Capturing impressive-looking travel videos can be challenging, and you won’t have much control over many of the factors that determine its quality. That makes it all the more important that you focus on the factors that you can control.
Some of the ways that you can improve the travel videos that you capture are by taking the following steps:
- Increase the frame rate on your video camera
Although the resolution that you record in will be important, the frame rate is arguably even more important for travel videos. A higher frame rate will make movement appear much smoother and give your video a more fluid appearance.
If your video camera allows for it, increase the frame rate to 60. The difference it makes to the quality of your videos should be easy to see, especially if you compare them side by side.
- Try to record outdoors during the ‘golden hour’
If it is an option, you should try to record outdoor footage during the golden hour – which is normally the hour or so right after dawn, or the hour or so right before sunset. The lighting conditions during that period are excellent, which is why you should take advantage of the golden hour as much as you can.
- Take into account the audio quality
If you want to capture both the sights and the sounds that accompany them – the audio quality will be important. Ideally you should use a decent external microphone, such as a portable shotgun microphone.
On the other hand if you’re just going to replace the audio with background music during post-production – it really isn’t important at all. In many ways it is better to combine MP3 files and add background music using Movavi Video Editor for example, than to leave poor quality audio in your travel videos.
- Keep the camera as steady as possible
While you’re recording you should make it a point to try to keep the camera as steady as you can. It may help to place it on a tripod stand if you have one, or to use a camera holder of some kind if not.
The steadier you’re able to keep your camera, the better the video quality will be. If you want to record video footage while moving, make sure you move the camera slowly and gradually, and try to avoid shaking it too much.
All the tips listed above should give you an excellent starting point that you can use to capture more impressive travel videos. The next time you’re on a trip you should make it a point to try them out, and you may even want to practice and experiment with some of them before you depart.
If you intend to use the footage that you capture to produce a piece of content, make sure you vary your shots and record as much footage as you can. That way you’ll have more material to work with when you head into post-production.
