Joan of Arc’s story ended tragically, but what if she had shot a SmartPhone photo at that historic moment while bravely leading her troops into battle. Then her homies would’ve had an inspiring pic to paste in the family scrapbook. 

Of course, today’s family scrapbooks are mostly virtual, with travel, holiday and other photos and videos saved electronically for future generations. In your wanderings, whether alone or with family members, there are always moments you want to preserve.

The idea of shooting selfies may be new experiences for senior travelers, because in earlier days we’d only take similar shots by handing the camera to someone else to shoot. Now when you have that ability, the photo or video doesn’t always have to be about you alone. Let the destination in on your creative lens. There are always the cliché set-ups, such as Tower of Pisa with you pushing to straighten it, standing far off from a statue and appear to be holding it between thumb and forefinger. You can do those, but get more original in your compositions. If you’re really creative, you can use photoshopping to put you in hurricanes, atop mountains and under the seas.

Along with all that contemporary creativing, be sure to remember the basic rules of composition that haven’t changed since Leonardo painted that smiling lady:

No empty space: Every part of the picture should be interesting and related. For a selfie, adjust the camera so your image takes up one-half to two-thirds of the frame. Fill in the remaining space with people, actions and/or interesting backgrounds.

Light right: As you compose your shot, the most typical is when the main source of light is coming from behind the camera, brightening you and other subjects. Use a flash at night and when natural light is dim.

Tell a story: Smile, or if appropriate, give a dramatic look: sad, startled, wide-eyed wonder and other interesting expressions. When shooting video, prepare and practice a spoken narration to go with the scenes, people and places.

On your next journey and/or family holiday gatherings: Happy snappings!