The Best Ways to Make Travel Videos for Instagram

We all know that traveling, albeit a beautiful adventure, can sometimes be taxing and tiring. But how can we show off our adventures to those who couldn't make it with us? Well, travel videos are one way to accomplish this.

Instagram is probably the most popular social networking site for posting travel videos, and it can be a platform for us to share our adventures with others. All you need is a smartphone and an account. You can take cool photos of landmarks, amazing landscapes, and interesting people we meet along the way.

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But if you want to start a successful Instagram account, making the video as awesome-looking as possible is important. They're user-friendly, easy to create, and shareable among friends. It's been proven that people are more likely to book a trip or buy a vacation package when they see the video first on their feed.

hand holding phone with instagram on it and laptop

Instagram is a great way to capture memories from your favorite trips, but it can be tough to record good videos on our phones. The best way to make a video for Instagram is by using an Instagram reel maker. With today's technological advancements, it has never been easier to create stunning travel videos that your audience on Instagram or YouTube will love.

Things like 360-degree cameras and VR headsets have created an entirely new genre of virtual reality films which you can use in our travels to deliver an immersive experience for our followers.

Planning the Trip

Before you start traveling, there are things that you can do to plan your trip and make sure that it goes off without a hitch. The first thing that you should do is research the area that you will be visiting. Hotel booking, transportation, and activities can all be researched ahead of time. This means that you can go on your trip with a good idea of what’s in store for you.

3 Things to Consider for a Long Trip Abroad - Planning

You can also use this time to think about how you want to capture your trip. You should figure out what genres of film you like and make sure that you plan it out correctly. Try to make a list of things you want to capture, making sure that the shots are appropriate for the genre. The best part about planning your trip is that it helps give you a log of all the places you have been to and all the people you have seen. This can be useful while blogging and sharing memorable moments from your travels on social media.

Here are a few trip planning resources:

Here are some tips for getting the best travel videos!

Film from the hip

This is a popular technique that eliminates shaky hand-held camera shots. It is also a good way to show glimpses of what’s around you, giving your viewers some context of where you are at any given time.

Film in high definition if possible because it gives you more resolution. Remember not to zoom in too much. Otherwise, the footage will look blurry and out of focus.

Get close

Sometimes, getting close to the action can make for exciting footage, especially when you film it interestingly, like up close or from underneath. The photo will show a cool perspective you can get by getting close to the ground.

woman close-up with camera

Use a tripod

Professional photographers get steady footage by using tripods, and you can be just as effective if you use one. A tripod will steady your camera and eliminate blurry shots, giving viewers a better idea of your destination and making for more exciting videos on Instagram.

smartphone at sunset on tripod

Use filters and editing tools

If we want to give our audience a good example of what we’re showing them, don’t forget to filter the footage and edit it. We can also use an Instagram video editor to make our videos smoother, brighter, and more professional-looking than those filmed with a shaky hand-held camera.

Film at night

Filming during the night is something you should do for Instagram because it helps give the footage an ethereal look. This will help people feel like they are watching magic on their screens as if there was some unseen force at work to make this happen. Plus, it keeps the photo from looking too washed out.

woman taking video at night

Always tell a story

Even if you are just trying to give your audience a look at a place we are interested in, you must always try to tell a story in the video. You should try to tell the story of the trips as they happen. The audience will feel like they are at the place with us and enjoy the experience more.

blonde girl against turquoise wall

Get creative!

You must get creative when showing viewers the different parts of your trip and location. For example, instead of just showing them a beautiful landscape, you can show them something that’s moving, like the ocean or clouds moving across the sky. It will be much more interesting for the audience.

Keep moving

Just like in a movie, you want to keep the audience engaged. So, keep moving and don’t stay in one place for too long. This will help with creativity and will also prevent the video from being boring to watch.

Remember the sound

It is very important to remember the sound because it can shape how viewers experience your video. And part of this is making sure that we have the right equipment to capture sounds properly, such as a microphone or headset mounted on our camera if possible. Another thing that you should do is add a soundtrack to our footage.

woman in black glasses listening to headphones

Use Hyperlapse Shots

Hyperlapse shots are great for making long-distance shots look epic. They take the normal footage from a point in the past and make it look like you were zooming in by just a few feet at a time. You can use this to get great views of things up close like you would on Instagram.

