travel video tutorial

How to Make a Travel Video in 3 Easy Steps with Ideas & Pro Tips

• how to make a travel video

There are very few categories that offer as much possibility for rich and engaging storytelling as that of travel. Beautiful locales, thrilling adventures, and gripping anecdotes provide a whole lot of content fodder for travel creators and brands! 

But that doesn’t mean that making travel videos is a piece of cake. Far from it. In addition to having the technical know-how and an eye for detail, you also need to know how to weave a story around the content you shoot – and for this, you need to constantly ideate and execute. So if you’ve been wanting to make it in the travel space and are wondering how to make a travel video, this article is just what you need. 

In the following sections, we will be taking you through everything you need to know about creating travel videos in addition to sharing some of the best ideas you can get started with. If you already have something in mind and would like to get started right away, you can sign up for a free account on InVideo and start bringing your travel videos to life. 

Create cinematic travel videos

Without spending hours on editing

Here’s what we will cover:

1. The basics of how to make a travel video 2. Top 7 travel video ideas 3. Pro tips to create travel videos

Let’s dive in.

1. Basics of making travel videos:

While making any video you need to go through the steps of ideating, planning, and executing. But when you’re carrying these steps out in the travel video space, you need to hone several other skills in addition to that of filmmaking, such as time management, thinking on your feet, and acting quickly. So to help you get better at making travel videos let’s take a look at what you need to do.

A. Planning and pre-production

A lot of people believe that planning is an optional step when it comes to creating travel videos because the activity of traveling in itself is so unpredictable. But if you’re looking to create travel videos that leave an impact, planning and pre-production are absolutely indispensable to the process. 

Planning for a travel video includes everything from ideation and scripting to location scouting and storyboarding. But all of these processes look very different from how you would do these for regular videos – for the sole reason that there is a huge amount of uncertainty that comes with the process of travel. Filmmaker Aidin Robbins explains the process of planning very well in this video:

Here’s a short outline of how you can go about it: 

(1) Ideation

Ideating for a travel video begins with deciding upon a location and then figuring out in what light do you want to present that location. Do you want to create an educational video on the place or showcase its culture or is there a particularly interesting story about the place that you want to bring to light? Your answers to these questions form the basis of your idea.

(2) Research

Once your idea is ready, you want to go ahead and gather as much information as you can about the place – through blogs, youtube videos, personal anecdotes, and even interviews. You want to look up images and videos to get an understanding of what the place looks and feels like. This is super important in helping you plan out your shots later.

(3) Outlining

Once you have the idea and your basic research in place, you want to create a rough outline of the flow of your video. This is where the storytelling aspect kicks in. Mind you this is not a full-fledged script because that isn’t really possible at this stage. With the outline, you want to ask questions such as how do you want to start your video? What is the hook? How will the story flow and how will it end? Here is also where you want to cite any references for creative inputs and ideas.

(4) Plan your shots

Now this is not something that you have complete control over. However, having a basic understanding of how your story flows as well as the shots and angles that will complement the scenes in your story is super important. This will allow you to be mindful of the kind of shots you take. You can create a shot list of the basics that you want to cover so that even if unprecedented events happen, you can still get decent shots from your trip. You can also create a storyboard to help with this process but that is not mandatory.

(5) Figure out your equipment

Depending on the location you’re traveling to, how long you plan on being there, what your living situation is going to be like and other important factors, you will have to decide on your equipment. You will require a professional camera with a few different lenses, a gimbal to take moving shots, a good on-camera microphone to record audio, and also preferably a drone to get cinematic aerial footage. Check out this blog for a complete list of the kind of equipment you will need. 

B. Shooting your travel videos

When shooting travel videos you want to think about what that place represents and what emotion it evokes. That is what you want to capture in your shots. The best travel videos are ones that make the viewers feel like they’re traveling with the creator – and generating that emotion is only possible if you know what elements of the place you want to capture in your footage. This holds true even for vlogs – scout the place before you begin filming to get the best shots. 

Keep your list of shots from the planning stage handy to ensure you get everything you need. And ensure you capture shots from the journey and not just the place itself b because unless you’re taking your viewers on a journey, it doesn’t evoke the kind of emotion you want it to. 

Another thing you want to ensure is simply shooting a lot! In most cases, less than 1% of your footage will make it to the final cut. But for that to happen, you want to ensure you have enough footage, to begin with. The worst feeling is to come back after the trip to edit your video only to realize you missed out on getting good shots. For a more in-depth understanding of how to shoot your travel videos, check out this guide by Parker Walbeck 

Of course, a lot of your travel video story is also refined during the editing process , which is what we will be looking at in the next section. 

C. Editing your travel videos

If you’ve planned right and shot according to the tips we shared above, your editing process will be all smooth sailing. But as we’ve already discussed, creating travel videos is different from creating other types of videos, which is why you need to pay special attention to different elements. 

When you’re editing a travel video, in addition to having great clips, you also have to pay close attention to your choice of music , the sequence of your shots in the final edit, the pacing of the video, as well as the transitions and text you use. An editor like InVideo makes this easier because it already has most of these features inbuilt – allowing you to access and use them at the click of a button. 

Travel videos appeal to people’s wanderlust, which means you want to focus on recreating that emotion while editing. Again, you need to go back to your script and storyboard here to first get an understanding of the kind of emotion you want to convey – are you making a fun holiday video or are you showcasing the culture of a place? In each connotation, the editing style is going to be vastly different. For a fun, festival video, you will have upbeat music, fast transitions, and creative text whereas, for a documentary-style video of a destination, you will probably prefer more acoustic music with mellow tunes, simple transitions, and minimalistic text. 

Here’s a video by popular travel creator Lost LeBlanc explaining his process of editing a travel video: 

Now your editing process will depend heavily on the kind of software you choose to edit on. If you already have some video editing experience and have a robust enough system, you might want to choose professional software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. 

But if you’re just starting out, you want to use an editing tool that will let you create stunning edits with ease. This is where InVideo comes in. With an extensive library of over 5000+ templates along with ready-made assets like animated text boxes, stickers, call to action, music and sound effects, stock footage, transitions, and more, InVideo makes it super easy for you to edit your travel videos.   

2. 7 ideas you can use to create your travel videos:

Now that you have a fair idea of how to go about creating travel videos, let’s take a look at some top-performing travel video ideas to kick your travel video creation into high gear. 

Idea #1 - Start your own travel vlog

Travel vlogs are a great way to start your travel video journey. As a travel vlogger, you can start recording your trips, talking to the camera and your viewers, sharing your feelings about your trip, your first impressions, your expressions as you try various food items in real-time, and more. The best part is that travel vlogs don’t even need to be professionally edited. They can be shared even live in real-time, as viewers expect travel vlogs to be raw and real in many cases. 

For example, Mina, an American travel vlogger, shares her vlogs from various places she visits across the world. Check out this video of her experience at the Zen capsule hotel in Japan. 

Travel vlogs allow you to build your brand, find a niche as well as work towards earning opportunities. 

Idea #2 - Create helpful how-to travel guides

You don't have to strictly do videos about your trips. You can create video guides for travel enthusiasts or creators as well. You can share tips, ideas, and knowledge with your tribe through beautifully crafted videos. 

For example, check out travel YouTuber Sorelle Amore’s videos. She helps viewers create content like her through travel guides. She also inspires you with stories on how to live free and abundant as she does. Check out this video where she shares tips to travel on a budget.

If you want to create travel videos with a message, you’ll get lots of inspiration on Sorelle’s YouTube channel . Meanwhile, you can create your own travel tips and tricks video using this fully customizable template from InVideo : 

Use This Template  

Idea #3 - Share unique or strange travel experiences through your videos

Your travel videos can become a medium for you to share your personal, unique, or strange stories. You might have experienced unique events across your trips. You might be into tasting local, but strange food, trying out local dresses, and more. All of this can be a part of your travel videos. 

For example, YouTuber Mike Corey’s mission is to conquer his fear of the unknown by traveling to strange and unique places and experiencing uncomfortable events. Check out this video on Mike’s camping experience at a place called Satan’s Castle in Turkey. 

These videos are a glimpse into Mike’s methods of overcoming fear and insecurity. Whether you too want to overcome a personal fear, or you’re looking to create unique travel videos, you too can share strange stories, experiences, and events you met on your journey in your videos.  Not only will this make your videos more interesting, but you’ll also get attention for doing something different. 

Edit and create your own quirky video about strange travel facts with this World’s Deadliest Snakes template.

Use This Template

Idea #4 - Share food stories and reviews in your travel videos

If you are a foodie and love tasting new delicacies while on the go, you can make travel videos about food and culture. Your videos can provide viewers with a peek at different food cultures, cooking methods, and flavors across the globe. 

For instance, YouTuber Mikey Chen travels to various countries and eats all the local food he can get his hands on. You too can similarly marry your two interests - travel and food. Check out this video where Mikey shares updates on his quarantine meals during his latest visit to South Korea.

Mikey’s videos are not just about his interests and passions. He has also successfully created merchandise around his content and sponsors various brands and products through his various YouTube channels. If you love to sample different food items, you too can create videos like Mikey, focusing on the food during your trips. 

Customize this video to create your own exploration of food and culture across the globe! 

Idea #5 - Spread your message of positivity and love in your travel videos

You can create travel videos about love, friendship, and positivity you come across on your trips. Share stories of how people across the globe are all linked by a common thread of compassion and good can be found everywhere. 

For example, Phil, a black dude traveling all over Europe creates videos to promote positivity, love, and break barriers, in association with the Matador network. His videos show him going to various countries and cities and connecting with people, smashing stereotypes in the process. Check out this video on a Black traveler’s guide to Milan.

His videos offer a unique perspective, showing us how a black guy approaches and mixes with the European people. Just like Phil, you can take your viewers through the various places you visit, taking in the sights, eating the local food, and doing fun things across the city. You too can create your travel videos sharing your unique perspective, message, or narrative. All you need is a different way of looking at the world!

Idea #6 - Create 1-minute videos highlighting a city (or any place)

Create one-minute videos of a city or a place your visited and loved. You can feature time lapses, unique shots, and more to make these videos look relatable. These videos can be really helpful to viewers who actually want to travel to these cities and countries as they give a glimpse of the destinations and their highlights. They can also be fun to watch, keeping in mind the short attention spans of most people today.

For example, Cailin from YouTube channel Travel Yourself is known for is her “City in a minute” video series. Cailin shares the highlights of the city (or any place), the culture, the food, and any other relevant information, all in a minute. Check out this video by Cailin featuring Israel in a minute.

Show off your impressive travel highlights in your own 1-minute (or longer) video with this themed slideshow template.

Idea #7 - Share video tour reviews, advice, and answer questions 

If you are wondering how to make travel videos and are looking for inspiration to start, you can begin by doing reviews of local services, food reviews, restaurant or homestay reviews, and more. Share updates on the key points of a trip, give information on how to reach your destination, what does the trip involves, what is your itinerary, the cost, and more. Your videos can also answer the most frequently asked questions about a place or a trip.

For example, travel YouTuber Christianne started vlogging her journey as a response to commonly asked questions about her trips across the globe. Now she shares everything from life updates to travel itineraries and experiences in the form of travel videos. Check out this video by Christianne featuring Medsailors (a cruise trip) in Croatia.  

Edit and customize this template to create your own travel advice video, including details of the trip for prospective travelers.  

3. BONUS: Pro tips while making travel videos

If you want to create stunning travel videos, that make people stop scrolling, you’ll need to do your homework in terms of planning your trip and other aspects. In the section below, we share some super actionable tips that make it possible for you to make your travel videos more impressive and engaging. 

Tip #1 - Understand your gear

Before you set out to capture beautiful locales and happening adventures, you will need to know how to capture them. Understanding your equipment is essential to getting the best output. Know and practice using your camera and mic in various different settings to know what kind of output it yields.

Study your equipment ’s manual to know how to use different controls. You don’t want to miss capturing a beautiful moment because you were fumbling with the controls on your camera. 

Tip #2 - Refine your gear

When you’re starting out it is easy to get swept up by cool gadgets and the latest camera, but the truth is you don’t need a whole bunch of equipment to film good videos. As you hone your craft, refine your gear simultaneously. Your aim should be to be able to travel as light as possible while getting the best quality of the footage.

You can do this by first understanding your style of filmmaking and then sticking to gear that helps you achieve that the best. For instance, if you’re someone who primarily uses wide-angle shots in your travel videos, you might not need to carry multiple macro or telephoto lenses.

The thing to note here is that this kind of refinement comes with practice and experience. So don’t beat yourself up about not getting it right on the first go. 

Tip #3 - Capture as much of the journey as the destination

As we’ve mentioned before, travel videos are about showcasing the journey. Even if you’re making a tips and tricks video, if you can make people feel like they’re part of the process – your videos will do much better. This means capturing shots that depict the journey – hiking to the top of the hill, taking a cab to the temple, walking to the restaurant, and others like it.

Tip #4 - Film the people of the place

Yes drone shots of the ocean and close-ups of the forest leaves are beautiful, but the real essence of a place lies in its people. A lot of travel creators don’t realize how crucial this element is. Capturing life and emotions and depicting that in your story is one of the best ways to evoke feelings of belongingness in your viewers and this is not something you want to miss out on.

