Guide to Travel Filmmaking: Pro Tips & Lens Selection

Combining travel and filmmaking is an exhilarating experience, allowing you to document your adventures while bringing your journeys to life through visual storytelling. However, the gear you choose can make or break your travel filmmaking experience. Enter Tamron lenses for travel filmmaking. These lenses are designed with the travel filmmaker in mind, providing the perfect balance of lightweight design, portability, and high-quality performance.

In this guide you will learn:

• Why Tamron lenses are a top choice for travel shoots.
• Insights into selecting the best Tamron lens for your filmmaking needs to help you make an informed decision.
• How to enhance your travel videos and take your storytelling to new heights with video tips for travel filmmaking supported with video clips from Tamron Ambassador Cody Conk, a full time travel photographer and videographer based out of Utah. Click the video thumbnails to see Cody’s tips in practice.

Why Choose Tamron Lenses for Travel Filmmaking?

A Trusted Name in the Industry

Tamron has established itself as a reputable manufacturer in the lens industry. Their lenses are known for combining high performance with affordability.

Built for Travel Filmmakers

Travel filmmaking demands equipment that is both reliable and adaptable. Tamron lenses check these boxes with their innovative designs and technology. They offer a range of lenses suitable for different cameras, ensuring compatibility with your existing gear.

Lightweight and Portable for Easy Travel

Portability is key for filmmakers on the move. Tamron excels in creating lenses that are lightweight and compact without compromising on quality. This makes them ideal for travel shoots, where space and weight are limited.

Versatility for Every Shot

The versatility of Tamron lenses allows filmmakers to capture a variety of scenes. Whether you’re shooting landscapes, portraits, or dynamic action shots, Tamron lenses deliver remarkable results.

Advanced Features for Stunning Footage

Tamron lenses also boast features like image stabilization and fast autofocus, enhancing your ability to capture crisp and clear footage. This makes Tamron lenses a valuable companion for travel filmmakers aiming to produce professional-grade videos.

Cody’s Tip 1:

Use a subject for scale: When incorporating a subject to add scale, ensure background elements help them stand out in the frame. Human elements should enhance composition, not detract from it.

The Importance of Lightweight Gear

• Lightweight gear is essential in travel filmmaking. It reduces fatigue and allows for ease of movement.
• Carrying heavy equipment can be a burden during long travel days. Lightweight lenses like Tamron’s ease this strain and make filming more manageable.
• Moreover, with lighter gear, you can pack more efficiently. This ensures you have everything needed without exceeding luggage limits, making your journey smoother.

Versatility and Image Quality

• Tamron lenses are versatile, catering to various shooting styles and scenarios. From wide-angle shots to telephoto captures, Tamron covers it all.
• High image quality is a hallmark of Tamron lenses. They deliver sharpness and vibrant colors across different lighting conditions.
• For travel filmmakers, this versatility and image quality mean less swapping of lenses and more focus on capturing breathtaking moments.

Cody’s Tip 2:

Changing focus for storytelling: Utilize focus changes to direct the viewer’s attention within a scene. Rack focus shifts between subjects, adding depth and enhancing storytelling.

Compact, Travel-Friendly Lenses

Compact, travel-friendly lenses are a must for filmmakers who are always on the go. Tamron offers several options that combine portability with high performance, ensuring you don’t have to sacrifice quality for convenience. These lenses are designed to be lightweight yet powerful, allowing you to capture stunning footage without adding unnecessary bulk to your gear.

For example, the Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 provides a wide field of view in a compact design, making it ideal for landscapes and vlogs. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 offers versatility in a lightweight form, covering both wide and telephoto ranges. By choosing these compact lenses, travel filmmakers can maintain mobility while achieving professional results.

Cody’s Tip 3:

Capture the same scene at different focal lengths: A wide shot can be used for establishing scenes or to convey a sense of vastness, while zooming in helps isolate the subject and emphasize their emotions within the scene.

Selecting the Best Tamron Lenses for Your Project

Tamron offers a variety of lenses suited for different filmmaking styles and needs. Here are some top choices for travel filmmakers:

• Tamron 20-40mm F/2.8 Di III VXD: A compact and lightweight zoom lens ideal for vlogging, landscapes, and dynamic compositions. Well-balanced lens for gimbal use.
• Tamron 17-70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD: A versatile APS-C zoom lens with image stabilization, perfect for handheld shooting in varied environments.
• Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 Di III VXD G2: A favorite for its balance of portability and optical quality, great for both wide and medium telephoto travel shots.
• Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2: A compact telephoto lens that delivers sharp images and beautiful compression for cinematic shots.
• Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD: A powerful zoom lens covering an extensive range from standard to ultra telephoto, as well as 1:2 macro capability, making it ideal for capturing near, distant, and closeup subjects with clarity.

Choosing the right lens can significantly impact your travel filmmaking. Tamron offers a variety of lenses tailored to meet different needs.

Cody’s Tip 4:

Embrace fast movement and shaky shots: Shaky, dynamic shots can convey immediacy, realism, and tension, immersing viewers in the action.

Matching Lenses to Your Creative Vision

The right lens can shape the overall look and feel of your film. Here’s how different lens characteristics impact creative storytelling:

• Focal Length: A wide-angle lens (e.g., 20-40mm) creates an immersive perspective, great for travel vlogs and landscapes. A telephoto lens (e.g., 70-180mm) allows for tight framing and cinematic close-ups.
• Aperture: A fast lens (e.g., f/2.8) enables beautiful background blur (bokeh) and excellent low-light performance.
• Shallow Depth of Field: A wide aperture also produces a shallow depth of field, helping isolate subjects and create cinematic visuals.
• Compression & Depth: A longer focal length (e.g., 50-400mm) compresses the background, adding a cinematic quality to portraits and storytelling shots.

By understanding how focal length and aperture influence visual storytelling, filmmakers can choose a Tamron lens that best matches their creative intent.

Cody’s Tip 5:

Capture varied shots for dynamic editing: Shoot different angles, detail shots, and wide shots. Combine them with fast cuts and synced music for a captivating final piece.

Final Thoughts on Choosing Tamron Lenses for Travel Filmmaking

Tamron lenses for travel filmmaking offer lightweight design, portability, and high-quality performance, ensuring you capture stunning visuals without the burden of heavy equipment.

Whether you’re falling in love with a new destination on a road trip or capturing breathtaking landscapes, Tamron lenses help bring your vision to life.

With Tamron, capturing travel moments becomes an effortless adventure. These lenses truly enhance your storytelling on the go.