Solo travel has a way of letting you make some of the best memories.
The freedom to do whatever you want, move at your own pace, and change plans without worrying about anyone. Despite all of that, there’s one frustration almost every solo traveller has to face: getting good footage of yourself when no one’s around to film it.
The good news is, this is something you can easily tackle with the right gear and a few simple techniques.
I’ve used the same handful of tricks everywhere, from watching sunrise over Big Island Hawaii’s lava fields to island-hopping between Mykonos and Santorini, and they work whether you’re weighing up group trips versus solo adventures for the first time or you’ve been travelling alone for years.
Whether you’re going on your first solo trip or you’re tired of less-than-ideal selfies, here’s what actually works.
READ ALSO: Digital Tools For Modern Travellers 8 Must-Have Gadgets I Never Travel Without
TLDR; Your Solo Travel Filming Checklist
Tallinn, Estonia
If you’re heading out the door and want the short version, here’s everything above condensed into one quick-reference list. Save this, screenshot it, or just skim it before your next trip.
Before You Film
- Camera with auto-tracking and stabilisation
- Flexible or mini tripod, not a rigid one
- Reliable eSIM sorted, so you can back up footage on the go
While You’re Filming
- Vary your angles, don’t default to eye-level every time
- Use your surroundings as a natural camera operator
- Get comfortable leaving the camera running and walking into frame
- Shoot in short 5–10 second clips
- Leave a few seconds of buffer before and after the action
- Capture detail shots
- Use a timer or remote so you’re not sprinting into position
- Check the whole frame before you hit record
- Record more than you think you need
After You Film
Don’t let filming take over the trip, put the camera away and just be there sometimes
That’s really the whole system. None of it requires expensive gear or advanced editing skills, it’s mostly about building a few small habits until they’re automatic. Run through this list a couple of times and you’ll notice yourself doing it without thinking by the third or fourth stop on your trip.
12 Tips For Filming Great Solo Travel Videos
I’ve picked up most of these tricks the hard way, usually by getting home and realising half my footage was unusable. Here are the 12 that actually make a difference.
1. Invest In A Good Quality Camera
If you’re serious about recording solo, this is the most important decision you’ll make. A travel camera that can track your movement automatically means you can set it up somewhere stable, walk in front of it, and let it follow you wherever you go without doing anything manually.
That usually requires a dedicated camera operator. With a compact travel camera with auto-tracking, all you need is a tripod to set it on.
Good stabilisation is what separates clips you’ll want to use from those you won’t. Handheld footage while hiking, walking, or moving through crowds will look shaky without it. Shooting solo travel videos with such stability is simpler with all the camera options available today, largely because they’re so advanced.
2. Get A Flexible Tripod
Turtle dolphin watching in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
A rigid tripod with no flexibility is helpful, but not for solo travel. A mini or flexible tripod is far more practical for this kind of filming.
I’ve used a handheld tripod on my trip to Puerto Escondido, Mexico and was able to get a shot of a group of dolphins! The ability to position your camera anywhere also means you can take a much wider range of shots than a standard tripod allows.
3. Think About Good Perspective
Fulton Centre, New York, USA
Most solo travel shots end up looking the same because there are only 1 or 2 setups people actually use: a selfie angle close to your face, or a wide static shot with you in the middle of the frame. Both are workable, but they get repetitive fast.
Try to vary the perspective of your shots instead. A low-angled shot against a dramatic skylight looks stunning compared to the same shot taken from eye level, and it’s a trick that works especially well somewhere like Fulton Centre Subway Station, where the cliffs and light do most of the work for you.
4. Leverage Your Surroundings As The Camera Operator
Wooden sculpture Daniel Popper, Tulum
Many first-time travellers don’t know this, but some of the most creative solo footage comes from treating the place you’re in as your camera operator.
Windows, mirrors, and reflective surfaces can create interesting frames. Moving through a narrow lane while the camera stays fixed on you creates a natural tracking effect, and the backstreets of Ho Chi Minh City are some of the best I’ve filmed this way.
You can also set the camera at a distance and walk toward a monument or landmark to get an establishing shot that looks composed. Walking toward the ruins at Tulum works particularly well for this.
5. Get Comfortable Leaving The Camera Running
One of the hardest parts of filming alone has nothing to do with the camera. It’s getting comfortable with the idea that you may have to leave it sitting somewhere while you move around.