For instance, check out this video on one of the oldest cities in the world, Varanasi, India, by YouTuber Ben Mikha, depicting the local people and everyday life. It makes the viewer feel like they are a part of the chaotic and vibrant landscape as well.

Tip #5 - Shoot more than you think is necessary

As we had mentioned above, roughly 1% of all your footage is likely to make it to the final edit . This means you need more than enough legroom to play around and experiment with. Even if you feel something is unnecessary at the moment, capture it because you will not truly know if something is unnecessary unless you bring it to the edit table.

Tip #6 - Organize your footage on the go

Unless you’re on a weekend trip, not organizing your footage on the daily is a huge mistake. Since you will be shooting a lot, if you fail to organize on a daily basis, it will become a mammoth task to have to sift through the entire media from your trip at the end.

Tip #7 - Carry enough storage and battery

This means memory cards, hard drives, and battery backup. The worst thing to happen while filming is having your memory cards or battery run out preventing you from filming what you need to. Keep multiple memory cards, hard drives, and power banks to ensure your filming goes as smoothly as possible. 

Create inspiring travel videos easily

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Wrapping Up

So the next trip you decide to go to, make sure to carry all the necessary equipment and plan your itinerary before you set out. With a little effort towards finding the best locations and angles to shoot from, you can create stunning travel videos that draw viewers in. If you are planning to create a travel video channel or brand, you definitely want to check out this ready reckoner of top video ideas that you can create in the travel space. Use these video ideas to craft engaging travel videos in 2022. 

If you have any questions or want to continue the conversation, hop over to the InVideo community and learn from 25K other marketers and video creators just like you! Or check out InVideo’s YouTube channel to learn more video editing hacks and tricks!

And, if you’re looking to create thumb-stopping videos in minutes (even if you’re not a PRO)- sign-up for a free account on  InVideo.io  today.

This post was written by  Upasna  and edited by  Adete  from Team InVideo

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How to Make a Great Travel Video (Without Any Previous Experience)

Jamie Ditaranto

Jamie Ditaranto is a traveler in a love triangle with writing and photography. Follow the drama on Twitter @jamieditaranto and Instagram @jamieditaranto .

Ditaranto joined SmarterTravel in 2015. She loves ecotourism, cities with history, and discovering local hangouts. Though she likes all the continents equally, she holds a special place in her heart for rainy little islands.

Her work has also appeared online at USA Today, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and other publications. You can check out her photography on her website .

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "My instant camera comes in handy for giving instant gifts to new friends."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "Befriending penguins in Antarctica."

Travel Motto : "You have to get the hard places out of the way first."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "On short flights, the window. For long flights, the aisle."

Email Jamie at [email protected] .

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When you go on a great trip, sometimes it’s not enough to tell people about it—you want to show them, too. And in our increasingly digital world, the best way to do this is with a video. Travel videos—when done well—have the power to inspire and share stories in an emotional and immersive way. They also make wonderful keepsakes that encompass all the best memories from your experiences.

How to Make a Travel Video

You don’t have to be a professional to make a travel video, either. Here are some tips for planning, filming, and editing that will help you create great travel videos, even if you don’t have any previous experience.

To Make a Travel Video, First Get the Right Equipment

Any great travel video begins with a packing list. Before you set off for your destination, make sure you’re bringing along everything you need to get the shots you want. First, decide what kind of camera to use. Whether it’s the camera in your phone or a more high-end model, there are lots of options to consider depending on your trip.

If you want to make a travel video with high-quality images, look into bringing a  DSLR camera  or even a  handheld camcorder  or  point-and-shoot camera . If you know you’ll be on the move during your trip or want to capture underwater footage, a  GoPro  is a great all-purpose camera perfect for capturing big adventures. And if you’re not looking to invest a lot in camera equipment, you can always just use your phone. Smartphone image quality is constantly improving, and there are plenty of ways to  improve on that quality , too.

Additionally, if you suspect you’ll be recording a lot of audio, or will be shooting in windy environments, it might be a good idea to invest in a high-quality  external microphone .

Protect Your Equipment

When you’ve decided which sort of camera you’ll be using to make a travel video, you’ll need the right stuff to protect it during your travels. There are plenty of  small camera bags  that will do for any number of cameras, but if you’re going pro and planning on bringing a lot of equipment, consider buying a separate carry-on designed to organize and pad your equipment, like  this sturdy bag  from Ape Case.

If you’re planning to do all the shooting on your GoPro, the  VentureCase  from GoPole will keep your camera and accessories dry and organized.

Know Where You’re Going

Spontaneous travel is fun, but if you know you’ll want to make a video to document your adventures, it helps to know where you’re going. Before you leave, make sure you have a rough itinerary of where you’ll be and when you’ll be there.

Not only will this help you plan out your final video, it will also give you the opportunity to research what you’ll see when you’re there. Check weather reports to determine when the best time to shoot will be and look up images of each destination to start planning the shots you’re likely to get when you’re there. Time of day also plays a big factor when it comes to getting the perfect shot. For example, if you want to capture silhouettes on the  Charles Bridge in Prague , it’s better to visit during the less-crowded sunrise hour.

To Make a Travel Video, You Need to Create a Shot List

Figure out what you want to record at your destination. Most people tend to pull out their cameras instinctively (e.g., whenever they see something interesting). But to make a travel video, it’s smart to plan some of your shots ahead of time so you can get all the footage you’ll need.

If you know you’ll be visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris, for example, you’ll want more than just a shot from the top. Here’s an example of a list you might make for this specific experience:

• Establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower from street
• Shot of the base of the Eiffel Tower
• Shot of purchasing your ticket
• Shot of taking the elevator to the top
• Panning shot from the top overlooking Paris

It might mean more work, but you’ll be thankful you have all that footage when you sit down to edit your travel video.

Narration in a Travel Video

Consider incorporating narration to help tell your story. There are two ways to do this—during or after your trip. If you want to make your narration a part of your video, remember to talk while you record or shoot selfie-style and let your audience know what you’re doing. (“Here we are at the Grand Canyon!”) You can even turn the camera on your travel partners and ask them to tell the camera what’s happening in the moment.

If you choose to wait, adding narration after the trip is over is also a great way to reflect on your travel memories. All you need to do is write a script and record. Think of this as an opportunity to really organize your story. (“Little did we know what was waiting for us around the corner.”) For an extra challenge, try to incorporate both types of narration when you make a travel video.

Another way to liven up your travel videos is by bringing people into them. Just make sure to ask for permission before you start recording. Travel guides, locals, and even your travel partners all make great subjects for interviews. Shots of people are a good way to mix up your footage, and you can even edit their voices over certain shots. For example, if your travel guide is describing the history of a landmark, this is a great time to cut right to your footage of it.

Time Lapses

Time-lapses are mesmerizing to watch and easy to do, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be shooting time lapses on your trip. Many cameras, including your smartphone, have time-lapse functions that you can take advantage of. All you need to do is set your camera in a steady place and wait. It’s not always necessary, but it’s helpful to have a tripod handy for filming time-lapses. If you don’t have a tripod, just make sure you have a flat surface where you can place your camera or phone.

To make the most out of your time-lapse, look for moving scenes, whether that be a busy town square or a vivid sunset. Personally, I like to incorporate time-lapses into my trip by setting up my camera at a restaurant or anywhere I know I’ll be sitting for a long period of time.

Editing Your Travel Video

When the trip is over and you’ve recovered from your  post-travel blues , it’s time to sit down and look over your footage. Focus on the moments that stand out and cut anything that didn’t come out as well as you hoped. Unless you documented something truly magnificent, the world doesn’t need to see your blurry or shaky footage. When you’ve figured out which clips you’ll be using, sit back and think about the story that you’re trying to tell and how you can use some of the above techniques (narration, time-lapses, etc.) to bring that story to life.

When it comes to software, there are plenty of  free video-editing tools  you can use to put your video together. Some, like  Windows Movie Maker , come with your computer, or for Mac users, iMovie is available at the  Apple Store .

If you’re willing to pay for your editing software, programs like  Adobe Premiere  or  Final Cut Pro  are a great way to give your videos a professional edge. There’s a bit of a learning curve with these programs, but many tutorials are available online.

Every epic travel montage needs the perfect song, but unfortunately you might run into trouble if you try to upload your video to a public platform without securing the rights to the music you’ve selected. Websites like  Facebook  and  YouTube  will often remove videos if the videos use music that falls under copyright.

The best way to share your video with your friends and the rest of the world is to look for royalty-free music. This is music available online that you can download and use for free. Just make sure to credit the original source. There are plenty of websites to find this kind of music, like  Bensound  or  Sound of Picture.  And if you insist your video is incomplete without your favorite song, you can always try to  purchase the rights  or just keep an unpublished version for your collection.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 10 Instant-Print Cameras Recommended by a Travel Photographer
• Nikon Coolpix W300 Review: An Adventure-Proof Camera for Underwater Video
• 10 Gorgeous Hotels Made for Instagram

Jamie Ditaranto is a writer and photographer who is always looking for her next adventure. Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto .

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

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Tips for how to make a travel video that stands out.

Dreaming about how to make a great travel video and not sure how to start? Travel videos are excellent ways to breathe life into your holiday photos and memories. And, let's face it: videos attract a lot more engagement on social media than photos these days. You only have to check out social media trends for 2021 to see that everyone, from friends and families to brands and their marketing arms, is creating videos to share with and entertain their audiences.

Videos can make us dream of our next holiday, they can inspire new plans, or they can just help your followers get to know you better. Whether you're into adventure videos, interviews, photomontages, or a first-person, pared-down production, here are some easy steps to create your own amazing travel video. 

Learn from other travel videos

Remember the saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"? If you have some social channels you already love to follow for their footage, especially travel videos, now is the time to get inspired. Watch the videos that do really well, either getting lots of likes or thumbs up, or engagement from viewers. Get an idea of what all these have in common and what features you'd like to use in your own videos.

You can also watch some reputable creative travel videos like the documentaries produced by National Geographic to get ideas of stories and angles you can take with your own productions (at a much lower scale, of course!)

Have a story

The single most important trick to making a shareable and memorable travel video is to link it to a story. Whether it's a quick account of your first-person impressions of where you are, or a bird's eye view of a flyover over a mountain forest, ask yourself: what's the story and what will my viewers take away from this video?

Research travel video ideas upfront

This is a tip that will not only help your video do well on social media, but will also make you more efficient. Before you head to the place you're planning to film, do your research about the area, what other good travel videos were done there, what angles you'd like to capture, and so on. Consider your itinerary for the day: will you stay in one place or move around? And how will you shoot that?

Move from the travel video ideas to the execution by sketching out how you'll make each frame stand out. You might use more than one camera or just your phone. Knowing all this in advance will save you lots of time and will give you awesome footage.

Plan a shooting schedule

Following on from the tip above, once you have your story and your travel video ideas are fleshed out on paper, make yourself super-efficient by drafting a schedule. It doesn't have to be a professional, Hollywood-style shooting timetable, it can literally be a 2-line sketch! But having it on paper will focus you on getting the best shots for your film. 

Pick the best songs for travel videos

Having a musical background makes your video more fun and engaging and it can sometimes alter the mood completely. Think about your favorite movie soundtracks for travel scenes, or nature sounds you can overlay onto your video with a good video editing app. In a pinch, just search for "songs for travel videos" online and refer back to your inspiration channels as well. You can also use your video editing app to get additional ideas for background music.

Make a creative travel video with color and depth

To really make your travel video stand out, add some extra focus points that take it from just an overview of a place to a more vibrant and engaging piece of filming. For example, if you're traveling through an Italian village with an open-air market, go beyond filming a wide-angle shot of the stalls and zoom in on the colorful vegetables and fruit.

You can make your video more unique with close-up shots, details, and one-of-a-kind angles focusing on stand-out elements of your trips.

Make it funny

Another way for your travel video to stand out is to make people laugh. We're not suggesting you become a comedian, but the best funny travel videos manage to capture interesting - and comical! - moments in their destinations. This will mean you have to be spontaneous and capture funny moments as they happen, then share them with your followers. So, keep your eyes open for shots that will generate some laughs!

Have a mix of content 

For your social media channel, diversity is key to keeping your audience engaged. Whether you're posting your travel videos to YouTube or TikTok, avoid always shooting the same style of video. Mix landscape views with close-ups, scenes with you talking to the camera with interviews, and make use of music and transitions to keep your viewers entertained. 

Enhance your travel video with clever editing

This is where a good video editing app can help you make amazing travel videos even from your phone. To make your video even better, add some effects and writing to convey additional information you may not think is coming out clearly. You may also want to use some of these travel video transition ideas: chapters or headings, music intros, cut effects, etc. There's so much you can do post-filming, so make the most of it!

Be consistent / have a theme

You might think this clashes with the idea of having a mix of content - it doesn't! Being consistent is all about defining your "why" : what's your channel about and what are you sharing your videos for? Do you want to offer a new perspective on classic destinations? Are you looking for the quirkiest food venues? Do you want to become a world-class one-minute interviewer?

Whatever theme sounds good to you, weave it into your videos to develop your unique brand. 

Play with durations for different social media platforms

You don't need us to tell you that you can't expect the same results with a 10-minute YouTube video as with an Instagram story. But then again, if you focus on providing short snippets of life in a new destination, one-minute travel videos are ideal and you should post them to TikTok or Instagram. Adapting for different platforms will allow you to either focus on one type of content only, or diversify as much as you'd like. Play around with durations until you find what suits you the best.

