Imagine yourself…
Sailing to a tropical Caribbean island on a beautiful yacht… enjoying a glass of Chianti with the winemaker in his gorgeous Tuscany vineyard…
Meeting sports heroes like Muhammed Ali and Michael Jordan… interviewing presidents, prime ministers, and royalty… sitting courtside in VIP seats for the NBA finals…
Or skiing in pristine powder with the owner of one of the top ski resorts in the world, and dancing the tango with a vivacious pro dancer in the colorful clubs of Buenos Aires…
All of these incredible experiences—and so many, many more—I have enjoyed because of my skill at shooting video. In fact, I didn’t simply get to do these things—I got paid (very well) for the privilege!
Now, don’t get me wrong. If you shoot your first frame of video today, you probably won’t be asked to attend the royal wedding tomorrow. But taking that first step will open a new door of opportunity that can take you to places you never dreamed of.
By learning some basic skills to shoot and edit saleable video, and grasping proven techniques to offer your expertise to travel companies and resorts, you’ll be able to travel the world and get paid for doing it.
This “getting paid” part is very important to me. You see, this is my livelihood. I’ve been shooting video professionally for more than three decades, and if my camera doesn’t make me money, then the mortgage doesn’t get paid!
Fortunately, I’ve discovered a great demand for my work, specifically, and for video in general. And, not only has the mortgage gotten paid and we’ve eaten well, but I’ve also been able to put two daughters through college and graduate school.
It works for me, and it can work for you, too!
It has never been easier to shoot and edit video than it is today…
In fact, the camera that you already have—or even your phone—is probably more than good enough to start creating travel videos.
Resorts, restaurants, and tourist attractions understand the power of video. They see competitors using it and know they need to make the leap themselves, but the cost of having a professional crew create a custom video for them is incredibly high. Too often, traditional, professional video packages can come across as stilted or staged commercials.
But, as a beginner, you don’t have the old habits to break to create authentic videos. You’ll be creating them from day one because you’re just relating a story that you’ve experienced and telling it from your heart. That’s the type of travel video that is working best right now… and you can do it!
And yes, it pays the bills… but as I listed at the beginning of this article, this vocation has opened doors to opulent opportunities that most people could never afford… or even manage to book if they did have the money.
To paraphrase the line from Saturday Night Live, delivered by Garrett Morris as he portrayed baseball all-star Chico Escuela, “Video been berry, berry good to me.”
And it can be for you, too!
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Five Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]