Though we are all a little too aware that those amazing travel destinations are somewhat out of our reach right now, there will be a time when this is no longer the case. And in the meantime, what better way to spend the time waiting to travel than to learn a new skill related to just the thing you are missing?
The skill we are talking about is learning how to make a travel video or vlog. A cool and creative way to share your travel experiences with others, giving followers a taste of your fabulous lifestyle, and upping the game from still photography, travel vlogs are also a great way to look back on those amazing experiences for years to come.
In order to make a good travel video, you will need to ensure that you’ve learned a few skills and have the right equipment and software to hand. We are here to help with our beginner’s guide on how to make a travel video, and we’ll share our most important travel vlog tips for you too.
The top travel vlog tips
Get the right equipment and software
Making travel videos is a fun experience, and in order to capture the best shots for your vlog, you will need to buy the best equipment. Of course, your phone has a video option, but an HD digital camcorder with a built-in microphone will be a good purchase. Do a little research, check out the reviews, and opt for a camcorder that will give you the best clarity.
In addition to this, some good editing software is an absolute must. The editing stage is where your video really comes into its own and can be the difference between an amateur piece and a professional-looking documentary. Multimedia Software by Movavi is a great option when it comes time to take your raw footage into something special. InVideo’s online video editor is also designed to help you edit videos with your media quickly.
Find your style
Before you start filming anything, you will want to get an understanding of your style. Think of the style of travel vlog you would like, watch some other existing travel videos and pick out aspects that appeal to you to give yours a direction to suit you.
If you would rather have a piece that was all about the destination and not so much about you, you can do this. It depends if the viewer is there to see you or not. Ensuring you have a style that you like and will stick to is important when uploading your vlogs, as anyone viewing them as a whole will notice and appreciate the consistency.
Filming
When filming your piece, you want to make sure that the lighting is on point; natural light is the best. Also, if you’re filming in a serene place with a winning soundscape, make sure no one talks, and the wind isn’t a distraction. When talking to the camera, you can always do a test clip and listen back to ensure there aren’t distractions.
A highly important tip to remember is to keep your camera steady. No one likes to watch a shaky vlog, so keep a steady arm when filming, hold it close to your body for stability, and when you don’t need to hold it, use a tripod.
Enjoy yourself! Yes, you want to make the perfect travel vlog, but if there’s an amazing moment to be had, sometimes it’s worth putting the camera down and simply enjoying that moment for what it is. Not every single aspect needs to be filmed, and the viewer will never know what they’ve missed out on!
If you spot a beautiful sunset or are momentarily mesmerised by some lapping waves or an immense view, then get your camera out. These little snippets make the perfect filler shots.
Editing
Once you get home with your fantastic footage, you will want to make sure your travel vlog works as a whole, and this is where the editing comes into play. Yes, having good footage is key, but the editing is where all the hard work comes in, and it’s by far the most time-consuming part, at least it should be if you want your travel vlog to be something special.
If you want to be fancy, you can play around with effects and speeds (remember we talked about your personal style above?), you can play with voiceover, music (be careful with copyrights), words, and the like.
Pace of the final cut
Try to keep it fairly snappy, not many people will have the patience to sit down and watch someone else’s travel vlog for an hour – this isn’t a David Attenborough documentary. And, similarly, if you have some amazing things to share, you don’t want to skip over everything too quickly, so ensure the vlog as a whole has a steady pace throughout to keep your viewer entertained.
