length selfie at (something I help you figure out in the e-courses) it’s just one perspective of you. Not only that, but when we are taking this kind of selfie we are posing, trying to get our body paused in that one specific angle, pose and perspective.

While there is nothing wrong with posing for a selfie, I don’t know about you, but posing doesn’t necessarily invite me to feel at home in my body. It allows us to see ourselves in a really controlled way but when we try our timer, we just might find that there is another option than posing.

When we put down the camera, set the timer, and go beyond arm’s length our arms are now free to move.

We’re free to take a deep breath, to get grounded, and to decide how we want to move rather than pose.

Yes, that unknown, that uncontrolled ‘How should I move my body for the camera’ can feel vulnerable.

But when we start moving in our photos be it before or during the photo, when we start getting playful we get to see ourselves in a whole other way. In my experience of healing my own negative body image through the tool of self-portraiture, this was the place where I felt like I jumped into a deeper level of healing, and it’s often the same with the participants in Be Your Own Beloved.

Plus, as you’ll find if you take up today’s dare…this is where taking selfies becomes SO much fun too. You aren’t just capturing your physicality in the photo…we may capture the energy of aliveness, the spark of playfulness and what you just might find is that when you do this you get to see the visual story of you in a whole new way.

So how do we use our timer? Where do we find it? How do we Use it?

Here are a few tips for you:

iPhones usually have a timer (unless it is an older one) and for all iPhones you can download the Gorillacam App that allows you not only to use a timer but to take a whole bunch of photos in order to get that one you love…remember last weeks tip of Letting there be Outtakes?
If you have an Android, guess what…you have a timer already! They don’t make it very obvious but it’s there in the settings of your camera.
Most other point and shoots have a timer built into it. Try your timer today…I dare you!
Find a place to prop your timer. It doesn’t need to be on a tripod. Look around you right now and I bet you’ll notice a bunch of places to prop the camera up!
To try it? Just press the timer and play. There may be a moment where you’re not sure what to do, but get playful and see how your body wants to move. Call on the tools you already know like standing in mountain pose, or the way you love to dance, or reach up your arms and stretch. Or explore the pose you like to do in a photo normally, but arm’s free.
Timer photos don’t need to be full body photos either. One thing that can be fun to do is prop your camera at eye level or a bit above, just like you would an arm’s length selfie but this time have your hands free and see how that inspires you to explore being a part of your visual story in a different way. Or try just getting your feet in the frame, or just your hands.

Remember, the tip (and dare) today is just to try your timer. It isn’t about getting a ‘perfect’ selfie. It isn’t about doing something right. It’s just about trying. As I’ve mentioned before here on the blog, the process of learning to see yourself with compassion through the camera isn’t just about the final photo…in fact it’s more about the process we experience in taking it.

Starting with letting ourselves just give it a try!

If you do try your timer today and decide to share it, use the #beyourownbeloved hashtag (which of course you’re welcome to use for any selfie) to share it with the Beloved Community!