Remember your audience

When shooting a travel video, think of who it's for: are they interested in the experience, the scenery, the people? Depending on the audience, you may alter the style and look of your travel footage. You could also repurpose your content and use a video editing app to cut parts of your footage into new travel videos dedicated to specific audiences. 

For example, assume you've shot lots of footage from a city break in Paris and you realize you could make a one-minute travel video with the "best of" scenes as well as an in-depth video about the cathedrals or restaurants or the music scene... All of a sudden, you have different videos from the same footage, addressing different audiences, and widening your reach.

Whether just starting out or looking for fresh ideas about how to make a travel video, this guide should give you some inspiration for creating new and engaging content you can be proud of . And, remember: start sharing, see what works, and adapt as you go along!

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The Epicurean Traveler

Inspiring Cultural Exploration Through Culinary Travel

How to Make a Travel Video: 10 Tips for Beginners to Create Compelling Travel Videos

Are you interested in learning how to make a travel video? Maybe you’re hoping to become the next big travel content creator, or perhaps you are an intrepid traveler seeking a way to share your travel memories with friends and family back home.

In this guest post, the pros at the online video editor InVideo share 10 practical tips for making travel videos that grab interest and engage your audience. With these 10 actionable tips for beginners, you can inspire wanderlust among your friends and followers through your own engaging travel videos!

Disclosure:   This beginner’s guide on how to make travel videos contains affiliate links. When you click on or make a purchase via one of these links, I may earn a commission. 

For the last two years, we were faced with travel restrictions as the world grappled with a global health crisis. Now that many restrictions are being lifted, those of us itching to travel are making plans for our next vacation.

Perhaps more than ever, we want our vacations to be memorable, and we want to share those travel memories with our friends and family through social media. The best way to capture and revisit the moments of a great trip is to create travel videos.

While we may shoot every thrilling activity, scenic view, and delicious meal during the trip, editing travel videos prudently will make them more engaging for your friends, family, and social media followers.

Now, let’s look at some of the practical tips for making a great travel video!

1. Choose the Right Camera for You

Whether you want to start a travel-centric YouTube channel or simply share your trip memories in Instagram reels with your friends, the first step to creating travel videos is acquiring the necessary camera gear. Most importantly, having the correct equipment to create great travel videos begins with choosing the right camera for you.

For example, it is better for those who are not familiar with aperture and shutter speed to opt for a camera with user-friendly automatic settings. Instead of investing in an expensive DSLR like professional travel videographers may use, beginner-level travel video creators can opt for a compact or mirrorless camera that captures high-resolution video at a lower price point.

Therefore, we recommend the Sony ZV-1 for beginner travel vloggers. It’s an excellent camera for shooting travel videos for several reasons.

First of all, this camera was specifically designed with content creators in mind. Therefore, it comes with a 3-inch LCD flipscreen, which is handy when recording yourself. Secondly, the automatic exposure tracks faces to ensure you or whomever you are shooting is well-lit. Third, image stabilization reduces camera shake as you walk around landmarks, national parks, and historic sites on your travels while recording 4K high-resolution video. 

At a time when short and full-length feature films have been filmed on smartphones , you may already have your go-to travel camera in your hand as you read this post. In particular, the Sony Xperia 1 III is highly rated for video recording, and Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro and larger iPhone 13 Pro Max offer professional-level capabilities for capturing both travel videos and still photography.

2. Use an Easy Tool for Editing Travel Videos

So many video editing applications for mobile devices and traditional video editing software programs are on the market these days. You may be overwhelmed with the options and wonder which is best for editing travel videos.

For beginners, there is an awesome easy video editing software . It’s a powerful tool with filters, effects, templates, stickers, and more to streamline the video editing process. With this video editor, you can make travel videos to share across various platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

3. Watch Travel Videos for Inspiration

Making travel videos may not be as easy as you might have thought! So, first, watch existing travel videos on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or other social media platforms to gather ideas.

By watching other travel content creators’ videos, you’ll be inspired to create your own while learning some tricks for framing beautiful shots.

4. Pick Your Favorite Platform

Every website and social media platform has its own video specifications that you need to follow before uploading your travel videos. Hence, it is good to select the platform first before you start your hard work.

Before you even begin shooting your video, you should become acquainted with your desired platform’s specifications. Then upload some videos to test how the platform performs. 

5. Prepare Your Camera Settings

Once you have practiced shooting videos at home and are ready to take your trip, you’ll want to keep your camera settings ready. Changing a photo setting while you are traveling can be cumbersome. Therefore, having two memory buttons set to 4K and 25fps will be a good idea.

6. Plan Your Travel Video Shoots Ahead of Time

When creating a travel video, planning your shoots ahead of time is key.

Most importantly, you need to think about when to shoot for the optimal natural light. Early mornings and just before dusk — often called the golden hour — are usually best for getting breathtaking shots.

Also, as you plan your travel shoots, keep in mind that shooting too little footage will not let you have enough shots when you begin to edit videos after your trip.

At the same time, overshooting will make your task of editing videos lengthy and cumbersome.

Striking the right balance will take some practice, but, don’t worry, you will get there soon. 

7. Tell a Story Through Your Travel Videos

Storytelling is the best way to keep your audience engaged with your travel video. After you complete your trip , try to find a common thread and weave a story out of it.

Of course, the places of historical importance will have their own stories, which you can include while editing videos after your trip .

While you are traveling, record some short clips of the locals and the people you meet during your trip. You can weave their voices and commentary into your video for an interesting contrast to your own voice. This also gives your viewer a break from listening to your voiced-over monologue for the entire video. 😉 

8. Keep Video Clips Short and Sweet

Your audience likely has a short attention span , and social media users today move from one post to the next very quickly losing interest faster than a goldfish!

Therefore, you want to keep your travel videos concise and attention-grabbing. For a platform like Instagram, your travel videos should be 90 seconds or shorter and easily understood without sound.

Instead of capturing everything from your vacation in one video, you can create shorter travel videos highlighting various parts of your trip. 

9. Shoot Your Travel Video Using the Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is taught in most photography classes, and for good reason. It’s a cardinal rule of both photography and videography.

Usually, in videos, your main subject should not fill the entire frame. Instead, think of your shot’s frame as being divided into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Rather than placing your subject in the center of the shot, you want the main object, person, or animal set off to the side. The photo above is a prime example of this concept.

10. Add Music to Your Travel Video

Lastly, though you want your travel video to tell a story, that is not always accomplished with explanations and voiceovers. Using music will help your viewers emotionally connect with your video.

Therefore, when you have captured the scenic beauty of a destination, it is often better to infuse background music that syncs with the video’s theme.

Final Thoughts on How to Make a Travel Video

Before you book your flights and hotel rooms for your next vacation, begin practicing shooting and editing videos at home. For example, you can take a local day trip and shoot the entire day’s activities keeping the rule of thirds and short clips in mind.

Then, using the video editing platform we shared, get to the work of editing videos . It will require a good amount of practice before you master the art of creating engaging travel videos, but with the tools and tips mentioned in this post, you will be on your way.

Bon Voyage and happy shooting!

Find More Travel Tips!

• Five Tips to Successfully Navigate Travel with Friends
• Five International Travel Documents You May Need to See (and Taste) the World
• Ditching Wings for Wheels: Road Trip Tips for Safer Travel
• Why GPS-Guided Travel Articles Make Sightseeing Easier
• Five Travel Tips for Digestive Health on the Road

Save the image above to your travel video tips board on Pinterest to easily refer back to this post!

What are your best tips for making a travel video?

Please share your thoughts and tips in the comment section!

About Erin Klema

Erin Klema is the founder and editor of The Epicurean Traveler, combining her journalism background with her passion for culinary travel. When she isn't exploring the world through unique, local culinary experiences, she enjoys cooking with her husband, planning her next trip, and reading or watching a good rom com.

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How to Make a Travel Video in 15 Easy Steps

• Judit Ruiz Ricart
• Aug 9, 2018

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” Chris McCandless has become an inspiration for many, and this quote perfectly reflects why we feel so drawn to challenges. Whether you are preparing your summer trip, looking to expand the horizons of your photography website , or both, you can probably relate to McCandless’ statement.

On that note, videos allow you to capture these encounters and share them with people so that they can experience the same joy. As much as we love photography, there are some moments that require a fuller sensory experience. And because of our attraction to discovering new horizons, most of them take place as we wander into unknown locations. If you’re looking to capture and share these experiences in a whole new way, this is all you need to know about how to make a travel video.

01. Do your research

As fun as being spontaneous is, doing some research early on will pay off in the long run. This applies not only to your travel video but also to the trip itself. Start by checking weather reports and reading about other people’s experiences. Find out what the must-see locations are and when the best season to enjoy them is.

At this point, you’ll be able to create a general schedule for your trip to make sure you don’t miss anything. Doing this will save you a lot of time during the trip, as well as help you with the planning of your video. However, make sure you leave room for last-minute decisions and allow yourself to change the schedule and adapt it to the day-by-day reality of the journey.

02. Get inspired

The best place to gather inspiration from is your own professional photographer website . What are you most passionate about? Maybe it’s street scenes, food, or perhaps landscapes. Following this same theme on your travel video will allow you to feel more comfortable with both the creative process and the final result. You’ll benefit from your existing expertise while challenging yourself to see such a familiar subject from a new perspective.

The next step is browsing other people’s travel videos. Spend some time watching the work of videographers you admire, as well as others you hadn’t heard of until this point. Look at videos taken at your destination, but also some taken in completely different locations. Identify the techniques and styles you love, and see if you can incorporate them into your work.

03. Find your story

The most important element in any video is the story it tells. Without a good narrative, viewers are likely to get bored and move on to the next video. It doesn’t matter how amazing your footage is and how well it works with the music you added, your audience just won’t be able to connect with it.

Setting a focus for your video, as mentioned in the previous step, will make it easier to figure out what you want to say. The story of your video will affect everything from gear to post-production. In order to avoid a lot of headaches, make sure you take the time to pick a narrative you’re absolutely convinced of before you move forward.

04. Set a plan

Once you have decided on the story you want to tell, it’s time to decide how you want to tell it. This is where all the initial research comes back into the picture. Which of the styles you loved fits the concept better? What is the best pace to tell the story? Which techniques can bring the style and pace together? Knowing this beforehand will allow you to plan some of the footage and keep you from mindlessly recording clips you don’t need.

During your planning, you will also need to decide whether you want to incorporate natural sounds into the video or use only music. While many videographers prefer to choose their video soundtrack during their planning, it is not a must.

05. Pack your gear

You might be tempted to fall into the trap of one of the most well-known photography myths during this new adventure, so let’s make it clear: you do not need expensive gear to create great content. Of course a $5K setup will offer higher results than your smartphones, but only if you actually know how to use it. Many people spend money on amazing gear but never bother to learn how to make the most of everything it offers.

You should start with the equipment you have and only think about acquiring new things after it starts limiting your work. When it comes to camera accessories , all you’ll need is a good microphone, and that’s only if you’re planning to include natural sounds in your travel video. Carrying too much gear before you reach the creative level when you’ll actually need it will just make filming harder and more tiring.

06. Look for a sponsor

If you already reach out to brands as a photographer , it might be a great idea to do so as a videographer as well. One of the most common partnerships between brands and video creators is including their products in the video in exchange for gear or travel expenses. If you still don’t have any videos in your portfolio, you can always get a photography collaboration based on your travel schedule.

07. Start filming

No matter how carefully planned your trip, many things will probably change the moment you get to your destination. And while you should definitely keep an open mind when it comes to following an organized schedule, there is a reason why research and planning are such a critical part of learning how to make a travel video.

There are three main things to remember when you finally start shooting:

Film only relevant content. Having too much footage will only make the creative process harder.

Get a nice variety of clips. Even if you have a clear subject set, shooting only landscapes, food, or people, will result in a really boring video.

Capture moments. Focusing on recording short moments will keep you away from mindlessly pointing your camera towards ten different directions within five seconds.

08. Make it engaging

The key to a successful travel video is engaging your audience. A great way to do so is by filming a variety of clips. Capturing a subject through different frames and movements allows for more diverse options in the final creation. This means you’ll probably want to refrain from using a tripod for the majority of your shots. To get a good pace, try to make your clips short and sweet. Try to see the action surrounding you in clips of three to five seconds.

09. Mind the light

Understanding lighting plays a major role in learning how to make a travel video. As a photographer, this step should be fairly easy for you. Since you’ll probably be shooting most of your footage outdoors, picking the right time of day will be crucial. Unless you are using professional equipment, you’ll probably have to face some barriers. Cameras with small sensors tend to overexpose images, which can result in ruined shots when you’re shooting bright scenes. You’ll also want to avoid dark situations, as using higher ISOs will affect image quality.

To avoid both of these situations, the best option is to shoot during the golden hour. At this time, the sun is really close to the horizon, offering just the right amount of light. Unfortunately, this perfect shooting moment only lasts 30 to 60 minutes. This is why knowing which footage you want to capture beforehand is key to getting good results.

10. Work on the road

Ideally, you should start the video editing process during your trip. On top of easing your workload once you get back home, it can also help improve the quality of the project. Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you spend half of your travel days in front of a computer. Simply spend a few minutes going over the footage you shot that day and select the clips that are likely to be included in the video. This will allow you to have a general idea of how the final result will look and see if there’s anything missing. While doing so, keep in mind the bigger picture. Think of each clip as a puzzle piece and see how the different parts can be put together to match your story.

