One of my biggest regrets when having the chance to travel to foreign countries is the lack of interesting pictures I took when abroad. The ones I got are good but I really wished I had recorded video, got the finer details, did fewer selfies, and had better equipment.
There’s a certain value with living in the moment versus living behind the lens. Yet, how hard would it have been to take a few seconds to grab better pics or an hour to record a big video since there were plenty more hours in the day?
What else could I have done differently to capture these amazing experiences? I wonder.
This is what I would do different – so here are my suggestions for those traveling now:
1. Keep a journal/blog
A written blurb or video journal of your day-to-day experiences could be something great to look back on. You can see the progress in your journey while reliving the experiences. This would be something easy to do – less than 5 minutes of your time – at the end of the day when everything wrapped up.
What could you blog about?
· Food – Try something exotic
· Events – Do something out of the ordinary
· People – Talk with strangers and learn their culture
· Thoughts – Ramble about your experiences
· Tips – Share your suggestions
This could turn into something really cool especially if you travel often. You could build a little audience and gain some recognition. It would also let you learn valuable skills like video production which could reshape the work you do when you’re back home!
2. Drones and aerial footage
I think we can agree that drone footage is awesome.
It captures a different angle that isn’t picked up if you’re standing around and snapping pictures with your phone. Aerial footage mixed with creativity and great editing can turn any experience into a wild adventure. This is all easy to do with the right equipment, a few hours learning the basics, and piecing together the video when you’re back home.
A quick scan of Protocol New York Drones gives you a good set of drones for beginners, like:
· VideoDrone AP
· TerraCopter RC Car/Drone
· Galileo Stealth
A drone is one of those items that intersect with happiness and things. It’s a fun item to capture those special moments that warrant the price. It’s a tool, in a sense. A tool that can turn your travel logging into something more than pictures of yourself.
3. Add to the social experience
We take pictures to keep reminders for ourselves and to show our close friends and family. But, what if we were open – not just with the blog and online videos – but gave back to the travel community by sharing to the many social platforms?
Platforms like:
· Google maps – Where you could snap and upload shots of places
· Yelp (and other review sites) – To share your thoughts and experience
· Roadtrippers, TripCast, or TripIt – To map out your journey and pin interesting destinations
· Lonely Planet – To post reviews, suggestions, and everything
Everyone is looking for someplace different when they’re planning their travels. Why not be that person that helps with this decision process by sharing the side that isn’t easily found online yet?
Beyond the Selfies
One day you’ll look back on your travels and remember fondly of the experiences. You have plenty of selfies already so why not do something different? Don’t do what I did. Spend a few extra moments or an afternoon to make something thrilling and exciting. A video, blog, or anything multimedia.
How do you capture “the moment” when you’re traveling?