Best Camera Gear to Bring on a Solo Trip - Or Any Trip
Going on a solo trip can be exhilarating, eye opening and, dare I say, life changing. It can also be, however, a huge pain to photograph if you want to actually appear in your own travel images and don't have the best camera gear for a solo trip. Sure, you could snap some photos of the wicked landscapes, cities and restaurants that you visit. But wouldn't it be much cooler to see yourself in the very places you courageously traveled to solo? I know when I look at a photo of myself from a solo trip (or any trip for that matter), I get stoked. It almost seems surreal that I was actually in that place, especially if I traveled there solo. So, I try to get as many photos of me in the actual place as possible so I can constantly look back and remember that I brought myself there.
So, how do you go about snapping some awesome photos of yourself when you're travelling solo? It starts with bringing the best camera gear for a solo trip. And the best camera gear for a solo trip isn't actually that much at all. In fact, the less gear the better. There are all sorts of options and products online to help you snap selfies of yourself that don't look like selfies. I've compiled this list, however, to get you started on same of the basic, easy-to-travel-with gear that will get you the best results.
Mirrorless DSLR Camera
Sure, smartphone cameras are becoming more and more powerful these days. But, if you want to snap pro selfies like the Instagram influencers while traveling solo, you'll want to invest in a Mirrorless Digital SLR Camera. Mirrorless DSLR cameras are very powerful cameras with interchangeable lenses, just like the old Digital SLRs. Unlike the old Digital SLRs, however, mirrorless ones are very small. This means that you can bring a camera that's much, much more powerful than your smartphone along with you on your trip, without taking up much space in your bag. The other beauty of these cameras is that they can set up their own Wi-Fi hotspot. This allows you to send your photos directly to your smartphone, even if you're trekking through the Costa Rican jungle. Your Instagram fans will thank you. My favourite starter Mirrorless DSLR: Sony A6000.
GoPro
If you love the idea of travelling, but haven't ever looked into what a GoPro is, you should now. GoPros are very small, high quality adventure cams that allow you to film and photograph all of your adventures. And I mean all of them. The camera is waterproof so you can take it under water. The company also offers tons and tons of camera mounts, so you can literally stick it to anything (a surfboard, mountain bike, car, etc.). My favorite accessory is the Go Pro Jaws Flex Clamp. You literally connect your GoPro to the Jaws Flex Clamp mount, attach the clamp to (almost) anything, and then flex the arm so that it faces you. This is ideal for taking selfies, as you can set the GoPro to take photos on a set interval of time (i.e. every half second, one second, two seconds, etc.). This means that you can set the GoPro up, face it towards the cool scene that you're adventuring in, and then hop in the frame and perform pose after pose, while the Go Pro snaps pictures.
Joby GorillaPod
Even if you don't buy a Mirrorless DSLR or a GoPro, the Joby GorillaPod is the one item you should purchase before a solo trip. GorillaPods are small enough to shove into a backpack, their bendable legs can wrap around anything, and they can hold literally any camera, including your smartphone. All you need to do is find something for the GorillaPod to wrap around or sit on, set the camera up, put on a timer, and then get into the frame. It's honestly that simple. Sure, you could buy a fancy travel tripod for $300, but why bother when you can buy the GorillaPod for much, much less (around $50 CAD) and get the same results? Do yourself a favor and grab one of these before you go. It is for sure one of the best pieces of camera gear for a solo trip.
So, if you want to grab the best camera gear for a solo trip, start with the list here. If it seems like too much of a financial commitment to grab two new cameras, at least check out the Joby GorillaPod (or something similar), as it will help ensure all of your shots are framed exactly the way you want them to be. If all else fails and you don't like any of these suggestions, there's still the old fashioned move of asking another tourist to snap a photo of you. You may not get the shot you want, but hey, at least it's free.