Using a selfie stick to take pictures on an iPhone isn’t just for millennials trying to grow their Instagram followings. The selfie stick is a useful tool for any traveller, including young-at- heart but older-of-body cruisers and jet-setters.

The Stick

The selfie stick is a device that holds your smartphone at the end of an extendible rod to allow for photo- or video-taking beyond the length of a normal arm. Selfie sticks are easy to assemble and use.

1. Attach the iPhone securely in the holder at the end of the stick. The screen-side should be on the inside angle of the rod.

2. Turn the iPhone on.

3. Open the photo/video app you wish to use.

4. Within the app, choose the iPhone lens you wish to use.

   1. To take selfies, select the front-facing lens. You’ll know you’re using the correct lens if you can see yourself when looking into the screen.

   2. To take “normal” outward facing photos, choose the rear lens. You’ve selected the right lens if you see the same scene that’s before you on the screen.

5. Depending on the stick’s design, set up the trigger. Trigger methods vary from plugging in a wire linking a button on the handle to the iPhone’s headphone jack to connecting a wireless remote to the iPhone’s Bluetooth capability.

6. Extend the rod to the desired length.

7. Trigger-away to record all those vacation memories!

Selfie sticks vary in style, colour, length, accessories and trigger method. They also range in price, from $10 to $1,000.

The Advantages

These are some of the major advantages of using a selfie stick at any age:

• You can take great photos and videos one-handed, leaving your other hand free.

• You’ll never have to hand your camera over to a stranger or have someone miss being in a group picture.

• With the rod extended you can achieve better-angled and wider shots. Shots from above looking down and vice versa can help you incorporate large buildings and vast scenery into your pictures. Trying various angles, you can sometimes avoid having strangers in your shots, even when in crowded areas.

• With it securely clamped, you’re less likely to drop your iPhone off a ledge than when using the phone stick-free.

• For people with hand tremors, the weight of the stick can help produce clearer photos than with the phone in-hand.

• Your kids and grandkids will think you’re cool! Things to Beware

  As helpful as they are in producing great vacation snaps, there are a few downsides to using a selfie-stick.

• Although fairly compact and lightweight, you will have to pack and carry around the stick when not using it.

• People with hand or arm weakness may find it challenging to use. Also, the stability of the stick lessens the longer it is extended.

• Using a selfie stick can attract attention and will identify you as a tourist.

• For safety reasons, selfie sticks have been banned from several major tourist spots including the Disney theme parks, the Smithsonian, the Tower of London, the Forbidden City and all of South Korea.

  With selfie sticks most popular among young people and after some high-profile incidents, stick users have gained something of a bad reputation in recent years. If you decide to use one, here are some tips on proper etiquette:

• Check if selfie sticks are permitted before using one. Even where permitted, only use the stick when the type of photo you want requires it.

• Watch where you swing that thing! Retract the rod when not shooting.

• Be careful not to place your stick into someone else’s shot.

• When a venue is busy, don’t take your photo ahead of others just because you have a longer reach.

• Consider taking your photo from the edge of a crowd, which often produces better photos with the stick anyways.

The Simply Touch

At Simply Computing we have a selection of selfie sticks to satisfy all levels of users. For those simply looking for extra distance for their photos, we offer a versatile selfie stick for the modest price of $9.99. With this simple attachment, you can extend your photo distance by an extra 2 feet, making it easy to get those intimate group shots.

The next step up brings us to the Osmo series of products. Osmo are owned by DJI, who are far and away the leaders in the commercial drone market. They have worked for years perfecting their hardware and software and now they bring that quality and expertise to making the ultimate selfie sticks and handheld gimbals. On top of that, their latest release, the Osmo Mobile 2, saw a huge price reduction, making it even more accessible to consumers. Take a look at this video demonstrating the Osmo Mobile 2.

The Osmo Mobile 2 transforms your on-the-fly handheld footage into smooth, cinematic mini- films. Not only that, but it makes the whole experience a lot more fun. With the Osmo app on your phone, there are options for cinematic zoom control, panoramas and time-lapse. The

quality of footage you can get using this tool is amazing. Now, the Osmo Mobile 2 is $250 cheaper at just $179.99CAD.

You know the saying, ‘go big or go home’? Well if you want to go bigger, the DJI Osmo + is the product for you. This is a multi-functional handheld gimbal with a built-in 4K camera with 7X lossless zoom. In addition, it allows you to attach your phone, an external microphone and an extender arm for more versatility and professional shots. This is a fantastic tool that creates beautiful steady-cam footage at 4K quality. The built-in controls are intuitive and easy to use, making it a breeze to capture long exposures, detailed panoramas or 100 frames per second slow motion shots.

Still not sure which selfie stick is right for you? Drop by one of our many locations to have one of our salespeople show you how easy it is to use. We also offer free seminars on using the Photos app. Or check out our range on our website: simply.ca