Many travellers today like to document their travels, either on blogs or vlogs and they have become a staple part of our lifestyles. Some travellers work with brands or tourism boards to create content and we soak it up like a sponge, learning the new cultures of other countries and continents and it acts as an enticement to travel. It’s the new way to advertise countries.
With all the new video technology around today, it’s almost a way to immerse yourself in travel without even having visited the country. The HD video and the way in which content is filmed, creates an experience without leaving your couch, but how these videos are filmed is what makes them so special. After all, travel is an adventure.
The importance of creating content from memories, is not just there to serve you with your own album of happy memories, but can be used as a profitable practice. Becoming a professional traveller, takes time and lots of skill but it doesn’t have to be difficult.
The ways in which we do this may be:
- Documenting travels in the first person – Speaking to the camera as yourself and taking the people along on a journey with you as if they are your friend, by sharing experiences, talking to the camera and engaging in activity.
- Documenting travels in the third person – Filming as a stand alone person, without engaging with the camera and merely showing the scenes, the atmospheres and the sights without building it up on a personal level, perhaps the way an ad may look.
- Documenting travels in a creative way – Creating content that is specified to a certain audience, in a non-biased way. Perhaps you’re working for a tourism board and you are to capture a certain element of a country or city, such as the Winelands in South Africa or the Art Galleries of Paris.
All of the above can be filmed on any type of camera, but the better the equipment, the more chance you have of capturing something of high quality. Most YouTube videos now are filmed on HD and so the higher the quality, the more chance you have of beating the algorithms online. There are plenty of video content creators checklists to look at, some of them being HD cameras from Canon and Nikon, GoPros, and drones. All of these will contribute to an exciting and interesting video that allows you to see a place from a totally new perspective.
How Video Content Can Be Beneficial To Everyone
Travel vlogs have many positive effects on everyone. They allow the viewers to experience something they might not be able to, and beyond that, they can educate them about cultures and traditions. This is what makes them popular; the way in which you can learn information is vital and it doesn’t require any type of learning or leaving the house.
Vlogs also allow the creator to instill confidence into their viewers by showing them what you can expect and what the place is actually like. For example, some people may have dreamed of visiting Thailand, but may not be so sure of the safety of the area; when a vlog and video content is created in a non-biased way, in a very raw way, it allows you to get a feel of the place before visiting. Research allows you to get an idea of the way the culture works and what is good to do and what may not be so good.
It can also allow you to work out what you may want to do whilst visiting. For example, perhaps your goal is to go and visit a country and get involved with some charity work. We spend a lot of money to fly to the other side of the world and visit nations we would have never otherwise encountered. So, it wouldn’t require that much more effort to do something positive during the trip.
The Types Of Camera Equipment And What They Are Likely To Enhance
Every piece of equipment that you use has a different element to it and serves a different purpose. HD cameras shoot in different lightings and often give you an exceptional quality. The two biggest vlogging cameras to date are the Canon G7x and the Sony RX100 Mark III. They have the flip up cameras which is great if you plan on a very raw vlog. It’s something important to note, also with GoPros they offer something totally different, such as being attached to you whilst you are handsfree, giving the person a chance to witness the scene from their own perspective; whether that’s jumping out of an aeroplane, water sliding or swimming. It allows you to get that perspective which is certainly a benefit.
Drones have been a hot subject for some time and have proven to be such a great investment for those who wish to create content on the road. A drone gives a bird’s eye perspective of any place, whether that’s over the sea, mountains, or even over a place of interest, it allows you to see areas of a place that you wouldn’t usually get to see. Drones are often seen as a huge bonus to vloggers who can capture a resort or hotel at a birds eye view, which gives a more in depth overview of the area. Naturally, drones also are not hand held so they glide through the air, making a smooth video that is seamless. The types of drones available vary massively. You may want to look into different brands, you could look at DJI Drones.
Benefits of Drones
Her are just some benefits of drones and how they can be very important to creating exceptional online content:
- They are cheap and affordable – They do not take any maintenance and also are easy to run.
- They are easy and fun to use – They can capture things easily with a little practice, they are fun to use.
- Drones can enforce security and surveillance – When travelling, it is best to check where you can and can’t use your drone as some countries are more sensitive than others.
- Enhances content – It aids the travel industry in that it enhances the interest and involvement of people to travel.
If you have an interest in creating your own content, then starting small is good and working out the way forwards in terms of creating the video. Information is vital because this allows people to make educated decisions about their own travel as well as being able to see the benefits of visiting a specific place.
Although camera equipment may seem pricey, there are ways in which you can film that do not include a hefty price tag. Most good quality modern day phones, made within the past two years, will create HD content and will allow you to make videos as a beginner. This also refers to editing videos, a simple movie maker that is already standards on most laptops will suffice.
Once your collection of videos is a gallery, it stands you in good stead for getting paid work in the future, creating content. What do you like to watch in a video? What do you think of different content styles and which do you resonate with? This is where you must start.
The beauty behind creating content is that it lasts forever and is accessible all over the world. 59% of travel bloggers run more than one travel blog. Over 80% of travel planning is done through the internet and is growing. 33% of US travelers use travel blogs for travel advice. The majority of travel blogs are between 1-4 years old according to OptinMonster Travel Statistics. It’s time to start creating content for tomorrow’s viewers.
