How to create hiking videos, the process
- Ivan Garza
- Feb 19
- 5 min read
Today I am going to go over how I start the process of creating my hiking videos. There's a lot that goes into the short form instagram reels you see. Its not just, point shoot and throw it in instagram edits and press post. There is a lot of backend and preemptive aspects to it, so grab you a coffee and lets get goin!
Choosing your hike & Camera Gear
This is a pretty important part especially if you plan on getting your drone out and getting some sweet shots from above. There is this app called UASidekick that I use to make sure that the place I am going hiking is free of restrictions. If you are doing this as a hobby and don't sell or make money from this, you don't need your drone piloting license. But, if you do, you'll have to obtain a license from the FAA. You can find your information here: https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot
If you aren't going to be flying a drone, it gets a lot simpler. You just need your camera of choice and how you plan on getting the shots. I like to bring my monopod with me out on every hike due to its portability and the ease of the setup. I also like to bring my gopro for any shots that I plan on doing in the water or some simple POV footage for BTS.
The actual hike
First off, don't be that person who is blocking the trail to get your shot, wait for people to pass and be respectful of others on the trail. Nothing is more annoying than having to wait for some "influencer wanna be" to get their shot. I like to be very out of the way of others because I want to take my time on the shot but not ruin any one else's time in nature. People don't go into nature to wait..
There are a few shots that I really like to get on every hike.
The wide shot:
I typically walk into the forest and set up my camera pretty far from the trail itself and open that aperture up to get it all in focus. My primary lens is a canon rf15-35L so I typically put it at 15 so I can capture a very wide scene. This shot really creates a sense of awe, as it opens up and you can see the grandness of the trees, the sky the ground and if you're in the mountains, the vastness of wilderness. Location dependent, these are some of my favorite shots, especially in the mountains and you get that over the edge feel.
The close-up:
The shots are great for creating a sense of adventure. I like to get close up's of my lower half of my body, like the legs and feet area to create that feeling of adrenaline and movement. For these shots I typically have my lens at around 20-25mm and set it up real low to the ground on the monopod or even on some rocks or trees around me. I create a sense of depth by having foreground of some rocks or leaves. I also like to get some hand held close ups of my face while I'
m hiking so people can see the emotion of the struggle while I hike up something steep or scrambling on boulders.
The POV shot:
This one is pretty self explanatory, everyone likes to feel like they are living in the moment and this one does exactly that. It creates a sense of feeling like you are actually there living in the hike. People love to see this view. I keep these to a minimum though because sometimes it just get's pretty boring. It's a great shot when you're walking up a hill and summiting something cool but it can get pretty boring if you're just walking on the trail with nothing cool to see.
B-roll:
These are VERY important shots for creating your film and piecing it all together. These shots are like the glue to your little movies. They show the people what's around the area, the little details that make the place special and really showcase the beauty of the area you're hiking. So be sure to film the little things, they are some of the most important parts to capturing the emotion of your viewers.
Drone shots:
Like I mentioned before, be sure that you are legally able to fly and adhere to all the rules and regulations when flying. These shots can really grab the attention of your viewer as our brains really never comprehend the views from above. These shots are great to have in the beginning of your video's to retain that attention.
Camera Settings:
Canon r5c:
file: RAW
Main rec Format: mp4(hevc) YCC 420 10 bit
Color Profile: Canon log 3/c.gamut/neutral
Main Resolution: 3840x2160
Frame rate: 50.00p
Uploading and Editing:
Well, were going to imagine you hit record on every shot you thought you were getting (trust me, its happened haha). I have an external sd that I upload all my footage onto. I have it very organized and everything labeled. After I've uploaded all the footage onto my sd card, I open up Davinci Resolve Studio (they have a free version that is more than capable of producing great videos).
After uploading everything in resolve and having everything organized in folders, I sit for sometimes hours choosing a good soundtrack. Music is an essential part of each little movie you make. I then start from the beginning of my hike and piece together the hike, including just the "important" scenes that will tie together pretty good and get it tracked to the sound track with scene cuts or parts of a clip. A hike is pretty straight forward but keeping the attention of your viewers is essential to getting them to watch the entirety of your short film. So ensure that you are including some great views, some awing moments, some shock and inspiration throughout your video. I myself, am not a talking head but having some talking throughout your videos can add even more retainment.
This is just a short form of how to create hiking videos. Stay tuned for more in depth of each of these talking points in the future as we continue to dive more into the world of Ivaughhhn Stills & Films.
We will go over in extreme detail about the
We will go over in extreme detail in future blog posts about:
Camera Gear
Camera Setting
Davinci timeline setting
Color Grading
and much more!
Thanks for reading and look forward to providing more insight into what it takes to film and capture the beauty this world has to offer!
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