Guides · Gear
Self-timer, remote shutter or tripod: which one, when
Every way of taking a photo of yourself without help is a trade between how much you carry, how much you can see before the shot, and how much you mind leaving your phone on a wall. Here is how they compare.
The short answer: start with the self-timer, which is free. Add a remote shutter if you want many poses in one spot, and a clamp tripod if you often have nowhere to prop the phone. Use an AI photographer when you can't or won't set up a phone at all.
At a glance
| Self-timer | Remote shutter | Tripod + remote | AI photographer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Small | Moderate | Free to try, then per photo |
| Extra to carry | Nothing | A button | Tripod and button | Nothing |
| Needs a ledge | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Phone leaves your hand | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tries per setup | One burst | As many as you like | As many as you like | Three photos per tap |
| Real, unaltered photo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No, AI-generated |
The self-timer
Already on your phone. Prop it, set 10 seconds, walk in. Turn on burst so you get a run of frames rather than one. Its weakness is that you cannot see the frame once you have walked away, so you go back and forth to check. Good for: quiet places, one or two shots, no gear.
A remote shutter
A Bluetooth button, or the camera remote on a smartwatch, so you can take as many frames as you want from where you stand. A watch also shows the frame, which ends the back and forth. Good for: a spot you like, many poses, outfit photos.
A tripod
A small bendable tripod clamps to railings, posts and branches, so you no longer need a ledge at the right height. Pair it with a remote. Good for: hikes, viewpoints, regular use. The cost: carrying it, setting it up, wind, and standing in front of your phone in public.
An AI photographer
A different approach: instead of moving the phone away from you, you keep it in your hand. With BackPix you save a selfie once; then you frame the place and tap, and about a minute later you get three photos of you in that view, generated with AI. Good for: crowds, places with nowhere to prop a phone, moments that will not wait, and days you do not want to set anything up. Not for: when the photo has to be an unaltered photograph.
So which one?
- Occasional photos, no gear: the self-timer, done well (here's how).
- You shoot yourself often, in places you choose: remote and clamp tripod.
- You want photos of you wherever you happen to be, without setting anything up: an AI photographer.
Plenty of people end up with two: the timer for the quiet moments, and something that needs no setup for the rest.
No ledge, no timer, no tripod
Frame the place you're in and tap once. Your first shots are free.
See how BackPix works Get the iPhone app BackPix photos are made with AI from a selfie you save and the place you frame.