photo; Tony Lanciabeta
What’s the easiest technique you can use while filming for a stronger travel video?
Frame the most dynamic areas of action and often the story tells itself.
For instance, when filming a busy market, an inexperienced person might swing his camera from stall to stall like a pendulum. But what if you set up your camera to capture the two old men drinking tea, or the exchange between the tourist and the tired looking vendor?
The key is to think like a director. Capture as many angles as possible so your have lots of choices. But a steady, single take of the scene is the most crucial. Try to;
- Find the most interesting action and angle available.
- If your subjects are moving, choose a position that will allow them elbow room.
- Frame the shot to capture the fullest movement.
- Always allow the subjects to leave the frame if possible.
- Once you begin recording, hold your shots for 10-15 seconds, because you never know what will unfold in front of your lens.
Here is a video I shot of mountain bikers in Seattle. Notice how it frames the action, anticipates the riders’ movement and showcases static and dynamic shots.
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Stay tuned for more Tips for Travel Video from Josh Johnson in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, check out 4 Easy Tips for Better Travel Videos.
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7 Comments... join the discussion!
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Good tips!
We’ve had great success with our travel videos from our open ended world tour on Youtube and elsewhere. Our first one has almost a million views on Youtube and a bunch have gone viral there and other places.
I think the biggest key is to tell a good story. Many have called them “little movies” and I think that is a good way to think about a travel video , even if one’s video is only 15 or 30 seconds long.
There is nothing like a great video as a memoir of ones travel and also to inspire and entertain others!
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first off congrats! A million hits is the dope show, something to be very proud of.
You are spot on about the story, in travel videos the arch of the story is crucial for taking it from the dreaded home movie nobody wants to sit through to a compelling adventure.i will check your vids on YT…are you a member of our YT group?
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Brilliant. I’m currently editing down about 10 hours of video to an hour for season two of Indie Travel Podcast’s video podcasts. I’ve just changed camera and only now — in the editing room — am I realising how I have to adjust my shooting style.
Thanks for helping out the few of us working in the medium!
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i know the feeling of scrubbing through mass amounts…oh the tedium! my first ten hours of filming in Southeast Asia is almost unusable because i was not bringing any storytelling elements into place…i had to learn the hard way!
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After my last big trip I churned out a couple of videos, my first ever. Pretty amateur of course, but such a wicked way to preserve the memories. I always love going back and watching them.
But it also got me more interested in video and learning more about it, so this article is great. My wife and I have been debating about bringing along a video camera from now on on our travels. We just bought a dSLR (which does shoot video too) so it might have to wait a bit longer but I think definitely down the line it will happen.
I hope you have a what to buy piece in there!
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Thanks for the useful tips. The video is amazing. You need a lot of courage to so such stunts.
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