Few things capture a trip’s true essence like a travel video. Whether it\u2019s the rushing sound of waterfalls or the glittering ocean during a tropical sunset, moving images can instantly transport you back into a trip’s \u2014 or life’s \u2014 best moments.<\/p>\n
That said, not all video is created equally. Over the course of my career as a filmmaker and travel journalist, I\u2019ve learned quite a bit about what you should and shouldn\u2019t do when it comes travel videography<\/a>. I\u2019ve shot some epic videos I\u2019m highly proud of, and experienced equally embarrassing mishaps and failures. Today, I\u2019ll focus on the latter, highlighting the five mistakes you could be making as a travel videographer \u2014 from my own experience.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re investing in a nice camera or gadget, do yourself a favor and learn how to use it (is what I told myself after not taking my DJI Spark out of the box for five<\/em> months). It goes without saying, but owning the gear is only half the battle; learning how to use it is the critical next step. I watched YouTube videos about the Spark and practiced in a drone-friendly field for days before feeling comfortable shooting with my new drone. If you\u2019d rather speed it up, take a class \u2014 but go in knowing that time spent practicing is still essential. (Said differently: one class won\u2019t turn you into a videographer, but shooting video will!)<\/p>\n Visuals are one part of a travel destination\u2019s story. Sounds like cars honking in the streets of Cairo or the sizzling of peppers in a Mexican kitchen will make your travel video authentic, engaging, and memorable for the audience. To capture this audio, use an on-camera microphone like the portable Rode VideoMicro microphone<\/a>. For a budget-friendly alternative, turn on your smartphone\u2019s recording app or keep a small lavalier microphone running (with the mic attached to your purse handle) while you explore town. I tried this trick all over Cairo and was impressed with the Tascam DR-10L\u2019s<\/a> quality, even when tucked away in my purse.<\/p>\n The best travel videos have a mix of wide-angle and tight shots that give viewers a sense of place. It\u2019s easy to whip out your wide-angle GoPro and call it a day, but to take your travel videos from average to awesome, you\u2019ll need to approach the filming process differently. In fact, you\u2019ll need to approach it like a filmmaker.<\/p>\n Keep an eye out for any small details that could help illustrate the city\u2019s culture; think food frying, your Uber driver honking (with their permission), or foot traffic \u2014 at foot level \u2014 on a bustling main square. Pairing these tight detail shots with wider cityscapes and views will give you tons of fun variety in editing \u2014 with a top-notch video as the result.<\/p>\n Now, I\u2019ll be the first to say you don\u2019t always need a gimbal. It\u2019s takes up space in your luggage, it takes time to stabilize, and it can cause quite a stir at airport security (I speak from experience). Nonetheless, if you\u2019re hoping to sell your footage or make a top-notch film, you should consider some sort of stabilizer. The gimbal\u2019s smooth-moving motion can make an average film look high-quality and polished, helping you sell your film for what it’s truly worth.<\/p>\n Here’s the good news: You don\u2019t necessarily need a big gimbal for your mirrorless or DSLR camera. A stabilizer for your GoPro or phone can actually do the trick. For example, when I filmed on Kilimanjaro<\/a>, I brought my Sony A7III<\/a> and A7sII<\/a> and knew I wouldn\u2019t have the time or energy to stabilize my cameras on my Zhiyun Crane (it’s sizable, and I was climbing a mountain!). Instead, I relied on my GoPro for smooth-moving hiking shots and my Sony Alphas for tighter shots around camp, and the footage turned out great. Here\u2019s a sample of the result, created for our climbing company!<\/p>\n1. You don\u2019t understand your camera’s potential<\/strong><\/h4>\n
2. You forget to capture audio<\/strong><\/h4>\n
3. You only capture one type of shot<\/strong><\/h4>\n
4. You go entirely handheld<\/strong><\/h4>\n