A few months ago I posted a loving photo of my little girl hugging my husband and captioned it “why is it that my husband gets photos like these while all I get are blurry ones of my most unflattering angles?” And boy, oh boy did my girlfriends have comments about that. So many of them related to it!
If you’re lucky enough to have a partner who’s got an eye for photography, lucky you! While I love my husband, his knack for photography leaves a lot to be desired… His vacation photos look like travel advertisements, while mine are mid-chewing, blinking, looking away, or just straight up out of focus…
After all these years, I’ve given up complaining about it and resorted to the next best thing to having a professional photographer follow us around all day – the trusty selfie stick.
When they were first invented it was so tacky to be holding a selfie stick out in public, but now, especially with the domination of the TikTok generation, it’s completely normal. Seriously…
I’ve gone through my fair share of selfie sticks of all price ranges. From the most basic ones you find at Miniso to thousand-RMB ones that double as video stabilizers. Here are my recommendations for your best selfie sticks without spending too much, so that when you lose one on vacation, it doesn’t ruin your mood.
Pro Tip: Don’t get a traditional one that will only take pictures if you hold it. Always choose one that also doubles as a tripod.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi is essentially China’s version of the Apple store, but with gadgets for everything from computers and phones to toothbrushes and doorbells. Their selfie stick is sturdy and you’re able to turn your phone for vertical and horizontal photos without having to reattach.
You’re also able to pick one up at any Xiaomi store in the country, which make it convenient for last-minute packing (and for replacing it when you lose it on vacation).
The Kind With the Lights
There’s no argument that your photos will improve drastically with the proper lighting. There are plenty of selfie sticks that now come with built-in additional lighting attachments. Those will help give you better photos, especially if you’re planning to go somewhere indoors that doesn’t have natural lighting. But they tend to need to be charged independently of the stick and these professional-looking ones with big round lights may seem like a great idea, but their design makes them a hassle to carry around in smaller bags all day.
The One With the Little Mirror
The quality of your photos varies depending on which side of the phone you’re taking your photos. The selfie side will have a lower resolution than your back camera. So, the selfie sticks with the little mirror on the stick are perfect if you’re picky. You don’t need to keep taking selfies with this one. While you can’t see every small detail, you’re able to get a rough idea of what’s being captured on your phone for beautiful, high resolution, photos.
Video Stabilizer Selfie Stick
I purchased one thinking it would be great for shooting videos and taking photos all in one. It wasn’t… They’re inconvenient to carry around since they’re a lot heavier than regular photo selfie sticks, and unless you’re planning on shooting only videos there’s really no point.
Not a Selfie Stick, but It Works
I got one as a free gift with purchase and haven’t stopped using it since. It’s a Bluetooth ring that controls everything from volume, taking photos, to scrolling TikTok on your phone. If you’ve got a phone case that’ll keep your phone upright on its own, then carrying one of these in your pocket means you can take selfies anytime, anywhere.
Plus, as a bonus, they’re great for scrolling TikTok or WeChat Channels videos on your phone from a distance.
Images: Mina Yan, Taobao