11. Find the right soundtrack

The last step before you sit down to face the processing stage is choosing the perfect music for the video. The audio will be a determining factor on the quality and success of your video, so don’t take it lightly. The earlier you pick a soundtrack, the better you’ll be able to connect it with the footage. This is why you should keep it in mind during the whole creative process.

When it comes to choosing your music, you need to be aware of the legal limitations beforehand. Don’t spend the whole trip shooting footage to your favorite show’s opening song in mind, because chances are you won’t be allowed to use it. Copyrights will be your worst enemy, but also your best friend. They will push you to find soundtracks that really connect with your content, rather than a catchy tune that got stuck in your head.

12. Take time to edit

Once you’re back home and have done all your laundry, it’s time to get down to business. Not to defeat the Huns, but rather to start the final process of your travel video creation. While it might seem intimidating at first, it will be a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. If you didn’t have the chance to get some work done during the trip, start by going over all the raw footage and choosing the clips you want to use.

Essentially, video editing consists of cutting out the footage you don’t want to use and stitching the chosen clips together. In general, travel videos are divided into two main sections:

Introduction: The first seconds of the video need to capture the viewer’s attention and serve as a presentation of your story.

Body: The storyline of your video, comprising most of your content.

Some videographers may choose to add their brand between the introduction and body, as well as credits, or a call to action after the body. Overall, the general recommendation is that a travel video should last between three to ten minutes.

13. Aim for perfection

But don’t let it control you. As a media creator, you probably know exactly what we’re referring to. You should never rush the process and put an unfinished creation out into the world. That much is quite obvious, right? However, it is quite common to focus so much on getting the best results that the project never seems quite finished. There is a moment in which you’ll need to tell yourself that the video is good enough and doesn’t require more editing time.

14. Share the final result

Congratulations on your travel video! The final step is sharing your creation with the world. If this is the first time you’ve made a video, you might be wondering where and how you should share it. The first place is, of course, your online portfolio. With Wix Video , you’ll be able to showcase, promote, and sell your videos from within your existing videographer portfolio .

As for social media channels, Facebook and YouTube seem to be the preferred options by videographers at the moment. You might also want to take advantage of the popularity spike of the newest kid in town: Instagram TV . To bypass format limitations, you can simply create a short vertical preview of your travel video and use this platform as a tool to drive visitors to your site.

15. Learn from it

What did this experience teach you? Identify the hurdles you faced during the project and how you overcame them. Think about what you would have done differently knowing what you know now. Listen to feedback and consider how it can help you improve. Most importantly: keep researching, getting inspired, and practicing. Every moment you spend working on your video takes you one step closer to creating outstanding content.

Ready to create an amazing travel video? Make sure to share it on your photography website !

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Immortalize your travels with a video.

Travel videos are a great way to document your trip, tell a specific story for a client, or just share the sights and sounds you experienced with the world. Whether you’re exploring the pyramids of Egypt, the skyscrapers of New York City, or the tropical waters of Thailand, learn how to  make a video  of your trip that you’ll want to watch over and over again.

Prepare for your trip.

When it comes to making travel videos, any time spent planning is time well spent. The preparation phase might not be as fun as filming or traveling, but it will help you make the most of your time, and it’ll give you the best chance to come away with the footage you need to make the best travel video you can.

Gather inspiration.

The first step is to research your travel destination and find inspiration. If you’re going on an expedition to Antarctica, this could mean finding out how to dress for the weather. If you’re going to Barcelona in Spain this might include looking up architectural points of interest. Logistics, location scouting, and getting familiar with the local culture will all help you plan your trip and your video.

“I find travel inspiration on social media,” says photographer and videographer Tiffany Nguyen. “So whether it’s Instagram, Pinterest, or a blog I saw, I usually have things bookmarked into a folder on my phone.” Next, Nguyen pins the different locations she wants to visit on Google Maps and color codes them in order of priority. “That way I can plan out a route, and I am not wasting my time jumping from point A to point B,” she says.

Map your story.

After you’ve done your scouting, start to visualize the narrative arc of your video. This process is also known as  storyboarding . Your storyboard could be as simple as loose sketches, or it could describe the sequence of your video shot by shot. “Video is very time consuming and the window when you have good light is very small, so it’s important to have a good game plan,” says Nguyen.

One advantage of going through the storyboarding process is that you realize what shots you’ll need for your video. Now you can write a  shot list  to help you keep tabs on what footage you have and what you still need.

“If you have a strong storyboard and shot list, it’ll be a lot easier for you to put the timeline together and create the sequence for the video,” says Nguyen. “The most important part is being able to tell a story. You may have a bunch of epic clips, but if you don’t know how to tell a story and put it all together, it falls apart.”

Working with a client.

If you’re working with a client, the pre-production process is almost identical, except that you’ll likely be given creative direction or a certain script to follow.

“It all starts with research. I have a client meeting, and then I sit down with my producer and we figure out how we’re going to execute this project. Then I write the script,” explains videographer Bevan Waite.

“The script dictates the next series of preparation documents, which would be the shot list, the call sheet, and any travel logistics that need to be organized. All of these organizational documents reference the script and ensure there’s an allotted time and location for every aspect of the script to be executed,” says Waite.

Find the focus of your film.

From the moment you start planning to the final edit you make, the most important thing to do is keep the big picture in mind; let it drive all your decisions as a filmmaker.

Another way to think about this is to ask yourself what your goal is, what the purpose of your video is. Are you making a travel guide for the Amalfi coast, a documentary of your road trip through Scotland, or a sponsored travel adventure through the Amazon rainforest? Or do you simply want to make an epic travel video as a keepsake of your trip?

Once you have your overarching purpose figured out, the rest of the planning, filming, and editing process will fall into place much more easily. Whether you’re a  vlogger  who wants to show their subscribers a day in Bali or a blogger who wants to add a video component to your post about the best way to see the Grand Canyon, there’s no limit to what you can do with the video format and a desire to explore.

“Some trips I totally fly by the seat of my pants. And that’s okay; sometimes you can schedule time to not know what the next thing is,” says Waite. “But it’s always a good idea to have that larger vision in the back of your mind, so you know what you’re trying to accomplish.”

Pack your camera bag.

Now that you’ve got your vision, it’s time to pack your bags. The best strategy in the gear department is to keep your kit as minimal as possible. “Especially on travel shoots, where you’re going to four or five different locations a day, you want a really compact, organized camera bag. That’ll allow you to move more easily,” says Waite.

Mirrorless cameras  are your best bet for cutting the bulk without sacrificing image quality, but you can use whatever camera you have that can film video. If you’re making a video for a client, it’s a good idea to bring two camera bodies so you have a backup in case one breaks, gets stolen, or gets lost.

“You don’t want to have a huge camera, because that draws attention to you and makes it hard to capture candid moments,” says Nguyen. GoPros and other action cameras are always a good idea to bring, since you can mount them anywhere and they take up virtually no space.

Finally, consider bringing a  drone  for those stunning aerial shots. “I love having aerial footage in the intro of my videos,” says Nguyen. “An aerial clip grabs your attention right away.” If you do decide to bring a drone, make sure you’re licensed and can legally fly in your chosen location.

“I almost always carry multiple lenses,” says Nguyen. “I have a wider lens, like a 16–35mm, and I also have a couple prime lenses.” While prime lenses are less versatile in  focal length , they are more compact and their image quality is often superior to zoom lenses. To round out her kit, Nguyen brings a telephoto zoom lens, which allows you to capture subjects you can’t get close to. These lenses also create a beautiful compression effect for your scene.

But if you want to go minimal, a solid midrange zoom lens such as a 24–70mm can make a great all-in-one kit.

Stabilizers

Nguyen also recommends using a gimbal or other stabilization system. “This is how you’re going to get those smooth cinematic shots,” she says. “When you capture videos with the gimbal you have more usable footage versus a handheld shot, since a lot of those shots can be really shaky and unusable.” 

How much does gear matter?

Don’t let gear get in the way of what really matters: the journey itself. Most cameras with video capability can film exceptionally high-quality footage, even an iPhone. The difference is in the story you tell and how you choose to tell it. Your audience isn’t going to be dialed in to pixel differences, but they will care about craftsmanship and how well the story captures their attention.

Tips for filming your video.

Pay attention to light..

Light is one element you should always look out for, since the quality of your light will determine the look and feel of your video.  Golden hour  is a favorite time for most photographers and videographers, as the soft, warm, directional light close to sunset is flattering for subjects.

“If you have outdoor locations you want to visit, go there at the beginning or end of the day, and then go to your indoor locations in the middle of the day,” advises Waite. “That way you’re still getting a good quality of light inside the buildings, but you’re not getting that harsh daylight outside.”

Vary your shot types.

Consider the variety of  shot types  you’re collecting as you travel. Just like a favorite food, it may be delicious, but if it was the only food you could eat you’d soon grow tired of it. In the same way, “if you just have static shots or all gimbal shots, the video won’t be as enticing to viewers,” says Nguyen. Wide shots, detail shots, candid moments, lively action shots contrasted with still tripod shots, and time lapses are all shot types you can use to keep your video interesting.

Embrace the unexpected.

When traveling, things are bound to go sideways or veer from your plan at one point or another. Try not to get discouraged when you can’t eliminate all unknowns during your trip. Part of the beauty of travel is your encounter with the unexpected. As long as your camera is ready to roll, you’ve got the opportunity to capture one-of-a-kind footage as the scene unfolds.

“Being able to think on your feet is a very essential skill to have as a filmmaker,” says Waite. “No matter how much prep you do before a shoot, you’re always kind of making it up as you go.”

Get consent from the people you film.

If you’re doing commercial work, you’ll want to make sure you’re squared away legally when it comes to showing people’s faces. The last thing you want is to run into any legal issues down the road, so make sure you get consent or a model release right after you’ve filmed them.

“That’s something you want to be upfront about,” says Nguyen. “Most of the time, if you let them know what you’re doing, I find that people are open to it and think it’s really cool.” 

More travel vlog tips here .

Edit with the story in mind.

Back it up asap..

The first thing you want to do after a day of filming is back up your footage onto a hard drive. If you can, have at least two backups of the footage, because you never know what could happen.

Once your footage is safely stored and organized, go through it and start to pick your favorite shots. Pull those clips into the video editor of your choice. Nguyen uses Adobe Premiere Pro.

Make your cuts cohesive.

Now that you’re ready to put it all together, pull out your storyboard again. This is going to be the difference between a clip montage and a story. While it may not be a feature-length documentary, every travel video has a story arc, even if it’s just a chronological retelling of your steps.

“It’s always good to have a bigger picture of what you’re doing in the editing room, rather than just putting a nice video clip next to another nice video clip,” says Waite. “Even if it isn’t clear to other people, as long as you know there’s an inherent structure to the way you’re doing things, I think that’s good enough.”

Waite likes to group similar shots together to create mini-scenes. “If the  establishing shot  is a drone shot of the ocean at sunrise, the next two to five shots should be of that same scene, shot in different ways,” Waite explains. No matter how you sequence your film, always do it with intention. Think about how your clips connect to each other and work together to move the viewer through the story.

How long should my video be?

That depends on what type of video you are making. “For regular Instagram posts, I find that 45 seconds is the sweet spot,” says Nguyen. “It’s really hard to create a video in just 30 seconds because usually I have so much footage. And I find that one minute is a bit too long, because usually the travel videos you see on Instagram are fast paced.”

Other platforms like a  YouTube channel  or IGTV are better suited for longer stories, but longer doesn’t necessarily mean better. As long as the story supports the length, you should be good. Just keep in mind that the longer your video gets, the more likely your audience will lose focus, so if you want a long video make sure you’ve got a compelling story to back it up.

Don’t forget sound.

Between voice-overs, interviews, and ambient music that complements your video, audio is one element that can really elevate your video. Collect sound bites from some of your filming locations to use alongside their respective video clips. Whether it's rainforest sounds in Brazil, water lapping at the beach in the Philippines, or even Los Angeles traffic, sound activates another sense and helps immerse the viewer into the scene.

Balance client expectations.

When you work for a client, Waite’s advice is to “put your own creative spin on it as an editor. But go with the direction you’ve been supplied.” It can be tricky at first to strike this balance, but the chances are your client hired you because they like your unique style or personality, and it’s okay to let that show in your editing.

Begin your journey as a travel filmmaker.

There’s a lot to keep in mind as you start to make a travel film, but the most important thing to remember is to relax and enjoy the journey. Don’t worry about being technically perfect so much that you don’t immerse yourself in your location and culture. Your passion and perspective will be much more noticeable than which gear you used or how big your budget was.

“Be shameless and just go for it,” advises Waite. “It’s all about self-confidence. When it comes down to it, it’s really just organization, vision, execution, and editing. None of those steps is rocket science. People can make careers out of just one of those steps.”

From Turkey to Tuscany, Peru to Prague, or New Zealand to Norway, wherever you may find yourself, you’ve got all you need to get out and film your own epic travel video.

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Tiffany Nguyen

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• Travel Photography and Videography

Mastering Cinematic Travel Videography: 15 Tips to Create Stunning Travel Videos

• 10 minute read

• August 8, 2023

Welcome to the captivating realm of cinematic travel videography, where each frame transforms into a window to the world’s most breathtaking destinations. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker or an adventurous traveler with a camera in hand, this comprehensive guide is your passport to creating mesmerizing travel videos that capture the essence of your journeys.

