There’s a certain amount of trust that we all display when we ask a stranger to take our photo. I tend to barter services with another camera-toting tourist, as in “I’ll take your photo if you take mine.” But it’s always a bit unnerving to entrust a stranger with your camera and memory card.
Here are four tips to help make sure your camera doesn’t get ripped off. And with a bit of luck, perhaps you’ll come home with frame-worthy photos.
Ask a stranger who has a camera similar to yours.
As a form of informal insurance, it helps to believe that you just handed your camera to someone who is less likely to steal yours because he or she already has the same one. To increase the chance of getting better shots, if you have a fancy SLR, it’s probably not a good idea to ask someone who is still carrying around a point-and-shoot film camera. Even if you switch your camera to auto mode, all the buttons can be overwhelming for the stranger you’ve accosted. When in doubt, ask the stranger to fire off a few rounds and hope a wayward finger isn’t smudging your lens.
I’ve heard of other travelers seeking out a parent with kids because moms and dads are more likely to have experience operating a camera. I suppose parents are also less likely to run off with your camera if they’re trying to wrangle their offspring. However, I try to avoid asking parents with small children because it doesn’t really seem fair to impose when their hands are already full with diaper bags.
Get to know your self-timer.
It’s harder to tell if the stranger can compose your shot just the way you’d like. There’s nothing more disappointing than reviewing your photos on the LCD display and seeing the Eiffel Tower poking out of your head. When that has happened, I’ve let that well-intentioned stranger walk away before I flagged down someone else and tried again. I don’t mean to appear ungrateful, but I didn’t travel that far to come home with mediocre photos. To maintain some control, I’m a fan of the self-timer. I prop the camera on a ledge, rock, or bench, adjust the shot, and hit the self-timer. As always, it’s best to check your surroundings before plopping your camera down unattended even for those 10 seconds. For a better grip on uneven surfaces, the Gorillapod is an inexpensive tripod (from $22) with adjustable legs that can help keep your camera from tipping over. There’s also now an iPhone-compatible version ($40).
Fall back on self-portraits.
Say you’re surrounded by sketchy-looking people so you decide to take your own photo. One drawback is that your head usually looks so large that it obscures the scenic background. Plus, those awkward vanity shots usually take a few tries because you accidentally cut off your head or someone’s. Thankfully, there are now high-tech options like the Samsung DualView TL220. When the 12.2-megapixel point-and-shoot first came out in September, I was psyched because it features not one but two screens to help you better frame that shot. In just six months, the $300 retail price has already dropped; Best Buy is selling it for $250 this week with free shipping.
Consider a waterproof camera.
Whenever I’m at the beach and leave my camera on my towel, I’m always a bit anxious that someone is going to walk away with it. I used to buy cheap disposable waterproof Kodak film cameras but have switched to the 10-megapixel Fuijifilm FinePix Z33WP ($130, Amazon.com), which is waterproof up to 10 feet. Though I haven’t had the chance to snorkel with it yet, I used the camera last summer while paddle boating on a lake. Just being able to take my camera into the water makes it easier for me to relax and not have to constantly watch my stuff.
Major camera manufacturers are rolling out more waterproof models; Olympus makes an affordable line of waterproof cameras (from $230) while Vivitar’s 8.1-megapixel ViviCam 8400 goes for $100. As for the likelihood of someone stealing my wallet or keys off my beach towel, well, those things can be replaced more easily than a memory card full of irreplaceable moments.