I'm sad.... :(

[Biomech]

So I went to Thailand - got ill and had to cut it short and came back Absolutely gutted. But that's not the purpose of the post...

I got some nice pictures of my friends while I was there, but like always, there are none of me. I'm not expecting my friends to be great photographers, but I set the camera to auto or set the focus etc so they don't have to do anything but press the button and all I get is your standard non-camera person photos. Masses of space, a speck of me in the middle.

Now I do look horrendous in photos so I'm not expecting miracles. But you know, a little basic composition - I even say "twist this to zoom, make the picture from my waist to my head" ... but no

I even had a case one time, when some old people offered to take a photo for me. I gave them the camera (it has very fast focusing) told them to press all the way. Told them to do another. .... nothing, no pictures. I mean how can you offer to take a photo and fail to actually press the shutter.

So I'm sad that, from all the exciting places I've been, there's no nice record of it yet plenty of everyone else

[BigFuzzy]

ultra wide angle + self portrait = you were there.

or

tripod + composition + self timer = you were there.

Sorry to hear it, it sucks, but there are things you can do about it.
Lastly, find photographer friends.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by Biomech

So I went to Thailand - got ill and had to cut it short and came back Absolutely gutted. But that's not the purpose of the post...

I got some nice pictures of my friends while I was there, but like always, there are none of me. I'm not expecting my friends to be great photographers, but I set the camera to auto or set the focus etc so they don't have to do anything but press the button and all I get is your standard non-camera person photos. Masses of space, a speck of me in the middle.

Now I do look horrendous in photos so I'm not expecting miracles. But you know, a little basic composition - I even say "twist this to zoom, make the picture from my waist to my head" ... but no

I even had a case one time, when some old people offered to take a photo for me. I gave them the camera (it has very fast focusing) told them to press all the way. Told them to do another. .... nothing, no pictures. I mean how can you offer to take a photo and fail to actually press the shutter.

So I'm sad that, from all the exciting places I've been, there's no nice record of it yet plenty of everyone else

Well.........take me with you next time. Not only will you get great pic of yourself, but also your very own private travel photography seminar.

[SwissJon]

Get a point and shoot with a screen on the back.. People haven't a clue about DSLR's and are afraid of breaking them so daren't touch any of the settings.. They understand P&S's and understand that by filling the screen on the back, that's how the photo will look.. You could also try "Live View", but either way, don't expect miracles, they aren't photographers.

[Barbara V]

I don't go many places anymore, so don't have this problem too often. Back in the day (film) I used to take pictures of my feet wherever I went, to show that I'd been there. People were afraid of picking up the SLR, and like you, if they did, I ended up tiny in the pic, despite explaining about the zoom.

[thatBilly]

I take loads of photos for local newspapers but sometimes I'd like to be in the pictures too. But every single time I ask someone else to take the shot, they completely mess it up. I honestly can't understand how people have such difficulty just taking a photo, I don't expect anything special.

[candidrachel]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

Get a point and shoot with a screen on the back.. People haven't a clue about DSLR's and are afraid of breaking them so daren't touch any of the settings.. They understand P&S's and understand that by filling the screen on the back, that's how the photo will look.. You could also try "Live View", but either way, don't expect miracles, they aren't photographers.

I agree! That's why I have my canon powershot handy ready for such moments.

It is annoying when you have to get the magifying glass out to spot you in the picture surrounded by masses of boring concrete.

[Quo Fan]

I take my photographer wife with me, and I happen to be her favorite subject. We both get photos of each other where ever we go.

[LenDog]

Originally Posted by Biomech

So I went to Thailand - got ill and had to cut it short and came back Absolutely gutted. But that's not the purpose of the post...

I got some nice pictures of my friends while I was there, but like always, there are none of me. I'm not expecting my friends to be great photographers, but I set the camera to auto or set the focus etc so they don't have to do anything but press the button and all I get is your standard non-camera person photos. Masses of space, a speck of me in the middle.

Now I do look horrendous in photos so I'm not expecting miracles. But you know, a little basic composition - I even say "twist this to zoom, make the picture from my waist to my head" ... but no

I even had a case one time, when some old people offered to take a photo for me. I gave them the camera (it has very fast focusing) told them to press all the way. Told them to do another. .... nothing, no pictures. I mean how can you offer to take a photo and fail to actually press the shutter.

So I'm sad that, from all the exciting places I've been, there's no nice record of it yet plenty of everyone else

Without hiring a photographer, you're anticipating failure when you expect someone to take a photograph of you that meets your own standards.

In the few times I've done this, I put the camera on full auto, explained how to turn the camera on and how to depress the shutter, and maybe even set the the focal lenght with a brief explanation of how "not" to change that.

I also planned on making major changes later (crop, WB, etc.).

That's the best you can expect.

[jamesev]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Well.........take me with you next time. Not only will you get great pic of yourself, but also your very own private travel photography seminar.

yepers, i'll go, I have knowledge of Patpong Market and Nana Plaza where there will be some excellent opportunities to photograph you. Unless of course you're of the mindset "what happens in Thailand, stays in Thailand"