In this digital era, travel videos have become more than mere documentation – they’re immersive experiences that transport viewers across continents, cultures, and emotions. From the warm embrace of the golden hour to the dynamic movement of camera shots, each element plays a pivotal role in painting an evocative tapestry of your adventures. Embark on this journey with us as we delve into the intricacies of planning narratives, harnessing natural light, and mastering camera techniques.

In the pages ahead, we’ll uncover the art of composition that transforms mundane scenes into cinematic masterpieces. We’ll explore the symphony of colors and sounds that breathe life into your videos, adding depth and emotion to every frame. Whether you’re capturing the vivacity of bustling markets or the serene tranquility of hidden landscapes, we’ll guide you through each step to ensure your travel videos resonate with audiences around the world.

• Choosing Amazing Places

The choice of locations forms the foundation of your cinematic travel videos. Look for places that are visually striking and narratively intriguing. These are the places that will engage your audience and make your videos stand out.

• Stunning Views: Seek destinations with awe-inspiring landscapes, architecture, and natural beauty.
• Narrative Richness: Opt for locations with historical, cultural, or personal significance. Places that tell stories on their own.
• Planning Your Story

Creating a cinematic travel video is more than just capturing beautiful visuals; it’s about telling a compelling story. Think of your video as a journey with a beginning, middle, and end. To craft a captivating narrative:

• Structured Approach: Plan your video’s storyline like a roadmap. Outline the sequence of events and shots you want to include. This provides a clear direction for your filming and editing process.
• Emotional Arc: Consider the emotional journey you want your viewers to experience. Will your video evoke excitement, nostalgia, or introspection? Map out how emotions will evolve throughout the video.
• Key Moments: Identify pivotal moments that resonate with your overall story. Whether it’s a breathtaking view, a local interaction, or a cultural experience, these moments will be the pillars of your video’s narrative.

3. Planning Your Story

Crafting a compelling narrative is at the heart of cinematic travel videography. Your travel video is more than a collection of scenes; it’s a story that should engage your audience from start to finish. Here’s how to plan your story effectively:

• Structured Approach: Treat your video like a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Create a storyboard that outlines the sequence of shots and scenes you want to include.
• Emotional Arc: Consider the emotions you want to evoke in your viewers. Think about how you can build up emotions throughout your video to create a captivating journey.
• Key Moments: Identify the highlights of your travel that are essential to your story. These moments should capture the essence of your experience and contribute to the overall narrative.
• Using Natural Light

Natural light is a cinematographer’s best friend, and it can make your travel videos truly cinematic. Here’s how to harness the power of natural light for stunning visuals:

• Golden Hour and Blue Hour: These are the periods just after sunrise and before sunset when the quality of light is magical. The golden hour bathes scenes in warm, soft light, while the blue hour adds a serene, ethereal ambiance.
• Setting the Mood: Use the specific qualities of light during these hours to match the mood of your scenes. Golden hour light can evoke warmth and intimacy, while blue hour light can create a dreamy and contemplative atmosphere.
• Camera Skills Made Simple

Creating cinematic travel videos doesn’t require you to be a professional filmmaker. Here’s how to master camera skills that add cinematic flair to your footage:

Basic Movements: Begin by practicing fundamental camera movements that can instantly enhance the quality of your shots:

• Panning: Slowly move your camera horizontally from one side to another. This is great for capturing sweeping landscapes or revealing scenes.
• Tilting: Rotate your camera vertically, moving it up or down. Tilting is useful for emphasizing tall structures or capturing dramatic skies.
• Tracking: Follow a subject’s movement by moving your camera smoothly alongside it. Tracking shots add dynamism and immersion to your videos.

Stabilizers: Achieving steady shots is essential for a professional look, especially while on the move:

• Gimbals: Invest in a handheld gimbal or stabilizer. These devices counteract any shaky movements, resulting in smooth and cinematic footage.
• Steady Hands: If you’re shooting without a stabilizer, practice holding your camera steadily and walking smoothly to avoid jerky motions.
• Making Pictures Look Great

Composition is a powerful tool for creating visually captivating shots. Mastering composition techniques can significantly enhance the cinematic quality of your travel videos:

Rule of Thirds: Utilize the rule of thirds to create balanced and visually engaging compositions:

• Imagine your frame divided into a 3×3 grid with two horizontal lines and two vertical lines.
• Place your subject or important elements along these lines or at their intersections.
• This technique adds visual interest and guides the viewer’s eyes to key elements in the frame.

Leading Lines: Incorporate leading lines to draw the viewer’s gaze and create depth:

• Look for natural or architectural lines within your scene, like roads, rivers, or fences.
• These lines guide the viewer’s eyes into the frame, adding a sense of movement and perspective.

Foreground and Background: Play with foreground and background elements to add depth:

• Place objects or elements in the foreground to frame your main subject and create layers within the shot.
• This technique adds dimension and makes your shots more visually engaging.
• Colors That Feel Right

Colors have a profound impact on the emotional tone of your videos. Understanding color psychology and applying color grading techniques can elevate your cinematic travel videos:

Color Psychology: Different colors evoke specific emotions and moods:

• Warm Colors (Red, Orange, Yellow): Convey energy, warmth, and excitement. Use them for vibrant scenes and moments of action.
• Cool Colors (Blue, Green, Purple): Evoke calmness, serenity, and reflection. They are well-suited for tranquil and contemplative scenes.

Color Grading: During the editing process, use color grading tools to achieve a cohesive and cinematic color palette:

• Adjust colors to match the mood of each scene. Enhance warm tones for joyful moments and cool tones for introspective scenes.
• Consistent color grading unifies the visual style of your video, making it feel like a cohesive cinematic experience.

8. Getting Extra Shots

Capturing the details adds depth and authenticity to your cinematic travel videos. Consider these techniques to create a richer visual experience:

Texture and Close-ups: Zoom in on textures, patterns, and small details that define the essence of a place:

• Capture close-up shots of textured walls, vibrant textiles, local crafts, and unique architectural features.
• These shots offer a tactile and immersive perspective, allowing viewers to appreciate the finer aspects of your surroundings.

Contextual Shots: Incorporate scenes that provide context to your location and convey a sense of local life:

• Film scenes of bustling markets, people going about their daily routines, or street vendors interacting with customers.
• Contextual shots establish the setting, culture, and atmosphere, making your video more immersive and engaging.

9. Sounds That Capture Moments

Sound plays a crucial role in creating a multisensory cinematic experience. Here’s how to use sound to enhance the immersion of your travel videos:

Ambient Sounds: Capture the sounds that define each location, bringing your audience closer to the environment:

• Record ambient sounds like the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the chatter of a crowded square, or the waves crashing on the shore.
• These sounds transport viewers to the scene, making them feel as if they are right there with you.

Music Selection: Choose music that complements the mood of your video and enhances its emotional impact:

• Select tracks that resonate with the overall tone of your video, whether it’s uplifting, reflective, or adventurous.
• The right music creates a powerful synergy with the visuals, amplifying the emotions you want to convey.

10. Making Scenes Flow

Seamless transitions are essential for maintaining the rhythm and coherence of your cinematic travel video. Here’s how to ensure smooth transitions between scenes:

Transition Techniques: Experiment with various transition effects to keep the viewer engaged and create a natural progression:

• Cut: An instantaneous switch from one scene to another. Use cuts for quick shifts in time or location.
• Fade: A gradual transition where one scene fades out as the next fades in. Fades create a soft and subtle change.
• Dissolve: Both scenes overlap briefly, creating a smooth transition. Dissolves work well for sequences that flow seamlessly.

Logical Progression: Ensure that your transitions make sense within the context of your story and maintain a logical flow:

• Transitions should connect scenes that share thematic, visual, or narrative elements, ensuring a smooth and coherent viewing experience.

11. Slow and Fast Moments

Adding variations in time can infuse your cinematic travel videos with a captivating dynamic. Here’s how to master slow-motion and time-lapse techniques:

Slow Motion: Utilize slow-motion shots to highlight details and evoke emotions in your travel videos:

• Slow-motion footage emphasizes specific actions, expressions, or movements, making them more impactful.
• Use slow motion for sequences like a splash of water, a smile, or a sunrise, creating a sense of wonder and appreciation.

Time-Lapse: Create time-lapse sequences to showcase changes over time and capture the essence of a location:

• Record scenes at a slower frame rate than usual and then play them back at normal speed. This compresses time and captures transformations like shifting clouds, changing light, or bustling crowds.
• Time-lapses reveal the passage of time in a visually compelling way, adding depth to your narrative.

12. Focus on Close and Far

Mastering the focus of your shots adds a cinematic touch by directing the viewer’s attention. Here’s how to play with focus effectively:

Depth of Field: Control depth of field to draw attention to specific elements and create visual interest:

• Use a wide aperture (small f-number) to achieve a shallow depth of field. This blurs the background while keeping your subject sharp and prominent.
• Shallow depth of field isolates your subject, making it stand out from the surroundings and adding an artistic dimension to your shots.

Visual Hierarchy: Guide the viewer’s gaze by using focus to establish visual hierarchy:

• Place your main subject in sharp focus while allowing the background or other elements to remain slightly blurred.
• This technique directs attention where you want it, enhancing the narrative impact of your shots.

13. Moving Camera Tricks

Incorporating camera movement can bring energy and dynamism to your cinematic travel videos. Here’s how to use moving camera techniques effectively:

Walking Shots: Add movement to your shots by filming while walking, creating a sense of exploration and immersion:

• Walking shots allow you to capture scenes from a traveler’s perspective, making viewers feel as if they’re part of the journey.
• Use walking shots to introduce a location, showcase surroundings, or provide context to your narrative.

Stabilizers: Implement stabilizers or gimbals for smooth camera movement, even when you’re on the move:

• Stabilizers counteract unwanted vibrations and shakes, ensuring your shots remain steady and professional-looking.
• Smooth camera movement enhances the cinematic quality of your videos and adds a polished touch.

14. Editing Like a Pro

The editing process is where your cinematic travel video truly comes to life. Here’s how to refine your footage into a coherent and compelling story:

Story Flow: Organize your shots in a logical sequence that follows the narrative arc of your video:

• Start with an attention-grabbing opening that sets the tone and hooks viewers’ interest.
• Arrange shots in a way that maintains a smooth and engaging flow, leading viewers through the journey of your travel experience.

Color Correction: Enhance the visual consistency of your shots by applying color correction:

• Adjust color balance, exposure, and contrast to create a uniform look across different scenes.
• Color correction ensures that your video maintains a professional and polished appearance.

Color Grading: Use color grading to establish a specific cinematic atmosphere that suits your video’s mood:

• Apply color grading presets or make manual adjustments to achieve the desired color palette.
• Color grading enhances the overall visual impact of your video and contributes to its cinematic feel.

15. Telling an Exciting Tale

Bringing all elements together, you’re ready to craft a compelling travel narrative that captivates your audience:

Strong Beginning: Begin with a powerful opening shot or sequence that grabs viewers’ attention and sets the tone for the rest of the video:

• Hook your audience with an intriguing visual or a captivating moment that sparks curiosity.

Effective Storytelling: Use your planned shots to create a coherent and emotionally engaging journey:

• Introduce key moments, showcase unique experiences, and convey the essence of each location you visited.
• Build a narrative arc that keeps viewers invested in the unfolding story.

Memorable Conclusion: Wrap up your video with impact, leaving a lasting impression on your audience:

• End with a shot that encapsulates the essence of your journey or delivers a powerful message.
• The conclusion should resonate with viewers and reinforce the cinematic quality of your travel video.

Conclusion .

As you venture into the realm of cinematic travel videography, remember that this journey encompasses both your creative vision and technical expertise. While the process may appear intricate, every step you take contributes to the creation of videos that transport your viewers to the heart of your travels. Embrace patience as you experiment, learn, and refine your skills, understanding that achieving cinematic quality requires time and dedication.

Dive into the realm of experimentation by exploring different angles and perspectives. Seize the opportunity to capture genuine emotions that define your journey—a breathtaking vista, a heartwarming interaction, or a peaceful moment of reflection. Each destination carries its own unique story, so strive to narrate its distinctiveness and charm through your lens.

Striking a balance between mastering cinematic techniques and embracing the authenticity of your adventure is paramount. Allow the technical aspects to enhance your story without overshadowing the essence of your travel experiences. Embrace a stance of continuous learning, staying attuned to new equipment, software, and trends to ensure your videos remain fresh and engaging.

How much did you like Our detailed  Mastering Cinematic Travel Videography: 15 Tips to Create Stunning Travel Videos ?  Review Also, please share these  Blogs  with your friends on social media.

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Cinematic Travel Videography FAQs

  what equipment do i need to create cinematic travel videos.

To get started, you’ll need a camera (preferably a DSLR or mirrorless camera), a variety of lenses, a stabilizer or gimbal for smooth shots, a tripod for stability, and a quality microphone for capturing clear audio. Additionally, investing in video editing software will be essential for post-production.

  How do I choose the right music for my travel video?

Selecting the right music is crucial for setting the mood of your video. Look for music that complements the emotions and pace of your scenes. There are various royalty-free music libraries available online, offering a wide range of genres and styles to suit different atmospheres.

