Have you ever seen an old photo and just smiled?

When I look back at the video where my wife and I slid down at The Rockies, I cant help but to feel all warm and giggly.

That’s why i love taking pictures and videos of my travel. I love looking back at them and relive those fun moments all over again. I believe it’s the secret to freezing the good time for limitless future recreation.

I soon find that the quality of the pictures and videos also matters. The more vivid and immersive, the more enjoyable to look back at.

But… i always irk at the idea of lugging an expensive fragile bulky DSLR on my travels. I thought about action cams, but still abhorred the idea of carrying additional electronics, preferring the simplicity of my mobile phone.

credits

I still wanted to improve of my shots. Thus I sought for how I could traverse the gap between quality and versatility. That’s when I found great uses of the selfie stick.

Here’s a comedic video I made about the topic:

The video only touched on 3 short scenarios, but here’s 5 full reasons for you my patient readers!

1: Extended arm’s reach

Getting a Wider Angle

Without getting a bulkier lens, the only way to get a wider angle is to take the camera further from the subject.

With a selfie stick, you will have no problem getting a wider angle with your mobile phone camera. It will be significantly better compared if you would have held it with arms fully extended.

Wide angle capturing more of the majestic backdrop

Getting a Higher/Lower/Closer Angle

Sometimes you need to go higher to get a better angle. If there was no way to climb higher, then you’d be stuck on the ground you stand upon.

Other times you gotta go lower or closer to obtain the desired perspective.

With a selfie stick, you can easily and safely put your camera at the most precarious positions for the angle you seek.

For example:

Get the angle above the bush blocking your eyesight level view.
- Or even getting above the crowds blocking your view to the popular view spot

Getting a higher angle from a bridge in Interlaken

Get the angle from an unreachable location

Getting an outside-in view of my house at upper floor

Get closer to the subject without traversing towards it

Getting closer to the Seals at Pier 39, San Francisco

2. Improved camera handling

It is easier to hold a stick than to clasp upon your mobile phone. Your full palm grasping the stick gives a firmer grip compared to our bare fingers on our mobile phone. Consequently, aiming your camera also becomes easier.

Firm grip of the camera

3. Improved Shot Framing

This requires the selfie sticks with adjustable joint between the camera holder & the stick.

This joint comes in various form:

Static
- Does not move
Elbow
- Rotates in 1 direction
Ball
- rotates in all direction

Ball joint

From my experience, the best kind are the ball joints because you can easily do fine adjustments. There will be a screw that tightens or loosens the ball, allowing you to adjust at will.

4. Trigger Shots Remotely

One problem with your camera being further than your arm’s reach is… you cant press the button for an instantaneous shot.

You can set a timer, but that sets you racing against it to get to your pose. You don’t want really want to wait too long either.

With bluetooth enabled selfie sticks, you can connect it to your phone and remotely trigger the shutter at will. Some even comes with a separate bluetooth remote button.

Now you can stroll to your pose, and even take multiple shots in one take.

Taking our time at Golden Gate Bridge

5. Setup The Camera Anywhere

This requires you to get those selfie sticks with tripod attachments.

For selfie sticks, the tripod attachments come mainly in two type, but in various length and size.

Foldable legs
- Static legs that usually folds in the handle
- Deploy tripod by folding the legs out
Octopus arms
- Flexible legs that can bend in any directions
- Use straightened like a normal tripod
- Or wrap it around whatever you can find

While the foldable legs let you setup your camera on any level surface, the octopus arms let you setup your camera wherever you can find a platform sturdy enough to hold it.

The tripod attachment is best used with bluetooth remote control.

This is essential especially if you plan to take any time-lapse videos, letting you setup your camera for the best angle.

Star-lapse at Arches National Park

Afterthoughts

Gimbal selfie stick: credits

There are also higher tech “selfie sticks” that also works as a gimbal. But those will need additional batteries, come in bigger cost and bulk.

For my typical outdoor adventure, a simple compact tripod bluetooth-enabled selfie stick is more than enough.

I suggest you find the stick that fits your need!

Would you get a selfie stick yourself?

Let me know what you think in the comments!

For Readers with Shopee

This is the stick that I find to be the best value in the market:

https://shope.ee/9UN0zxpyjo

It has all of the features fulfilling the 5 reasons above. I have personally bought 4 of these! In my past backpacking trips. I would give it away to fellow travellers who was mesmerised by how I used it. It was nice to see them liking their photos better when shot with the selfie stick!

The link above is an affiliate link. It doesn’t cost you anything extra to use it. I will just get a commission if you happen to buy it.