You might worry about someone walking into the frame, bumping into the tripod, or wondering what you’re doing. Those concerns are understandable, especially in a busy tourist area.
Start somewhere low-pressure instead. A quiet stretch of beach worked well for me the first time I tried this properly, on one of the quieter beaches near the resorts around Cozumel.
Set up the camera, press record, walk into the frame, and act naturally.
6. Use Short Clips Instead Of A Long Take
Shorter clips usually give you more options during editing.
5 to 10 seconds can be enough for many travel clips, and you can piece several moments together for a sequence that feels far more dynamic.
Short clips also make solo filming less tiring. You don’t have to keep returning to the same spot because you’re worried about nailing one perfect take, and if something goes wrong, you can just reset and try again.
There’s another benefit: you’ll spend less time sorting through hours of footage later, which matters when you’re travelling with limited storage or would rather enjoy your trip than review every clip that evening.
7. Give Yourself A Few Seconds Before Moving
Once you press record, wait a few seconds before starting the action, and do the same at the end of the shot. That extra breathing room gives you far more flexibility during editing.
Those extra seconds also help if your camera takes a moment to settle its exposure or focus, so you won’t have to cut the opening too tightly.
It can feel unnecessary while you’re filming. Later, you’ll probably be glad you did it.
8. Film The Details You Might Otherwise Miss
E-Paso Cafe, “Pavement Cafe” experience!
Solo travel videos don’t need to show your face in every shot. Some of the strongest footage comes from the small details around you.
Film your coffee arriving at breakfast, or capture your shoes crossing an old cobbled street. A train pulling into the station, a local shop opening for the morning, or sunlight moving across a hotel room all tell the story of the trip without you needing to appear on camera.
Detail shots break the pattern and give viewers a better sense of the place itself. If every shot shows you standing in front of a landmark, the result starts feeling repetitive.
9. Take Advantage Of Timed Shots
A timer solves one of the biggest problems with solo filming: getting into position without rushing. Set the camera on a tripod, choose a timer, then give yourself enough time to reach your spot.
You don’t need to sprint into position just to beat the countdown. This works particularly well for walking shots: start the recording, move into position, then begin walking naturally once you’re ready.
If your camera supports remote control through a phone, that makes the process even easier. You can check your framing before starting the shot rather than repeatedly walking back to the camera.
10. Think About What The Viewer Will See
Lake Moraine, Canada
Before pressing record, take a quick look at the entire frame. Check what’s behind you and look for anything distracting near the edge.
Try placing yourself slightly off-centre rather than always standing dead in the middle. It’s the same basic idea behind the rule of thirds, and leaving space in the direction you’re walking or looking gives the shot a more natural sense of movement.
You don’t need to know complicated cinematography rules to make this work. Just look at the frame as a viewer would, and if your eye goes straight to something other than you or the location, adjust the setup.
11. Record More Than You Think You Need
This sounds obvious, but it’s still something most solo travellers overlook. When you’re handling your camera alone, it’s almost natural to stop recording as soon as you think you’ve got the shot.
The issue is that what felt like enough in the moment may not give you much to work with during editing. Take more footage than you think you need, especially at the start and end of a scene.
You may not use every clip, but having a few extra takes gives you more choices when you put the video together. Sorting a reliable eSIM before you travel at least means you can back footage up to the cloud as you go, rather than finding out too late that a clip didn’t save.
12. Don’t Let Filming Take Over The Trip
There’s a fine line between documenting a trip and spending the entire trip documenting it. Solo travel gives you the freedom to put the camera away whenever you want.
You don’t need footage of every meal, every street, or every attraction. Pick the moments you genuinely want to remember, film for a few minutes, then put your camera away.
A little planning makes solo filming much easier, but flexibility matters just as much. Weather can change, a location can suddenly get crowded, or the shot that looked great on your phone screen might feel completely different once you review it. The more you practise, the better you’ll get.
Solo travel is booming right now, and it can be one of the most rewarding ways to see the world. Beyond the logistical freedom, it pushes you to navigate new environments, solve problems independently, and engage more authentically with locals and fellow travellers.
By stepping outside your comfort zone, you gain a clearer sense of your own capabilities and come home with a real sense of confidence, whether that trip took you through the caldera towns of Santorini, the rice terraces of Bali, or wherever you decide to go next.
All you need is a little preparation and the right gear, packed the way you’d pack anything else for a trip, and you’ll come home with footage that actually looks like the experience felt.