  What’s the best way to capture audio while filming on location?

Using an external microphone, such as a shotgun microphone or a lavalier mic, can significantly improve audio quality. These mics can be attached to your camera or the subject you’re filming to capture clear and crisp sound even in noisy environments.

  How can I effectively tell a story in my travel video?

Crafting a compelling narrative involves planning your shots to create a beginning, middle, and end. Identify key moments that encapsulate the essence of your journey and structure your video around them. Introduce your destination, share experiences, and conclude with a memorable closing shot.

  How do I achieve the cinematic look during editing?

Color correction and grading play a vital role in achieving a cinematic look. Adjust the colors to enhance the mood of each scene and create a consistent visual palette. You can also experiment with adding a slight filmic grain or adjusting contrast to emulate the cinematic feel.

  What are some common mistakes to avoid in cinematic travel videography?

Avoid excessive camera movement, overuse of transitions, and shaky footage. Additionally, be mindful of overediting or using too many effects that may distract from the story. Always prioritize the narrative and viewer engagement.

  Can I shoot cinematic travel videos with a smartphone?

Yes , smartphones equipped with good camera capabilities can be used to create cinematic travel videos. However, using additional smartphone-compatible accessories like stabilizers, external microphones, and lenses can enhance the quality of your footage.

  How can I make my videos stand out from others?

Inject your personal style and unique perspective into your videos. Look for creative angles, experiment with different techniques, and add your own creative touches to your shots. This will help your videos stand out and resonate with your audience.

  How long should my cinematic travel video be?

The ideal length of your video depends on the platform you’re uploading it to and the attention span of your audience. Aim for a duration that keeps viewers engaged and tells a compelling story without feeling rushed. Generally, keeping it between 3 to 5 minutes is a good guideline.

  How can I improve my videography skills over time?

Continuous learning and practice are key. Study the work of experienced videographers, take online courses, experiment with different techniques, and gather feedback from peers. As you gain experience, your skills will naturally evolve and improve.

Meet David Hoper, a passionate travel Blog writer with 7+ years of experience in travel content. Through his exemplary storytelling and engaging narratives, he shares his experiences and brings destinations to life. With a keen eye for detail and a love for exploration, he has cultivated a diverse portfolio of travel blogs that inspire and inform readers worldwide.

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How to Make Travel Videos for Beginners

Shooting travel videos is not only about the fun of using your camera or capturing incredible moments. You also want people to watch and like it because that tells you that you’ve created a good piece of art. Of course, that’s hard to achieve, especially in the beginning. That’s why I created this tutorial.

With this tutorial I want to make it easy for you to produce travel videos that people want to watch. I will share all the necessary steps together with my most important tips here. So by the end of this tutorial you’ll feel a lot more confident to shoot your next travel videos.

Step #1: The Preparation

Let’s start with the first and a crucial step, the preparation.

What’s the point?

The first thing you want to find out is what’s the point of your travel video? Do you want to educate people about a certain place? Do you want to show the experience? Do you want to tell an actual story? Or do you just want to let people have a feeling like inspiration or the need for adventure?

The point of your video can be everything you can imagine. But if it has no point, there is also no point for the viewer to watch it.

If you just want to make a video of your trip, in form of a vlog or so, you should at least have the basic structure of the video in mind. But also think about what the value for the viewer will be, like why should he watch it? Then it’s also important to leave some space for all the unforeseeable things that will happen during your trip.

So definitely put some thought into it. If you do it before you shoot your travel video, you can get your shots a lot more intentionally with the purpose of your video in mind.

Inform yourself about the place(s) of your travel video

Another important part of the preparation is to inform yourself about the place where you want to go. For that, tools like Google Maps, Instagram, Sun Surveyor and YouTube are perfect. You already get an impression of good shots and the overall experience. And you will also be able to check if there is something else on the way to cover in your video.

What you should also plan before is the time of the day. Most of the time your shots will look better if you go for sunrise and sunset. But there are sometimes places where it’s better to go at noon time. For example waterfalls often lie in between mountains. So the sun must be up to light up the waterfall. Here you definitely get better shots at noon time instead of sunset or sunrise. But it really depends on the place.

So definitely take some time for preparation before shooting the actual video. Your video will come out much better and it will be easier for you to get good shots and keep the viewer engaged.

Step #2: The Shoot

Our next step is to shoot the video. There is a lot you can learn about shooting videos, which is why you should subscribe to my channel by the way. But in this tutorial I want to give you the tips that I think make the biggest difference when comparing travel videos from beginners with professional travel videos.

Get single shots / don’t let the camera roll all them time!

The first tip for shooting travel videos is one I can’t mention enough and it’s likely the most important tip to make the step from beginner to pro. The tip is simply to capture single shots instead of keeping the camera rolling all the time. Otherwise, the footage will come out bad and amateurish.

So instead of shooting continuously, better get single shots. By doing so, you force yourself to shoot more intentionally, what makes your shots come out a lot better.

But there is also another advantage of getting short single shots instead of shooting continuously. It simply saves you a lot of time in the edit as you don’t have to skip through hours of footage. So definitely shoot like that instead of keeping your camera rolling all the time.

What shots to get and why?

But what you likely ask yourself is what shots you should get and why?

And this is actually not that complicated. You just have to think in terms of scenes and how each shot adds to the current scene. So basically when you travel to a certain place you can break your trip down into different scenes.

For example:

• 1st scene: Traveling in a van
• 2nd scene: Walking or hiking to the destination
• 3rd scene: Arriving at the destination and enjoying the view
• 4th scene: Having some food at a restaurant
• 5th scene: Sunset beach time

So now during your trip, you can simply ask yourself what scene you’re in right now and what shots you need to get to create the scene.

In the van that could mostly be some parts where people do funny stuff or everyone sleeps hangover from the last night.

But at the other scenes it gets more complicated. In the hiking to your destination scene for example, you want to capture a sequence of shots that tell the story of the hike. So here you can shoot a mix of close up shots of peoples walking feet, faces looking at what’s around them, wide angle shots of people hiking and shots of interesting things you see on the way or unforeseen stuff that happens during the hike.

Important to remember is that close up, medium and wide angle shots show more or less of the same situation. A close up shot of a foot can show that it’s about hiking but it leaves questions on who is hiking and where and what does he or she see? So by using close up shots first and wide angle shots later, you keep the viewer interested as he wants to know more.

With shots that show what people see on the way, you have lots of creative freedom though. Just shoot whatever looks good for that.

So generally, by capturing a good variety of different shots that show everything that happens from different perspectives will make it very easy for you to edit a good scene later on your computer. So definitely get more shots than you need. But make sure you get all the key shots that are important for each scene or place.

How to capture good looking travel video footage?

But now let’s get even deeper into it with some tips on how to actually make your shots look good.

And a good one here is to place subjects like people, cars or other objects, we see often, in wide angle shots. The reason for that is simply that by doing so our brains have a reference point for the size of the landscape and objects in the shot. That makes the landscape or attraction appear even bigger. Perfect for viewpoints, temples and other big attractions.

Another tip that beginners mostly do wrong is to point their camera down from the top. Your footage looks much better if you either get bottom up shots or if you keep your camera on the height of your subject instead of pointing the camera down while you’re standing.

The reason is simply that you make things look small by pointing your camera down on them, while shooting up from the bottom makes it look bigger and at the same height it looks even. Most of the time you want to make things look big or even and not smaller. As most beginners just shoot while standing instead of kneeling down, your videos automatically look amateurish if you shoot like that. So move your body, get low and your shots will look much better and more interesting.

You can also make your shots more interesting by moving your camera. That mustn’t be big movements. You can simply use a foreground object directly in front of your camera to make even small camera movements more visible.

To make the motion even more visible, you can use a wide angle lens for forward and backward moving shots and a more zoomed in lens, for movements in the horizontal and vertical achse.

If your camera doesn’t have digital or sensor stabilization, you should get a gimbal tough, as otherwise your footage will look shaky. Also optically stabilized lenses and slow motion help with that. – See what gear I use

And regarding slow motion, I want to add that you should only use slow motion to emphasize certain shots instead of using slow motion everywhere. Otherwise, the effect of slow motion in some key shots is not that strong anymore.

As I oftentimes don’t know if I want to use slow motion for a shot or not, I simply shoot most of my footage in 60 fps, what allows me to slow it down in the edit or leave it at normal speed

How to shoot for seamless transitions?

Then you might also ask about seamless transitions. There’s a lot you can do to make transitions and I can’t cover all of that in this tutorial. But what’s generally very easy to do for cool transitions is to end one shot in the same way as another one starts.

So for example, if you slide your camera behind a tree at the end of one shot, you can get a second shot where you start behind a tree and then slide the camera away from it to reveal something around you.

In the edit you can simply cut these shots in the right moment, add a fade effect and you have a super smooth transition. I made a video about it. You can watch it here.

Also check my Seamless Mask Transitions Pack. It makes it very easy to insert seamless transitions in the edit and works for all major video editors.

When it comes to transitions, it’s also important to talk about what shots to get to transition from one scene to the other. For that you have three options, which are time-lapses, drone shots and shots of both scenes or places with something similar in the shot.

The first two ones are quite obvious. Shots from high up in the air are great to transition from one scene to the other as it takes the viewer away from the current scene. Timelapses are great as it feels like time is passing by until something else happens.

But the third option is actually often overlooked. To do that, you must imagine what objects are the same in different parts or scenes of your travel video. Oftentimes, that can be cars, trees, a souvenir you bring with you or even your hands and many other things.

So what you do is to simply get one shot of something like that at the first place and then another one at the second place. By simply cutting these shots together at the transition between two scenes, it feels like the scenes have a connection. So it doesn’t feel like a random jump cut anymore.

Of course, you can also use the seamless transition we talked about earlier, but that’s harder to do as you don’t know how the shots at the next place will look like.

Step #3: The Edit

So these are some of the most important tips when it comes to shooting your travel videos. But now it’s time for the edit.

Build a good structure

And the first part in the edit is to build a good structure for your video by bringing clips together that create scenes, as we talked about earlier. And then all you have to do is to arrange the shots within these scenes to make them flow good.

And flow good can mean that you put them together in a way that tells the story and keeps the viewer interested. But it can also mean that you arrange them by similarities like camera motion, similar forms, same subjects and so on. That’s for example what Sam Kolder does a lot, especially in his earlier videos.

Voice Overs

But depending on the video you want to create, it can also make sense to work with voice-overs and then adjust your clips to the voice over. So that the clips always show what you’re talking about. Of course, if you can combine this together with actual sequences, you’re absolutely killing it.

And to put all of that in more practical terms, what I usually do in the edit is to drag all clips into my timeline at first and sort all the bad clips out. After that, I arrange all the clips in the timeline in a way that feels right for me in terms of sequences and similarities and then I start inserting the music and I cut everything to the beat.

There are many tutorials on how to cut to the beat already on YouTube. So just search for it if you don’t know how to do it. – Or get my video editing course to learn my workflow in full detail!

When I mainly use voice overs tough, I drag the voice over in the timeline first and then I fill it with clips wherever they fit to what I say. So that’s a bit different workflow.

These are the basics of editing good travel videos. But they are also the most important because a good travel video is not just made of fancy transitions and orange and teal color grading (yes, I like that as well. But that’s secondary, while the stuff we talked about in this tutorial comes first).

The good thing is that you can do all of this in every major video editor. I use Final Cut here as it has the best performance and overall the fastest workflow. But you can do the same for example in DaVinci Resolve , which is free and also one of the best video editors.

So if you put all the tips from this video into practice, I’m absolutely sure that your travel videos will turn out much better and that even people that don’t know you will enjoy watching them.

Most important is really to ask yourself what the value of your video will be for the viewer. And if you’re not on a level where you can impress with cinematics, go more into storytelling while you learn how to improve the visual quality of your footage.

Do you have any further questions? Leave it in the comments below!

Pascal Basel Video Creator & YouTuber

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How to Make a Good Travel Video

Last Updated: January 22, 2024

This article was co-authored by Isabelle Garson . Isabelle Garson is a Social Media Expert based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With 10 years of experience, she works in social media strategy and content production. She specializes in music and cannabis marketing and has worked with international touring artists. Isabelle studied graphic design at the Academy of Art University. Additionally, she holds a certification from Sprinklr Research Analyst Pro. This article has been viewed 103,841 times.

Making a travel video is a great way to re-live memories and share your trip with others! Whether your video is made in collaboration with a sponsor or simply for your own enjoyment, you'll likely want the best quality possible. To make a good travel video, you’ll need to first plan out your trip beforehand and pack light. While you’re filming and editing, you should focus on creating a narrative, avoid shaking the camera, and put it all together with an editing software.

Planning Your Video

• For example, you could plan a trip to Paris with all of the different shots you want, such as clips of a street market, food, exploring the city, and looking up at the Eiffel Tower at night.
• If you’re traveling to India and you want to focus on local cuisine, plan out some of the main places you’ll be eating at and what order they should go in. You could start small with street food and work your way up to a fancy full meal.

• You’ll need a camera with a front-facing screen so you can tell where you are in the frame.

• You’ll probably want a higher quality camera, as the quality informs your authority as a guide. Viewers are less likely to watch a travel guide filmed on a cell phone camera.

