For many people, traveling is a way to escape the bustles of daily life. Combined with the skyrocketing rise of social media, people not only enjoy traveling, but they also feel entertained by social media content circling on travel stories. Satya Winnie (@satyawinnie), Mardiah (@mardiaheyy), and Taufik Effendi (@taufikeffendi_) are social media content creators focusing on travel vlogging and we picked their brains to know more about their experiences which may be useful to you to embark on this journey yourself and participate in #TravelWithSonyZV Instagram Reel Challenge.

As travel vloggers, they have many similarities in the way that they do things but they are still unique in their own way. Satya Winnie, for example, is one of the first female travel vloggers while Mardiah is a pioneer in terms of hijab-wearing female travel vloggers. Taufik’s story is also unique because he has experience as a TV and Radio announcer and he uses that experience to enhance his content.

“If I compare myself to other travel vloggers, I must admit that my skills in videography and video editing are quite basic. I know that that is one of my weaknesses so in every content I create, I always try to compensate it with strong storytelling. Fortunately, I have a public speaking skill that I honed during my experience as a TV and Radio announcer. So, I incorporate my public speaking skills into my basic videography and video editing skills in my social media content,” said Taufik as he explained his uniqueness.

As previously mentioned, many people enjoy traveling because it refreshes their minds, provides new experiences, and it’s just essentially fun. But how do travel vloggers savor their moments when, at the same time, they have to create content about the adventure? Mardiah said that balancing between creating content and enjoying the experience is key. Her trick is to focus on content creation first and enjoy the moment second. Satya Winnie then expanded Mardiah’s trick as follows:

“My answer would be proper planning and mindfulness and staying flexible. I usually research the destination and create a rough itinerary, outlining the places I want to visit and the experiences I want to capture. This helps me prioritize my time and ensure I don't miss out on must-see attractions or activities.

I dedicate specific times during my trip to capturing content. For example, I research the best hour to capture a place, is it better during the sunrise or sunset time? What time should I be there? Should I wake up early and prepare the coffee too so I can put my camera to capture the view while I sip my coffee and enjoy the sunrise panorama?

These details allow me to focus solely on photography or videography without feeling rushed. I learned to prepare my camera in the right setting quickly so I have enough time to enjoy the view too, a win-win solution to get the best shots and also not miss the enjoyment. I also learned how to be ‘present in the moment’ wherever I travel. Put down your camera or phone, take in the sights, sounds, and smells around you, and appreciate the beauty of the destination without distractions. Engaging with locals also gives me a really good experience. Don’t be a stranger, engage!”

So, are you ready to follow their steps and be a travel vlogger too? Here are some tips from Mardiah, Taufik, and Satya Winnie for you to get started!

1. Be confident and just start creating!
2. Don’t create a perfect video, create one that tells a story.
3. Find your niche and identify what sets your travel content apart from others.
4. Invest in quality equipment.  
5. Learn to master the Basics of Videography including framing, composition, lighting, and sound.
6. Be genuine and authentic in your vlogs. 
7. Be consistent and stay patient.

To make your content creation experience easier and more enjoyable, Sony has an array of camera lineups for you. Specifically for vlogging, Taufik, Satya Winnie, and Mardiah all agree that ZV-1 II is the perfect companion for vloggers. It’s a compact and portable vlog camera that is equipped with a wide-angle zoom lens for versatile framing, a 1.0-type image sensor for great image quality, and an intelligent microphone for clear audio recording. In short, it’s easy to carry and use, and it produces beautiful images with clean audio.

You can use the ZV-1 II to create video content to participate in the #TravelWithSonyZV Instagram Reel Challenge and be in the competition to win a total prize worth up to 45 million Rupiah! Visit @sonyalpha_id for more information regarding the competition and join now!