Improve Your Travel Videos

Let's all admit it, people: most of our home videos pale in comparison to the latest art flick. Of course, it's wrong and pretentious to assume that home videos should all look and behave like expensive film productions; but at the same time ask yourself, well why not have my home videos look like a film production? Okay, okay. That too is an ignorant question; but at least admit that, hey, it'd at least be pretty cool to make my videos look more professional.

Yes, some people dread the word "professional." It conveys stiffness and business over looseness and pleasure. After all, home videos are all about capturing fun and having it. But what if you could adhere to the basic principles of professional videography without taking it too seriously? What if these so-called basic principles were easy to learn and apply?

One of the very first things all home video shooters should do is stabilize their camcorders. Hold it by the hand, especially with only one hand, is an instant way to degrade the quality of the movie (unless it is intentional). Try holding with two hands against your chest or, even better, rest it on your shoulder (but that would depend on the size of the camcorder). Camera stabilization is the most lucrative and sought after the real-time video equipment market. Obviously, heavy duty steadi cams and other production quality rigs are out of the question. But even home video users should take note of the smaller, more practical gadgets at their disposal. Eliminating unwanted camera shake is a big plus in any video; the first thing anyone should do is take heed as to where and how they hold the camera. After, consider purchasing stabilization equipment at a modest price.

Perhaps the zoom feature is best left untouched. Truth is that most people abuse it, and to begin with do not know how to use it. Zooming in and out is probably the most overused feature on an amateur camcorder. The principle to learn here is how and when to use it. The first lesson to grasp is that zooming is usually only relevant when zoom towards, or away from, a subject. Anything less is pointless and annoying. And depending on the motion during the shot, pay attention to whether a slow, or a fast, zoom is needed.

And finally, there is the matter of basic shot composition. This may be the more difficult part to grasp, as it often takes time and practice to find your own style. Basic composition is the alignment of subjects, lines, and shadows within any given shot. Apart from the rule of thirds, which will not be discussed here (it's all over the internet), the most immediate way to improve the look of your videos is depth. Depth occurs when lines give the viewer an impression of depth, versus no depth. This in turn not only makes the shot more immediate, but it better translates to the experience of being there. In other words, it best captures the moment, because, well, we occupy a world of depth. Most of the art involved in film production is spent trying to create depth in a medium that is technologically two dimensional.

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