• Make sure you know any specific shots they want and whether they want product placement. This could involve you using the product or otherwise incorporating the product into the shot.
• You should also find out how you’ll need to brand the video. For vlogs, some companies ask that you give them a verbal thank-you and acknowledgment. For promotional content, they may ask that you include their logo at the end of the video.

Packing Your Bag

• This option works best with vlogs, as they’re more informal and personal.
• Make sure to set your video quality to its highest setting, such as “1080p HD at 60 fps” on an iPhone.
• Smartphones generally don’t capture low light well, so try to film during the day as much as possible.

• Some of the most popular point and shoot cameras are currently the Canon Powershot G7 X and the Sony RX100. These are around $400-600 USD and also have front-facing screens that are perfect for vlogging.
• This type of camera will record quality video as well as take great photos.
• You should also pack a case so the camera doesn't get damaged.

• Some of the most popular DSLR camera bodies for videoing are the Canon 70D for around $600 USD, or the Nikon D3300 for around $375 USD.
• For lenses, some great options are an 18-35 mm lens or a 70-200 mm lens. These will allow you to film a variety of shots, whether far away or up close.
• You'll also need to bring a case to protect the camera.

• The basic GoPro model starts at $150 USD, but the company also makes a wide variety of accessories and higher-end GoPro cameras.
• GoPro footage tends to look more washed out, so make sure to bring back the colors when you edit the video.

• You can find a simple drone for around $50-100 USD, or a high-end model for $1,000-1,500 USD.
• You'll definitely want to bring a case for your drone to protect it.

• For example, if you’ll be traveling to somewhere windy or a destination that requires shaky transportation such as boats and jeeps, you may want to bring a monopod or tripod. These will help keep your footage steady and smooth.
• You may also want to bring a microphone cover to protect the audio and block the microphone from strong wind, or a water-tight case for your camera if you want underwater shots.
• If you’re traveling across the border, you’ll need proper documentation and identification. Check ahead of time for what you’ll need, such as a travel visa, driver’s license, or green card.
• Pack some snacks like granola bars, veggies and dip, chips, and cheese sticks, as well as a water bottle.

Filming During the Trip

• Including people in your shots may also help show the scale of the place you’re exploring.
• For some dialogue, ask people how they feel looking at a location. Try to capture their genuine reaction—ask them if it’s like how they imagined or different. You could also ask “What are we doing right now?” and have them narrate activities or excursions.
• For interviews with locals, ask them for some basic information and what an average day would look like for them. In some cases, the language barrier may make this more difficult, so stick to questions in basic English like “What is your name?” and “What do you do?”

• For the spin transition, move the camera so it pans or spins quickly to the side at the beginning and end of your clips. This will create a blurred effect, which will give the illusion that your clips are blending together.
• For the high-five transition, use your hand to block the lens at the beginning and end of each clip, as if you were high-fiving the camera. If you cover the entire lens and the frame is completely dark, it will create a fun and exciting transition from one location to the next.
• You can also manually add in transitions when editing, such as a fade to black or dissolve. However, having your own signature transition can make your video look even more professional and add some personality.

Editing Your Footage

• YouTube is a great resource for learning how to use these different programs. Watch tutorials to learn basic use as well as specialized skills.

• The FMA Archive also has an extensive library of songs you can browse by genre and use for free. [5] X Research source
• Consider the content and goal of your travel video when choosing music. If your video is full of adventure and excitement and your goal is to get people excited and active, choose an upbeat, fun song with a good beat.
• If your video is calm and thoughtful, featuring shots of fog, the ocean, or religious locations like monasteries and temples, use slower, more introspective music. Some simple strings or guitar can create a really beautiful effect.

• Adding narration after the trip is over can be helpful. You can wait and see how the narrative forms as you edit, then fill in any gaps with voiceover audio. [7] X Research source

• An easy way to internalize this advice is to remember that your video should generally be the length of a song or shorter.

• To publicize your video, tell your family and friends about it and have them share it with their followers. This is a great way to build an audience if you plan on making more videos!

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about filmmaking, check out our in-depth interview with Isabelle Garson .

• ↑ https://www.smartertravel.com/how-to-make-a-travel-video/
• ↑ https://www.cinema5d.com/7-tips-totally-awesome-travel-video/
• ↑ http://blog.tortugabackpacks.com/how-to-create-a-great-travel-video/
• ↑ https://migrationology.com/travel-videos-youtube/

About This Article

To make a good travel video, start by getting lots of high-quality footage, including a mixture of landscape and detail shots, along with pictures and interviews of locals or people you’re traveling with. Additionally, come up with a signature transition, like a camera spin or your hand closing in on the camera, and use it at the beginning and end of each video clip. Once you get home, use a video editing software package, like Lightworks or Windows Movie Maker, to put it all together, adding background music or voiceovers for a more professional effect. For tips on how to make a great travel video using a GoPro, a DSLR camera, or even your smartphone, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Make a Great Travel Video

Driving traffic is critical to the success of any affiliate marketing campaign. In the travel niche, one of the best solutions is to create travel videos. Videos are a highly engaging, easy-to-share form of content that will boost the engagement on your page and help you grow brand awareness. This post explains how to make a travel video step-by-step to capture your audience’s attention and encourage them to click your affiliate links.

The truth is that you don’t need years of experience or a filmmaking background to start making great travel videos. Over time, through trial and error, you will find a workflow that perfectly works for you and will be able to create engaging content in no time. If you are just starting out, you can follow the tips that we share to create your first travel video. While videos come in different forms (from “walk and talk” vlogs to more advanced films), the video-making process essentially includes four steps:

• Creating a story that will connect the shots
• Making enough footage
• Editing it into a single story
• Publishing your travel video

Below, you will find a detailed description of each step and tips on how to make an engaging travel video.

Step 1. Creating a Story

The process of making a travel video starts prior to actual filming. You need to have a story in mind before you hit record. This is because human brains love stories and are fascinated to see them until the end. Such videos trigger emotions and allow viewers to feel as if they have also seen those sceneries with their own eyes. For that reason, creating a story behind your video is the most important part of the whole process. 

What kind of story can you narrate? It can be about your trip or about a place itself, like about local food, people, traditions, etc. Try to think of a common thread in your footage that can be weaved into a whole story. It can start with sunrise and end with sunset, or happen in reverse chronological order. 

1. Hone Your Skills by Watching Travel Videos

You can find travel video ideas by watching content from other creators. Pay attention to their video format, style, transitions between clips, light, and experiment from there. Vimeo Travel is a great platform to start with, as it offers thousands of inspiring travel videos from the world’s best creators.

2. Find the Purpose of Your Video

The second step is to find the purpose behind your video. What do you want it to convey and through which format can that be achieved most efficiently? Who is your video for and what do you want your viewers to feel in the end? From the moment you start planning your shots to publishing the video, the key thing is to remember the end goal and make decisions accordingly. Also, think about why you’re making travel videos in general and how you want this channel to evolve.

For example, you might want to inspire people to go to a particular country by showing beautiful scenery and communicating the vibe of the place. Or create a highly informative video that will show people how they can plan their trip step-by-step. Understanding the purpose will help you stay focused and work efficiently.

3. Plan Your Shots

Now that you have a purpose in mind, it’s time to plan your shots. Create a list of all the things you want to film: what sights, sounds, and experiences will represent your idea best? Consider different angles to shoot from, types of shots, etc. You’ll also need a common thread connecting all shots and smooth transitions between them. For example, it can be the same location, angle, sound, object, etc. 

A common mistake is to film random shots without proper planning. Then, travel video editing becomes quite challenging, as one has to create a story out of that pile of footage. To avoid it, try to find travel video ideas and plan beforehand. You can even create a Pinterest board to visualize ideas and map your story beforehand. Then, you’ll know what to film when on site.

Step 2. Filming Your Video

Now it’s time to put that plan of yours into action and take the necessary shots. Follow our best practices to shoot smartly.

1. Find Which Gear and Settings Work Best for You

You can still make a vacation video without expensive equipment, even a phone can be enough. For example, Mark from Migrationology started out with a point-and-shoot camera, which was about 4.3 megapixels. Kiersten from The Blonde Abroad used to make shots on her iPhone. Depending on your camera, having multiple lenses might come in handy. For example, photographer and videographer Tiffany Nguyen often carries prime and wider lenses in her kit to take different shots.

You also might need a tripod, headphones, a good microphone to record audio, and maybe an external lighting system. GoPros are also a good idea because they take up little space and can be used anywhere. To take breathtaking shots from a bird’s eye view, consider buying a drone. Such clips draw attention right away, but make sure to get a license to fly in select locations.

2. Use Support for Your Camera

To make steady shots, consider using a tripod, a gimbal stabilizer, or a shoulder mount rig. It might be hard to hold your camera and keep it from shaking with every breath. Special gear such as tripods can stabilize your camera so you can focus on the footage content.

3. Choose the Best Light

Light can define the look and the feel of your video, so it’s very important to consider the time of day when planning your shots. Dawn and dusk are the best time to film outside, as the light is soft and not as intense as during the day. It’s also the best moment to make a timelapse of the sun rising or setting. And you can shoot indoors in the daytime, as there will be a good amount of light inside buildings.

4. Diversify Your Shot Types

Just as an unvaried diet quickly becomes boring, having the same type of shots won’t excite your viewers in the long run. Using different types of shots will help keep your viewers engaged, and engagement is key to travel videography. Here are a few ideas for travel video shots :

• Close-up shots
• Action shots
• Point-of-view shots
• Still tripod shots
• Time lapses
• Panning left, right, up, down
• Shooting from bird’s eye view
• Slowly spinning shots, etc.

Last but not least is to show up on camera so that the audience can see your face and get to know your personality. It will help them connect much faster. 

5. Create Movement

To make a travel video even more engaging, try to add motion. Apart from filming moving objects like birds flying or people dancing, you can create your own motion through simple camera movements such as panning, or liven up a static landscape with a timelapse, etc.

6. Get Consent From Everyone You Shoot

If you wish to get people on camera, make sure to get their consent. While some may be eager to get filmed, others might object. So, to avoid any legal trouble, discuss this with your models before releasing your footage.

7. Be Smart When Filming

One of the most important travel video tips is to shoot smart. On the one hand, when you start editing, you may wish there would be more material. On the other hand, watching hours of video to find the best clips and make a three-minute compilation can also be challenging. So, you need to shoot smartly. Here are a few tips:

• Shoot when the light is at its best, which is usually at dawn and dusk. Thus, you’ll have time to explore the place during the day.
• Make sure your camera is steady. It’s better to film shorter yet steady clips in contrast to longer but shaky footage.
• Videos are about movement, so if you need to film something still, try to add motion by moving the camera and so on.
• Take various shots, such as panning up and down, left and right, zooming in and out, etc.
• Film from different angles: for example, from eye level, from close to the ground, from a tree, etc.

Make sure to check your footage regularly. If something is wrong, it’s better to find out while you’re still on site so you can fix it.

8. Back It Up

After filming is over, it’s important to back up the footage into a hard drive, or onto two different places just in case. Better safe and sorry. Once the footage is backed up, you can move on to the next step and start picking the best shots.

Step 3. Editing Your Video

Travel video editing is no less important than filming. At this stage, you can choose your favorite clips and put them together into a captivating story. It might be a time-consuming process unless you handle it wisely. Here are a few tips on how to make a vacation video that inspires wanderlust:  

1. Use Editing Apps

Travel video editing apps will save your time and help create smooth transitions. Start with easy tools to learn the ropes and then move on to more advanced solutions. 

• iMovie . This program is great for those who have little grasp on editing, for example, you can use it to combine clips with meaningful transitions. iMovie is for Mac only.
• Movavi is an alternative tool, available for Windows. You can change the background, add special effects, and more.
• Quick . This is a special app by GoPro, which automatically edits clips to a beat point, for example, your favorite song. It also allows you to collect your best clips, provides unlimited backup, various light and color options, etc.
• Filmora . This tool guides you through the whole editing process and tells what type of footage you need and when. It offers a library of video styles and video LUTs (presets for videos), as well as music, transitions, and more. Here is a detailed guide on editing with Filmora .

More advanced users can take advantage of tools like:

• Adobe Premiere Pro is a professional editing tool that allows you to import and edit videos, add effects, and export footage. It features pro templates and allows for advanced customization.
• After Effects is another great tool by Adobe to make cinematic movie titles, intros and transitions. You can remove an object from your clip, add animation or 3D design, and more.
• Final Cut Pro is available for Mac and features incredible editing functions based on machine learning. 

You can always start with a free trial and then decide which program will be most helpful, and worth its money, in your case.

2. Make Meaningful Connections

If you look for travel video ideas on the internet, you’ll notice smooth transitions between clips. When editing your video, try to find meaningful connections between clips. Naturally, it can be a chronological retelling of your journey if you look at a bigger picture. But you can also work with smaller details and connect your clips through:

• The motion of an object
• The camera moving in the same direction
• Dominant color

Using such methods will allow you to create a single flow throughout your travel video and make it cohesive and therefore engaging. It may be unclear to viewers at first, but as long as your footage has inherent structure and is edited with intention, it’s good enough. So, you can start watching all the clips until you find two that can be meaningfully connected and edit from there.

