Turning Blah Selfies into Better Memory-Making Moments

Going on a vacation requires plenty of preparation. There’s an itinerary to make, clothes to pack, and accommodations to book. Moreover, traveling with your partner might result in double the preparation or additional tasks. Making sure you have the tools to take memorable couples photos will be essential to snapping that special travel moment together.

So, how can you take amazing pictures when there are only two of you? Let’s look at the four ingredients that will guarantee success.

Collect Memories With an Instant Camera

Having a physical reminder of your vacation is a fun way to look back at it. Instant cameras are the perfect way to do this because they print the pictures out immediately.

There are several types of instant cameras that exist presently, so you have a lot to choose from. The classic Polaroid Originals Now i-Type, which only requires you to point and shoot makes for instant couple photos. Meanwhile, the higher-end Canon IVY CLIQ+2 lets you take your digital images, edit them on screen, and print them out.

In fact, for couples, editing the photo to add cute stickers and the day’s date ensures special moments are always remembered. Instant cameras are the best option to immortalize any kind of couple trip right on the spot, from from amusement parks like Tayto Park in Meath to beaches such as the Silver Strand Beach in County Donegal.

Enhance Your Images With Clip-on Lenses

Manipulating photos through digital editing is nice, but sometimes it’s more fun to take the traditional route. Clip-on lenses turn ordinary photos into funky ones by altering their color or morphing the composition. It’s a great way to get creative and make certain backdrops like the graphic art walls in Waterford and Belfast unique memories.

The Moment Wide 18mm lens for phones captures wider backgrounds while you and your partner remain the center of attention. It’s the best of both worlds: having a couple photo while getting the beautiful surrounding scenery makes for the perfect combination.

Additionally, instant cameras have interchangeable lenses. The Instax Mini 11 has color filters in green, blue, pink, and yellow to give instant couple photos a colorful makeover.

Extend Your Arm With a Selfie Stick

Given that there are only two of you, it’s often difficult to take photos with both of you in the frame. The selfie mode or timer on phones and cameras can help, but your arms can only reach so far.

Getting a selfie stick will assist this situation. They easily attach to your device (usually through the phones earphone jack or Bluetooth) and are very adjustable (multiple extensions and tilts up to 3’ out) to extend your arm and capture both of you successfully in the photo. A perfect tool for your visit to the Ring of Kerry and The Dingle Peninsula, allowing you to get the whole backdrop in your memory. 

The ATUMTEK Selfie Stick is durable and compact, able to carry heavier phones because of its aluminum hinges. It also converts to a tripod—very useful for when you’re tired of short-arm, couple selfies. On the other hand, the Ulanzi MT-11 Octopus is more of a tripod but can be used handheld, too. It’s very versatile as you can mount either a phone or a camera on it. Selfie sticks and tripods are a couple’s trip bestie’s helping avoid weird angles and heads being cut from the frame!

Brighten Your Surroundings With a Mini Ring Light

You can’t really control a location’s lighting or weather conditions. A portable mini ring light will rescue you in these situations so that your couple photos are always well illuminated. They will certainly come in handy at night when visiting Ireland's underground caves like the Marble Arch Caves and at night markets like the Dublin Night Market.

Kimwood’s clip-on ring light attaches to your phone so you’ll only need to hold up one device. It also has different lighting options from cold, natural, and warm to suit your preferences. The LITTIL Selfie One Ring Light slides onto your phone, encircling the camera lenses for better light distribution. While they are made for phones, they are super compact meaning they’re easy to carry and hold up when you’re taking photos with your camera, too!

Taking successful couple vacation photos doesn’t have to be particularly hard when you have the right equipment. With a few photo success tools, you can turn regular vacation memories into arm-extended, better lit, wider background images that help you tell your girlfriends the stories of all the cool places you went together!  

Isn’t it time you turned your selfies into better memory-making moments!

This contributed post was provided by Gretchen Cox. She is a freelance writer who has a knack for food, travel, and fashion articles. When she's not working, you can find her practicing different yoga poses and making dream vacation itineraries.

Tell us your tips for taking better couple vacation selfies? What easy travel tools make your photos pop? Drop a comment below and connect with our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels. We’d love to hear!