selftimer

This is the Pain of Using Your Camera’s Self Timer for a Group Photo

There are special agonies that are reserved for the "official photographers" of families and friends. One of them is when you sprint into the scene after setting your camera's self timer, only to have the camera snap the photo before you're ready. It was even worse in the days of film, when sometimes you might not even see the blooper until after the photos are processed.

Above is a family portrait that captures this pain perfectly. It was shared with us by a woman named Molly, who says it's her favorite photo of her father, Geof -- he's the one that set the timer.

KeyProp: The Smartphone Stand That’s Always There When You Need It

For those of you who often take pictures with your smartphone, but find that you never have a stand or tripod with you when you need one, here's a creative Kickstarter that may solve that problem. Called KeyProp, this ingenious little key shaped smartphone stand fits on your key chain so you always have it with you -- and it comes with a free camera timer/clap-to-snap app to boot.

Use the Self Timer on Your Camera for Spinning Child Shots

Here's a fun photo project you can do with any small kid (preferably not a stranger's): spinning shots. All you have to do is set the self timer on your camera to automatically take a shot while it's hanging around your neck. While it's counting down, grab the child by the arms and spin them around. If luck is on your side, the photograph will show a clear subject, happy face, and motion-blurred background.