5 Ways to Look Great in Travel Photos

We all want to look great in travel photos. But if you are like me, you try to avoid cameras at all costs. In fact, I think one of the reasons I had kids was so that I could be the one BEHIND the camera instead of in front of it! But the older I get, the more I realize that actually being in the photo is important. It proves you actually visited a place. Also, pictures of scenery itself can be very boring, Most importantly, your friends and family like pictures of you, no matter what you look like! But we all want to feel confident when looking at our travel photos, so here are 5 ways to look great!

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Check Your Smile

Several years ago on a trip to Central Europe, I noticed that my travel companion looked naturally happy and cheerful in all of our photos. Meanwhile, I sported a big cheesy grin or worse, looked slightly in pain. I asked what her secret was, and she advised to smile with my mouth open instead of closed. The result is that you look like you are laughing, your eyes aren’t so squinty, and there’s no cheese factor. As you can see in the picture above, I look genuinely thrilled to be crammed into a small stone . . . something . . . with friends in Vienna!

Hand Your Camera to Someone Tall

Another way to look great in travel photos is to make sure your photographer is taller than you. This encourages you to look slightly up, smoothing out the lines in your neck. It also helps you avoid the dreaded double (triple?) chin look! It also makes you look slimmer. The photo above was taken in South Korea by someone who was about 5″ taller than me. Avoid at all costs being photographed by someone who is a lot shorter than you. Some of the most unflattering photos I have were taken by my kids when they were very young!

Watch Your Stance (& Never Sit!)

My mother taught me to stand like the contestants in Miss America – feet at a V with one hip slightly tilted forward and the other tilted back, weight on the back leg. This helps you look taller and thinner. I’ve hit middle age without mastering this stance, but I do try and sometimes succeed. I wasn’t quite there in the photo above, but better than most of my attempts!

But what I avoid at all costs is sitting for photos. Sitting widens EVERYTHING! There is little that is flattering about a sitting figure. Another thing to avoid is to be at the end of a group of people. This happens to me all too often when I’m traveling with students. I always seem to be flanking a group, and I often seem like the widest figure there!

Be Silly

One of my college roommates had 5 siblings. She told me they never look “normal” in any photo. Their family motto is that as soon as the camera comes out, you should act as goofy as possible. There’s something to that. Some of my best photos are ones where I was acting silly. Take a cue from your surroundings so that your photos are more interesting. Don’t just stand there, do something silly!

Avoid Selfies (or Invest in Tools to Help!)

My 15 year old daughter looks great in selfies. Cameras love youth. Cameras do not love me. Plus, I was a full-fledged, tax-paying, wrinkly adult before iPhones were invented. Figuring out how to even take a selfie sometimes eludes me. As you can see in the photo above, Amanda and I struggle with getting both of us in the photo along with the background we want to feature. Plus, we look awful in selfies – it’s too close! Honestly, this photo looks better than it might have simply because we are wearing masks to protect us from COVID-19!

Of course, selfies are sometimes inevitable. So a surefire way to look great in your travel photos is to invest in tools that can help. Buy a selfie stick. This will allow you to hold your phone higher so that you look up, and help you get more of the background behind you. You can also get a tripod to help you with all kinds of photos. Regardless of what tool you are using, invest some time in learning how to use it! Maybe ask your teenager to help . . .

If you want to spend a little more money, apps like Facetune and PS Express can help. Or use a free tool like Snapseed. These tools can help you smooth out those wrinkles, whiten your teeth, and even make you look thinner! So far, I haven’t bothered paying for anything, as is obvious from my photos! But with age and the birth of a travel blog, I don’t promise not to in the future!

But honestly, I think the best advice is to ask another traveler to take your photo. People are always happy to take your photo, and often welcome you returning the favor. I guess there’s a slight chance that the person will take your phone and run, but it’s highly unlikely. What’s more likely is that you will have a pleasant interaction with a fellow human being. And isn’t that one of the reasons we travel?

What tips do you have for looking great in travel photos?

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