Four Travel Vlogging Tips for Creating the Perfect Video

It started as a way to take friends & family on your travels – if only virtually. Now, you want to take your travel vlogs to the next level. By now, you realize that you just can’t throw raw video files up on YouTube and expect to view thousands of views.

Like any skill, your vlogging will improve through trial & error. But, there are other things to keep in mind that’ll speed your progress. In this post, we’ll highlight a few tips that’ll get you started down the path to travel vlogging mastery.

Find Your Style

Our attention spans are shorter than ever. Because of this, there’s nothing worse than being a bore. Fail to engage your audience, and their cursors will be hitting the back button before the 60-second mark.

Before we go any further, a reality check – in the beginning, engagement doesn’t come easy. Some attempt to attract attention by copying their favorite YouTubers. However, this approach lacks authenticity – and these days, viewers can sniff out a fake quickly.

To attract and keep an audience, you must find your own style. Now, this process will be tough – for many, being on camera is awkward. So, don’t feel ashamed if this is where you’re currently at. Commit to doing 100 videos. During this time, ask yourself: How can I educate or entertain my viewers? In time, you may be able to do both.

As you get more comfortable filming yourself, your natural personality will shine through. Combined with improved videography, body language, and verbal delivery, you will eventually find a style that is distinct to your channel.

Invest in the Right Gear

It’s remarkable how good smartphone cameras and microphones are these days. However, if you want to shoot professional-grade vlogs, their capabilities will only take you so far. To take things to the next level, you’ll want to invest in a quality vlogging camera.

Professional travel vloggers all have their favorite rigs. From the Sony Rx100M3 to the Canon PowerShot G7, the vast array of options out there can induce anxiety in even the most level-headed people. To avoid decision paralysis, make sure your camera has the following features:

1. A flip-screen – This makes it easier to see yourself and whatever you’re shooting.
2. An audio input – The in-camera audio of most brands is acceptable, but an external mic can add clarity while reducing wind noise.
3. Zoom lenses – Videography is an expensive venture, and lenses are a big reason. However, a good zoom lens will give you astonishingly clear shots of waterfalls, wildlife, and other sights from a distance.

Use Quality Video Editing Software

If you want to shoot amazing cinematic vlogs, know that hardware is only half the equation. Top-shelf camera equipment may capture amazing moments in 4K, but without silky smooth transitions and other effects, it’ll look just like your Uncle Matt’s vacation videos.

This is where video editing software comes into play. On this count, Apple has the upper hand over PCs – iMovie, its built-in video editor, badly outclasses Windows Movie Maker. But if you can, we recommend going third-party.

In our opinion, Lightworks is a solid option. It’s available for both Windows, and Mac, it comes with extensive tutorials for beginners, and has plenty of options that’ll keep experts happy.

My Video Files Got Corrupted – Help!

At some point, it happens to every vlogger. You get in from an afternoon of shooting and dump your footage onto your laptop. However, as soon as you begin importing raw files, your heart drops. Somehow, your files got corrupted. Game over?

Not necessarily. Often, you can fix the damage done to these files by using video repair software. Brands like Stellar can mend flickering, blurred, and distorted clips in seconds, saving you from costly re-shoots.

Vlogging is an Art Form

Picasso didn’t become a world-class painter overnight. In the same way, it’ll take time before you amass thousands of subs on YouTube or Instagram. But if you get the right gear and commit to a continual process of improvement, you’ll get there eventually.