Travel Vlogging – Easier Than You Think
Travel blogs are a great way to record and share experiences of going abroad. But one thing that many people still ignore is vlogging, or video blogging. Most people I talk to have trouble starting their video blogs because they think the barriers to entry are too high. But having run my own vlogs as part of my business, I can tell you video blogging of your vacation or outing is a lot easier than you think.
The most obvious problem for travel vloggers is that you need a camera. But if you have a smartphone, you already have it. Many smart phones can even record videos in HD. Most tablets also include an HD camera. The cameras on these things are actually perfect for your purposes and using a smartphone won’t take up any extra pocket space. The only problem is the microphone inside is not suitable for vlogging tasks. The easy solution here is to buy a pair of ear buds with a built-in microphone. These can be found at retailers like Target and Best Buy for less than $20.
Now that you’re ready with the equipment, you’ll need some basic tips for holding the camera. For large panoramic shots, hold your phone or tablet at chest level with your elbows at your sides. This helps stabilize the image. If you prefer to take selfie videos, hold the phone by its side in the palm of your hand with your fingers curled over it to stabilize it and hold it at arm’s length. For tablets, hold it the way you would do a panorama with your elbows at your sides to reduce shock.
Taking an uncut video from your phone or tablet is the same as taking a picture from it, but how do you edit it? Windows and Mac OS both come with default editing software. The options are limited, but you only need the basic editing tools, titles, text, and optional music. If you want to cut footage that is unattractive (or perhaps embarrassing), remember to try cropping motion whenever possible. Don’t stress about it. When you save the file as an actual movie, the file extension will usually be the default for your OS, that’s okay