In this ultra-modern Internet era, everyone has tasted a share of fame and glory, even if it’s just momentary. We are in times where it’s easy to learn skills and showcase our creativity. Speaking of which, everyone is making travel videos these days, aren’t they? Scroll through Instagram, and you will see a spectacular travel video of your friends in Spain, a Bangkok shopping haul video of your Influencer friend, or places to visit videos of some specific city/country. Yes, travel Vlogs are still in vogue, and it is possible for everyone to make a travel video now. So why shouldn’t you? Especially if you can do it with the available tools and resources on the Internet.
Well, I will share 12 travel Vlogging tips with you in this article, which will set you off on a good path to making awesome travel videos.
Contents
- 1. Have a mood board.
- 2. Gather inspiration.
- 3. Don’t capture everything.
- 4. Edit while on the move
- 5. Keep it short and crisp
- 6. Face the camera
- 7. Involve people in the video
- 8. Add your unique point of view
- 9. Capture steady videos
- 10. Avoid shooting in noisy places
- 11. Choose a music
- 12. Edit and keep it aside
1. Have a mood board.
Instead of clicking everything you see, eat and visit, be specific about the content of your travel Vlog. Create a mood board before your trip begins. Have a rough idea about the kind of video you want. Do you want a day in Paris type of video or a shopping haul video from Bangkok streets? Do you want to capture adventures on your trip, or is your idea to create an abstract video around the city? Do you want to make a short social media video or a detailed guide video about the place on YouTube? With a clear idea in mind, you could plan shots and clips you will require for the video. Planning your video content will allow you to enjoy traveling instead of being stuck in capturing clips all the time.
Always remember that you are traveling to create memories. Capturing them should be a small part of it.
2. Gather inspiration.
Gather a lot of inspiration for your travel videos. Spend a lot of your time watching other travel vlogs to understand their perspective and what the viewers like. Inspiration can strike anytime, so keep looking.
3. Don’t capture everything.
Capturing more will leave you with the added stress of editing more. You don’t need to take pictures of every breakfast you have and every jeep ride you take on rocky terrain. Understand the lighting and get the best shots and clips in one take. Strike a balance between capturing everything and capturing nothing because you sure don’t want to regret it afterward.
4. Edit while on the move
Don’t wait till you get home to start the editing process. You can begin the selection process while on the move. Discard clips you know wouldn’t make it to your travel vlog. Doing this will help your sorting process at the time of editing. I personally use my commuting time to sort the captured images and clips. It’s a perfect time to get rid of inessential and not-worthy clips.
5. Keep it short and crisp
It is your task to compile your exciting travel journey in a short, crisp manner. If your platform for sharing is social media, keep the length of the video between 30 seconds to 3 minutes. If your platform is YouTube, you can upload videos for up to 60 minutes. However, stick to a maximum of 10-12 minutes.
You will require tons of short clips for your end video. So focus on capturing short clips of 3 to 7 seconds. These short clips will make the ultimate editing process in an online movie maker a lot easier. Ensure that you capture the shots in good natural lighting. If natural lights aren’t in your favor, always have additional light-fixing tools to improve your pictures and clips.
6. Face the camera
Video removes the barriers of a virtual world and allows you to connect with your viewers easily. So take this opportunity to enhance your video engagement by facing the camera. People like to see raw imperfections. That establishes familiarity and comfort for them. Shoot interactive clips for your Travel Vlog with your face in it. Doing so will also establish your unique brand image and voice.
7. Involve people in the video
Show yourself in the video, but ensure not to make it about yourself entirely. Record clips of local people in the videos. Ask them questions and create an interaction. This point of view is better than just capturing them while they are engrossed in their chores. Create fun clips with your travel companions and add a human touch to your travel Vlog.
8. Add your unique point of view
It’s all about the story you wish to narrate. Millions of people have been to Bali, and thousands have created its travel vlog. How will your Bali video be different from others? Well, the answer is your personal touch. Your narrative, perspectives, point of view, and ideology will be different, and these unique parameters will add a fresh breeze to your travel video.
9. Capture steady videos
This is perhaps the most crucial aspect that people fail to understand. Shaky videos will do no good for your travel vlog. Walk slow while capturing video if you don’t have stabilizing tools. Make a conscious effort to keep your hand steady. You can edit shaky videos with free editing tools. But, know that no amount of editing could correct the low-quality clips. By doing that, use Clipchamp and FlexClip to edit everything in the videos.
10. Avoid shooting in noisy places
Avoid shooting in places with a lot of sound in the background. You can mute the background noise and add music to it while editing. But if you wish to keep a raw perspective, shoot in a quiet location. Avoid shooting narrative videos when the wind is too loud. However, if it is essential to capture such clips, invest in a wind muff. Also, keep your pitch high to remain audible.
11. Choose a music
Music accentuates the mood of the video and establishes a vibe. Spend a lot of time contemplating the music you would add to the video. The music should flow with the vibe and theme of the travel vlog. I spend a lot of time editing the audio for my travel vlogs. And trust me it’s worth it when you get rewarding results.
12. Edit and keep it aside
Don’t rush in to upload the video right away. Once you are done editing, keep it aside for a day or two. Re-evaluate the video after 2 days and then see if it still satisfies you. Make quick edits wherever required and ask for an opinion of a dearest friend. Upload it at a perfect time after studying your social media analytics. You can use video editor apps like veed.io to smooth the process.
And, now start shooting. No amount of theory knowledge will help you capture perfect clips. You have to get on the road and start making videos. Only with practice would you end up making your best travel Vlogs.