Be careful with HDR and filters

You should try not to overuse these effects because they can create an annoying effect that viewers may not want to watch repeatedly. It can also put your footage in danger of looking like a cheesy music video, so you must ensure that we keep it subtle. Use Instagram reel maker to add simple and soothing filters and effects to the video.

Sharpen the Clips

Even if you’re not professional cinematographers, there are tools that you can use to sharpen our videos and give them more definition. This is important because it can help make the video pop when zooming in or out for different shots.

Take the time to edit it

It is important to take the time to edit your footage because this will help make your videos pop, especially on platforms like Instagram, where people are always on the go and don’t have much time to watch videos for long periods. Editing your videos using an Instagram reel maker also makes your content more professional and interesting for the audience.

woman working on laptop with coffee and camera on desk

Consider using time-lapse

Time-lapse videos are great for showing people the passage of time because it gives their surroundings the appearance of something that is moving very slowly. This could be very useful in a situation such as showing the movement of clouds or other things like the sunset.

Get different angles when filming

You must try to get different angles, or else we risk repeatedly having footage that looks similar. You want to keep things interesting so viewers won’t get bored watching your videos. Also, it helps to give the audience a good idea of where you are and what you are doing.

girl with smartphone

Try the dolly zoom effect

Dolly zoom is a super cool effect that gives people the impression of moving towards or away from something at an accelerated rate and can be used to keep people watching your videos repeatedly because they will want to see how it’s done.

Try panning shots

A panning shot is another cool technique you can use because they use motion to make things look interesting, as if you were panning across a landscape or something else in your video.
You can use numerous ways to make Instagram videos that people will love watching. This includes using unique angles, making things look like they are moving super slowly, or filming with a steady hand.

But if we want your videos to be effective and engaging, you should probably take the time to learn how to make hyperlapse shots, time-lapses, and other cool effects so that people will enjoy watching them over and over again.

girl on bike

So, now that you know all of the ins and outs of making a great travel video, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start filming! And don't forget to share your videos with us so we can check them out. We'd love to see how you've captured your amazing adventures.

If you are just starting out with travel photography, check out these tips!

How about you? Do you have additional tips for taking better Instagram travel videos? Do share!

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woman close-up with camerawoman working on laptop with coffee and camera on deskwoman taking video at night

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18 Comments

  1. Amber Myers says:

    I will keep this in mind the next time I travel. I have been wanting to make more videos.

  2. Awesome tips! Can’t wait to use them when we start travelling again!

  3. Stephanie says:

    Great tips in this article. You give a clear path on how to plan and execute. Thanks!

  4. tara pittman says:

    I have been wanting to make videos of my traveling. These tips will inspire me to try.

  5. I can always use help with my videos so appreciate the info and help. Thanks!

  6. I definitely struggle with making videos over other kinds of content. It is good to have some tips!

  7. Monica Simpson says:

    I would love to say that I need to travel so I can make videos for Instagram! I would love that life!

  8. Richelle Milar says:

    These are all really great and very helpful tips! I’m surely gonna keep this in mind! Thanks for sharing this with us!

  9. These are great tips! I love to take close up shots. I need to try your other suggestions.

  10. Melanie E says:

    This is great advice. I’m awful when I zoom in. It always goes wobbly and messes up the video.

  11. Instagram is an important part of our lives nowadays. If you count you are on Instagram!:) Love these tips!

  12. Beautiful Touches says:

    I can definitely see these steps taken in the instagram posts most effective in making me want to visit other countries!

  13. These are great tips. I’ve never enjoyed making videos but I love to watch all the cool effects and stuff people can do with them.

  14. I would like to try panning. I like to experiment with photos and videos.

  15. I’m trying my best to take better travel videos. Thank you for all these tips!

  16. Everything Enchanting says:

    Such great tips! I’ll definitely keep these in mind 🙂

  17. I think story telling is always one of the best ways of engaging audiences

  18. Marie Gizelle says:

    All great tips! As a photography enthusiast, I have improved my travel photography through the years by trying different things…but I still learn something new everyday.