How to Make a Great Travel Video in 9 Steps

Over the past few decades, people have had more opportunities to travel than ever before. However, given the high cost of living and unevenly distributed resources, travel remains a luxury for many. For this reason, travel videos have become more popular as a way to preserve memories and give others the opportunity to experience different destinations. 

Whether you want to document your own adventures or inspire others to explore the world, creating a video shouldn’t be overwhelming. With the right approach, anyone can make a captivating trip video. This guide will break down the process into nine manageable steps to help you capture the essence of your journey. Read on to learn more!

Essential steps to creating a stunning travel video

1. Learn the technicalities first

The right atmosphere and vivid emotions are essential components of a good travel video. But quality is also something that cannot be overlooked. Here are a few technical aspects to consider if you want to make a travel video. 

Standard aspect ratios

Aspect ratio refers to the width-to-height ratio of a video frame. This is a key technical aspect that can influence how your viewers perceive content. The most common film aspect ratios are 16:9 and 4:3. To learn about other popular formats, visit the Depositphotos blog.

Resolution and frame rate

Video resolution determines how clear and sharp your image is, so it’s important to know the difference between 1080p, 4K, and other resolutions. Frame rate is the number of frames displayed in your video per second. The higher the number, the smoother the video will appear.

ISO, shutter speed, and aperture

Understand how to balance ISO, shutter speed, and aperture to achieve the right exposure. A lower ISO is best for less grain, a faster shutter speed is best to avoid motion blur, and the right aperture is best for depth of field.

2. Get inspired

Many great videographers often get inspired by other visual artists, be they vloggers, filmmakers, or photographers. If you don’t have a clear vision yet, don’t be ashamed to gather inspiration from other travel videos. From video formats to music to editing styles, there's always something to learn and draw inspiration from.

Another way to get inspired is by exploring your travel destination. Learn about the sights, food, sounds, and culture of the place you're visiting. This way, you can let the atmosphere of the location guide your creative decisions when filming.

3. Define the style of your video

Travel videography presents you with the opportunity to try out many video formats. From interviews and walk-and-talk videos to time lapses and action shots, the possibilities are endless. But if you're feeling confused or short on inspiration, here are a few types of travel videos you can experiment with.

Types of traveling videos 

• Travel vlogs — personal and narrative-driven videos with spontaneous moments and personal reflections.
• Destination guide videos — comprehensive guides to specific destinations with tips on where to stay, eat, and visit.
• Adventure travel videos — adrenaline-pumping videos that focus on extreme sports.
• Food travel videos — videos about local cuisine and street food with restaurant reviews and cooking classes.
• Educational travel videos — videos about cultural and historical sites that provide educational insights and background information.
• Budget travel videos — visual guides for traveling on a budget with tips for affordable accommodation, cheap food, and budget-friendly activities. 
• Luxury travel videos — videos that highlight high-end travel experiences, including luxury hotels, fine dining, and premium service.

4. Come up with a story to capture

One of the most important travel video tips you can get is to always create a story for your work. Narrative-driven videos are more engaging and memorable. However, you don’t need to create a Hollywood-worthy narrative. A simple story that ties together the destinations you're featuring is enough. 

For those planning to make a travel documentary or travel film, a more serious approach is required. To visualize how your video's story will unfold, create a storyboard. This is a visual depiction of a film that includes a series of sketches outlining the order of events in your video. Having one will help you ensure your story flows smoothly from beginning to end.

5. Get your camera bag ready

Despite all the things you want to carry with you to get the best shots, a compact camera bag is a lifesaver for any travel videographer. Moving between locations will be much easier with a well-organized bag. So bring only the essentials, such as rain covers, stabilizers, extra batteries, memory cards, and lenses.

6. Shoot smart and vary your shots

When you're at a striking location, it’s a smart idea to record more footage so you have more material to choose from. Yet, it's important to know when to stop, as you also don’t want to be overwhelmed by the amount of visuals. The perfect formula is to shoot at least three more videos from the initial amount, but no more than seven. On top of that, you want to vary your shots to keep your footage interesting. 

7. Make sense of how you connect your shots

Instead of just placing an eye-catching video clip next to another, think about the bigger picture—how each shot can seamlessly flow into the next one. You can use a match cut to artistically connect different scenes. 

A match cut is a film editing transition that matches the visual features from one scene to the next scene. Simply put, you can connect your scenes if they have something in common. For example, a similar shape (circle, square, triangle), motion (left to right, up and down), object, or composition.

8. Don’t be afraid to use stock trip videos

Every professional travel video editor knows this. If you’re short on visuals or simply don’t have the matching footage for your project, stock videos can be a cost-effective solution to your problem. Platforms like Depositphotos offer millions of high-quality travel videos from which you can find the perfect match for your scenes.

9. Export your visuals in a smart way

The golden rule of videography is to always export your video in the highest quality, using settings that match the source. If you compress your footage to MP4, for example, YouTube and Vimeo will compress it again. This will result in a loss of quality (again).

To sum up

When starting as a travel videographer, don’t worry about being technically perfect. Take pleasure in filming a new location, enjoy the process, and allow yourself to make mistakes. With practice, you’ll improve your skills and become more confident in creating quality trip videos.