3. Add Stock Videos if Necessary

If you lack certain clips to create a cohesive video, look for relevant stock videos. There is a lot of high-quality free and paid footage that may be a perfect match and save you the necessity to go back to the location and shoot again. Here are some platforms:

• Storyblocks offers royalty-free stock images, audio and video. Unlimited access to video starts from €20 per month, to access to all content – from €30 per month.
• WeVideo provides a collection of over a million licensed stock media files. Access to the Essentials library is possible with paid subscription only, starting from $4.99 per month.
• Videvo shares over half a million video clips, motion graphics, video templates, music tracks, etc. Premium subscription starts from $4.99 monthly.

4. Find Good Music

Good music is essential in making a travel video, as sound helps create a comprehensive experience for viewers. If you find relevant tracks before sequencing your film, you can follow the beats and add connections accordingly. If not, you can look for music that will suit your edited clip. The goal is the same — to make what users hear and see go well together. Some websites offer royalty-free music that you can easily use in your videos:

• Artist provides royalty-free music, sound effects, and footage starting at $9.99 per month. You can search music by mood, genre, instrument, etc. The platform offers licenses covering social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more.
• Thematic offers copyright-free music matching your YouTube videos. You can filter songs by aesthetic, vibe, keywords, and other filters. Remember to credit the author when publishing your video!
• MusicVine features over 6,000 tracks from the world’s famous composers and songwriters. You can access the music starting from €17.99 per month depending on your project type.

5. Add Real-Life Sounds

Using real-life sounds for your video will help create a comprehensive experience for your viewers. Smells, tastes, and sounds heighten our senses when traveling, so you can increase the emotional response from your audience and help them feel connected to the place with this technique. For example, you can collect sound bites with a microphone on site when filming or recourse to stock platforms offering real-life sounds such as Freesound . You can also find sound effects in the YouTube Audio Library .

6. Find the Perfect Length

It’s important to make your video engaging yet not boring or tiring. The ideal length will depend on the platform. For Instagram, it should be about 45 seconds , while YouTube and IGTV are good for longer footage. Depending on what your video is about, a good length can be three to ten minutes and comprise the following parts:

• Introduction. This should take about ten seconds. Make it as engaging as possible to capture the viewers’ attention and entice them to watch it until the end.
• Promotion. Promote your brand for about five seconds. It can be just a logo with music, or more.
• Body. This should last three to eight minutes. Depending on what you want to share, the main part of the video can vary in length.
• Call to action. The final scene and call to action should last about 10 seconds. Many bloggers use this part to ask the audience to like the video and subscribe. Also, you can add an end card directing viewers to other videos on your channel or page.

Step 4. Publishing and Promoting Your Video

While it may seem that publishing a video is a piece of cake and your work is done, there are some best practices to drive more traffic. 

1. Export in a High Quality

For your viewers to have a better experience, it’s important to ensure that it has the highest quality possible when exported. For example, the Bucketlistly Blog advises using the ProRes 422 format to have high quality without the huge file size. You can then upload this file to the Adobe Premiere Pro and compress the video while retaining its quality.

2. Drive Traffic in the First 24 Hours

If you publish your video on YouTube, driving as much traffic as possible within the first 24 hours after publishing is a decisive factor for your video’s success. You’ll show the algorithm that your video is particularly relevant and good, and deserves to be shown to more people. So, the objective is to get as many views, likes, and comments as possible during the first day. If you count on SEO in terms of traffic, your strategy will likely be different, because it takes time for Google to rank and start sending you traffic.

3. Optimize Video With Keywords

Adding keywords to the video title, description and meta tags will help drive more traffic. You can start with the Google Keyword Planner to find keywords with high search volume. Here is where to add keywords to optimize your video for YouTube: 

• File name. Before uploading the video, name it using a keyword. 
• Title. Add keywords at the beginning of the video title but ensure that it makes sense. 
• Description. On YouTube, you can add a description below the video. It’s common to include keywords once every 100 words to not be spammy. Description length varies a lot among vloggers, some write about 300-500 words.
• Tags. Use keywords as tags. Remember about synonyms and related keywords.
• Thumbnail image. Enticing thumbnails can boost your clicks and what you can achieve through attractive images and relevant keywords. 
• Subtitles. While creating subtitles takes time, they can greatly improve user experience and widen your audience through inclusivity.

4. Send Your Video to Your Email List

If you have a newsletter, you can share a new video with the subscribers. Thus, you’ll ensure more traffic and stay in touch with your followers.

5. Share Your Video on Social Networks

Another way to promote a video is to share it on social media. Some vloggers take advantage of Instagram and Facebook lives as they find it useful to drive more engagement. You can share the full video or make a teaser and encourage the audience to click the link and keep watching.

6. Create Memes or Infographics

An advanced promotion strategy is to create funny memes and infographics to drum up interest. Such content works great on its own, and together with a quality video, it can make a slash in your traffic! Make sure to add a CTA to see the full-length video. The goal here is to boost interest and get as many shares as possible.

If you like traveling, making travel videos is one of the best ways to share your adventures with your audience and encourage them to explore the world. Make sure to create videos that share your travel tips and tricks and help your audience plan for their own travels.

A travel vlog will not only help you grow a loyal community, it will also connect you to other travel enthusiasts and boost your affiliate marketing conversions.

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Captivate Your Audience: A Guide to Creating Travel Videos That Spark Wanderlust

Steps to create travel videos using steve.ai, how to create captivating travel videos that will inspire wanderlust.

Traveling is one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences in life. It allows you to explore new places, cultures, and perspectives, and to create unforgettable memories. 

But how can you share your travel stories with others in a way that captures your audience’s attention and imagination? 

How can you create captivating travel videos that inspire wanderlust and make them want to pack their bags and join you?

The answer is simple: Use Steve.AI . 

It is the ultimate AI-powered video creation tool that can help you make stunning live or animated videos from text in just minutes. 

Travel videos are a great way to capture and share your experiences with the world. Whether you want to create a travel app or document your adventures or inspire others to travel, creating travel videos can be a rewarding and fun hobby. 

But how do you make your videos stand out from the crowd? 

Here are some tips on how to create captivating travel videos that will inspire wanderlust.

• Plan your story:  

Before you start filming, think about what kind of story you want to tell with your video. What is the main theme or message of your video? What are the highlights of your trip that you want to showcase? You can also create a storyboard or a shot list to plan your shots and scenes in advance.

• Capture the sounds and emotions of your destination :

Another way to make your travel videos more captivating is to capture the sounds and emotions of your destination. For example, you can use natural sounds, such as the wind, the waves, the birds, or the people, to create a sense of immersion and realism. 

• Edit your video with care:  

The important step to creating captivating travel videos is to edit your video with care. Editing is where you put together your footage and audio and shape your story. 

• Keep your video short and sweet:

Don’t bore your viewers with unnecessary or repetitive shots. Aim for a video that is between 3 to 10 minutes long, depending on your purpose and audience.

Say, if you are a travel blogger and you want to create engaging videos for your audience, you can use Steve.AI to turn your travel diaries into amazing videos. 

With Steve.AI, you can produce breathtaking 4K quality videos in minutes without any editing skills or equipment

Creating travel videos using Steve.AI is easy and fun. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Sign in to Steve.AI and choose the type of video: Live/animation.

Step 2: Click on “Create Video” and choose “Travel Video” as your video type. Then, enter your script or let the tool generate one for you. Your script should include the main goal of your travel diary.

Step 3: Pick a theme from the custom library for your travel video. Steve.AI offers various themes that matches different travel styles.

Step 4: You can upload your own travel photos. Try to choose high-quality photos that capture the best moments of your travel diary. The next step is to customize your travel video according to your preferences. Steve.AI will automatically generate a video for you based on your photos and theme. 

Step 5: Preview your video and make any changes you want. You can edit the color, layout, screen time, and transitions here. Once complete, click ‘Publish’ and you can save it to your device. You can also download and share it with friends and family as an MP4.

That’s it! You have created a travel video using Steve.AI. 

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, Steve.AI can help you create captivating travel videos that will inspire wanderlust. Try it out today and see for yourself!

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How To Make A Travel Video with Pictures & Music.

The 8 steps on how to make a vacation video with pictures and music .

Number one rule don't use templates, it might sound like a good idea at the time to use a template, but why would you want your vacation video to look like someone else's and templates a corny and old school. Making a travel video from your pictures and adding music is actually really easy, here is a step by step guide on how to make a travel video with pictures and music on your iPhone. First of all because they get stuck on the topic of which app to use. This is actually a superficial problem. You can use just about any video editing app out there to make a vacation slideshow.

BUT some are easier than others.

In this article we are going to show you, step by step,  how to make a slideshow video on an iPhone without an editing app . Yes that's right, you can do this with only your iPhone.

Then we're going to show you how to do it in iMovie as well. You can decide which method better suits what you want to achieve.

Watch our Video Tutorial

STEP 1. Vacation Video Slideshow on iPhone

First you will need to get some pictures on your phone that you want to make into a short travel video .

There is a super easy way to view your photos as a vacation slideshow with music on an iPhone just using the photos app.

Simply open your photos app. Select all the vacation images you want to include in your vacation slideshow. Tap at the bottom left to see the menu and scroll down to the vacation slideshow option.

Automatically your   iPhone will create a travel video with music . You can see multiple images randomly grouped together, with unique transitions between the slides.

Under options you can change the theme, the music, whether it should repeat and the overall speed. 

This is a really fast way to create a cool vacation slideshow. 

You can airplay this to your TV and show friends if you want, but that is sadly where it ends. This vacation slideshow function does not allow you to export this as a travel video (save your vacation slideshow), so that you can share it with friends and family.. Don't worry, there is an easy workaround. All you need to do is a screen recording.

STEP 2. Make a Vacation Slideshow Video

When you slide up on your screen it opens your control centre.

Here you should have a record screen button next to your flashlight. (A circle within a circle.)

If you do not see it, then you need to customize your control centre. 

• Go to iPhone settings. 
• Search for a Control Centre. 
• Select customise controls 
• Look for the screen recording option. 
• You need to tap the little green plus button to add it. 

Now when you slide to open your control centre you will see the button.

When you tap on this have 3 seconds to set up your screen and record your vacation slideshow.

This will automatically save to your recent folder in the photos app.

If you are interested in taking more control of your edits then we want to show you how to make a travel video with images and music in a 3rd party   editing app as well. 

STEP 3. How to use iMovie

Using an editing app for making a travel video with images and music gives you more control to make the travel video look the way you want it to look. 

For creating vacation slideshows with music we use iMovie for iOS, for 3 reasons:

It is Free.

Easy to use ken burns effect., it comes with your iphone, no need to install anything ..

Tap to open iMovie.

Start a new project.

Next you have two options.

Movie & Trailer. 

Movie allows you to create a travel video from scratch whereas the trailer is a pre-templated travel video.

For our vacation slideshow we want to select Movie.

Select the images for your travel video.

Hit create.

You will see if you push play the first image takes way too long to get through. And all the others will be the same. You need to shorten the image duration by trimming it the way you would a travel video clip.

Before we start trimming though, you want to add in the music.

The music will have an impact on the length of the clips.

STEP 4.   How to add Music to your Vacation Slideshow

Select the plus over under the preview window (left side) to open the media library. From here you can import media . 

Choose the audio section. 

Your options are Soundtracks, My Music and Sound FX.

The Soundtracks is a built-in music library in iMovie.

If like us, you prefer to bring in your own music you can go to My Music option and either bring in songs from iTunes or  from Youtube. 

Under imported you will see some the tracks that are sourced from a free music channel on Youtube . (This is what we usually do)

Add in this track and have a listen. 

Now you can shorten the clips to match the feel of the music. 

To change clip duration you will need to trim the clip . 

STEP 5. Change the Vacation Slideshow duration

Tap on the image to select it. 

Once it is selected it will get a yellow border . 

In the preview screen:

• At the top you can see the current duration which is 6.6 seconds
• And below are the ken burns controls.

To trim , grab the yellow handle and drag the clip to a shorter length.

Bring your clip all the way down to around 1 second. Flip through all of them to quickly bring down the duration to a suitable length. I'm aiming for around 0,8 to 1.1 seconds. You don't need to be super accurate.

Let's have a look at the ken burns effect now.

Step 6. add the ken burns effect .

Ken Burns is an effect to animate the image to get some movements.

You have the option to change the front of the clip to a “beginning state” and at the end of the clip to an “end state”.

As the travel video plays it will transition between these two states.

If you turn Ken Burns off the images remain static. This is quite boring. 

Make sure to mix up the direction and angles of movement. The more energetic the music, the more radical you can make the transitions.

STEP 7. Editing Transitions on a iPhone

The next thing you want to consider is looking at the transitions. By default iMovie places a crossfade between all clips.  

You can choose between a whole bunch of different transitions. The theme button actually comes with sound effects.

You can change the direction of the slide transition if you like. There are 4 states you can choose from. Just tap on it again to choose another direction. 

If you give your travel video a watch now transitions might still look a little lame. 

The main reason for this is because they are two slow.

At the bottom here you can speed it up by choosing the .5 of a second option.

Again this will depend on your music speed and energy.

STEP 8. Save Your Vacation Slideshow Travel Video

You need to basically just watch your travel video from the start and adjust the Image duration/length, Ken Burns & transitions on each of the clips. Keep going through this till you've shortened everything enough to keep the travel video interesting. 

When you are finished. Hit done. Top left corner.

Make sure to name your project. You can now hit the share button and share this travel video with whoever you want.

Watch our Slideshow Tutorial

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