Tips for Sharing Your Hiking Adventures Online

Tips for Sharing Your Hiking Adventures Online

Are you hoping to give your YouTube following a peek into your hiking adventure? If you play your cards right, it can inform, entertain, and educate them about a destination they might otherwise not have considered. Or, perhaps you just want to show friends and family some choice moments of your adventure. And, of course, there are other social media platforms you might want to use for stills and video clips. Use these tips to create content that people will actually enjoy watching!

Tell a Story

Just diving into the action may leave your viewers bewildered. Start by showing a title. You can use a YouTube banner template to create the necessary artwork to introduce yourself and your adventures. Set the scene. You could begin with a clip of you packing for the trip, or you could start at the trailhead where signage can help you to show where you were and what you were doing. Follow through with clips showing your progress, and end with your departure. The whole video shouldn’t be very long once you’ve edited the best clips into a storyline, but you’re still likely to take quite a lot of footage in order to get clips worth taking note of.

Keep Each Component Short

Unless you have the skill and equipment to make a documentary-style video, making a relatively fast-paced highlights package will convey a series of impressions that convey the most exciting parts of your trip. Don’t give people time to get bored. A few seconds per “scene” should be enough to paint the picture. Use on-screen text to describe what your viewers are seeing, or if you have good sound equipment, do a voice over.

Include People

As we’ve already noted, your video tells a story, and every story needs a hero. Who is the lead character? Who is the “supporting cast?” If you want to highlight the quiet, unspoiled nature of your trail, you might prefer to feature only one protagonist. On the other hand, you might want to show the camaraderie between fellow-hikers. Whenever you film or photograph other people, ask for permission first, particularly when you’re planning to post in the public domain. And, while people are part of every story, don’t be invasive with your filming. Allow others (and yourself) space to enjoy the moment.

Pan Across the Vista

Still shots are very limited because they only show a single perspective. Video allows you to show the whole picture, allowing viewers to “step inside” your world and imagine what it would be like if they were there. Since you probably didn’t want to lug a lot of equipment, you’re likely to be using your phone. As a basic tip for panning across a vista, get a firm footing, and move your camera slowly without zooming so that viewers can take in the panorama.

Balance Your Content Against Your Journey

Filming is a distraction. Getting away from it all should mean that you don’t feel pressured about the content you might create. If there are times when you just want to be in the moment, do exactly that. A video can be a great way of recording memories, but if the act of taking one detracts from the actual experience, you may want to re-prioritise. Hiking with influencers who take content seriously is an eye-opener. There are times when it seems they’re turning an otherwise-relaxing and inspiring trip into a “job.” Prioritise yourself and the hike. There’s also a safety element to consider. Never place yourself or others at risk merely for the sake of good content.

Your priorities? Having a wonderful time, staying safe, being a good trail-mate, and somewhere near the bottom of your list: your video.

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