The coastline of Great Britain offers some of the most beautiful, historic, and culturally significant destinations in the world. From the white cliffs of Dover to the rocky shores of Northern Ireland, the diversity of landscapes, activities, and experiences available make the British coast an ideal place for your next adventure. Documenting your journey along the coastline not only preserves memories, but also allows you to share your experiences with others. Follow these tips to capture your British coastal travels through photos, an online video editor, writing, and more.
Plan Your Itinerary
A bit of advance planning goes a long way when documenting your travels. Plot out the destinations, attractions, and activities you hope to experience along the coast. This provides an overview of the places you’ll visit and helps identify sites of particular interest you’ll want to capture.
Research the locations in-depth to pinpoint specific landmarks, cuisine, culture and history you want to see. This ensures you experience the highlights and don’t miss anything important. Having an itinerary also allows you to anticipate what types of photos, videos or writing inspiration to look for in each place.
Pack the Proper Gear
A DSLR camera allows you to shoot high-quality images and videos during your journey. Pack extra batteries and SD cards so you never miss a moment due to dead gear. Waterproof pouches keep your equipment safe and dry when exploring coastal caves, beaches or aboard boats. Other useful items include a pocket notebook, mini tripod, and backpack to carry everything as you hike along trails or through historic villages and ruins along the shores.
Take Lots of Photos
Photos instantly capture special moments and the natural beauty of Britain’s dramatic coastline. Move around when sightseeing and change up angles, perspectives and zoom levels to add visual interest. Take wide landscape shots of the open ocean and coast, along with details of maps, signs or plaques containing interesting facts worth remembering.
Make use of lighting by shooting at sunrise and sunset when colours are warmest. Photograph historic landmarks like lighthouses or medieval castles at their most striking image. Portraits of you, friends and locals you meet also help tell the story of your coastal journey. Vivid photos inspire descriptive writing and allow you to recreate special moments when you get home.
Capture Video
Video adds movement and brings your experiences to life like nothing else. Use your phone or DSLR camera to film seascapes, wildlife, walking tours and other coastal activities. To make the most of your video footage:
• Record a variety of scenes like panning landscapes, pointing out landmarks, following a moving subject and “talking head” commentary. Cutting between different shots keeps videos dynamic.
• Film titbits that convey sounds, smells and activity of a location like waves crashing, street performers, or a busy harbour. This adds sensory detail.
• Keep the camera steady and pause on shots for several seconds before moving to the next frame. Rushed shots are disorienting for viewers.
• Take lots of b-roll – supplemental shots of scenery, signs or objects – to use as overlays during edits. An online video editor will allow you to incorporate these seamlessly.
Journal Your Experience
A written travel journal adds thoughts, impressions and experiences that evade even the camera lens. Journaling fleshes out the specifics of what you did each day and how it made you feel. Devote a section to each destination, recording highlights, travel obstacles, cultural observations, conversations with locals and more.
Note your favourite sights, the new cuisine you tried, and any history learned along the way. Write down funny mishaps and mistakes to look back on. Transcribe meaningful conversations and interviews with people you met on your coastal journey. Photos, tickets, brochures and other memorabilia can be taped into your journal for a scrapbook effect. Refer back to your written notes when captioning photos or expanding videos into longer memoirs of your British coastal travels.
Share Your Coastal Experiences
The beauty of documenting your journey is the ability to share your adventures with others. Post photos from your trip online throughout your travels to give followers a real-time glimpse into coastal life. Upload your completed travel video and add posts reflecting on the biggest moments and memories from the journey.
Print your favourite edited images to frame or compile into albums. Have your written travel journal printed and bound for your bookshelf. Host friends and family for a film screening or slideshow highlighting your coastal experiences. However you choose to present your edited photos, videos and writings, your documentary will transport others right alongside your British coastal travels for years to come.