I'm never lost. Like, seriously never. No matter where I am, my trusty iPhone is at my side and ready to find exactly what I need or where I need to go. It's a huge relief to always know exactly where I'm headed even when I'm in a foreign country that I've never explored before. The problem is, it also strips me of my sense of wonder. I used to wander around cities and find the most amazing things. Hidden bookshops, cafe's and sights to behold. Now with my digital map, those things become harder to just stumble upon. I don't even plan trips like I used to because I know I'll have my digital guide with me when I get there. That sense of freedom quickly turned into complacency. I'm starting to feel that a form of digital free travel might be what I need to reclaim some of that wonder.

Wandering in Florence

First off, Florence wasn't my favorite part of Kim and I's honeymoon. I don't know if that was because of bad preparation or just a not good experience, it just wasn't the best. On our second day in the Firenze, we ventured across the Arno to just wander. Our iPhones were firmly tucked into our pockets but we had decided to just let the streets take us wherever they would. After trekking up a few streets (in the hot June sun) we desperately needed a rest stop. It looked like there was something ahead of us so we ventured on, eventually stumbling upon Forte di Belvedere right outside of Palazzo Pitti and the Giardino di Boboli. I hadn't read anything about this beautiful fort and never would have found the entrance if not for stumbling upon it. The view was magnificent.

You could see the top of the Duomo jutting out from the red-tiled roofs all over the city. The juxtaposition of the flat portion of Florence by the river and the hilly regions behind it made the history of the city come alive. There was even an art exhibition being hosted at the fort that featured sculptures of bodies laying in different shapes representing movement over time. The image was surreal.

Stumbling Into a Movie

inferno

Next we wandered around, not through, the Boboli gardens and somehow found ourselves surrounded by dogs and their owners. It seemed like a big park that wasn't really taken care of very well and was full of big white vans and trucks. Turns out, it was the back entrance to the Liceo Artistico Statale di Porta Romana e Sesto Fiorentino and those vans were there for a reason. While trying to sneak in to see some of the artwork inside, a person that looked suspiciously like a production assistant told us it was "a private school hosting an event." What she really meant was that the school was the staging ground for that days filming on the new Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones movie Inferno.

Over the next two days we ran into the film production crew no fewer than three times and even watched a bunch of scenes being filmed at the Battistero di San Giovanni right in front of the Duomo. Of course I placed myself directly by director Ron Howard so I could see the camera work in action, which was incredible. Inferno, which opens today, is apparently getting some pretty meager reviews, but we'll see it anyways, just to relive those precious moments together on our honeymoon.

Like I said before, Florence wasn't our favorite but every destination has its warts and beauty. For us, that was wandering aimlessly and running upon a film crew incessantly.

Unplug and Remember

Next time you're exploring someplace new, try putting your phone down and relying on the map you have in your head. One thing I've learned is that digital free travel really helps you prepare more and try to connect with the place you're exploring. On my last visit to Amsterdam I would do some research on the places I wanted to see while in my hotel room and then leave my phone in my pocket to see if I could find them on my own. The sense of accomplishment when I arrived at the Anne Frank House was more than I expected, considering it was in a city I'd never been in before. Did I get lost a few times? Well, maybe. Then again, that's how I've stumbled upon some of my greatest adventures.

Putting your phone down while on vacation can be a really empowering moment. Use it to help jumpstart your creativity and wonder and let yourself be immersed in the world that you find yourself in. Who knows what lies around the next corner. It could be something spectacular.

Paris is expensive. Even with the current exchange rate, Paris is expensive. But that doesn't mean there's not lots to offer a budget conscious traveler. On my last visit to Paris we were able to maximize what we did (think great food) by doing some of the free things the city has to offer.  

paris

Trocadéro and Parc du Champs de Mars

There's nothing quite like your first look at the Eiffel Tower and for me, the best way to get that view is coming up from the Trocadéro Metro stop and seeing the hulking mass of the Tower from the viewing deck above the Jardins de Trocadéro. The steel beast looms large over the Seine and your first glimpse from this angle will endear its girded frame to you forever. Partner that with a quick walk across the Seine and a picnic at Parc du Champs de Mars for a perfect afternoon. If you make the trip at night, you may even get to see its famous sparkle.

Basilica du Sacre Cour - Paris

A View of the City From Montmartre

For the most part, Paris is flat. That is until you visit the northern section and it's crown jewel, Montmartre. Seen from anywhere in the city, this district is spotlighted by the Basilique du Sacré Coeur at its highest point. A modern building when compared to Notre Dame and other churches in the city, Sacré Coeur offers a Byzantine-esque style architecture not seen anywhere else in the city. After perusing through the interior, make your way to the observation deck and through the ever-present souvenir sellers and street performers for a unique view of the city. Looking out towards the heart of the city, you can spot all the famous landmarks that Paris has to offer, and even a little bit of the Eiffel Tower, on a clear day.

The Marais - Paris

Rue Mouffetard

During our last stay in Paris we called Rue Mouffetard home and this little cobblestoned street is easily one of the best in the city. A simple stroll down this market street will give you access to pretty much any type of food that you can imagine. On Saturdays, the street is closed off to traffic to form an open air market. Walk through and smell the gourmet cheeses, breads and sweets freshly made by artisans.

Cimetière du Père Lachaise - Paris

Cimitière du Père Lachaise

French philosophers like Foucault and Descartes loved to taklk about death so why not read some of their work while perusing some amazing funerary architecture in Cimitière du Père Lachaise. Located in the 20th Arrondissement, here you'll find the graves of The Doors singer Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust, Honoré de Balzac and Oscar Wilde. My first few times in Paris I avoided Père Lachaise  in favor of the smaller Cimitière du Montmartre so that I could see the grave of French New Wave film director Francois Truffaut. While also a great place to spend an afternoon, Père Lachaise is by the far the better option.

Notre Dame - Paris

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

No trip to Paris is complete without a stroll through the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris. Positioned at the literal heart of the city, Notre Dame is a gothic sight to behold. Inside, tourists walk along its outer edges taking in the art and history while local parishioners and Catholics from all over take part in the church's host of daily services. Make sure to walk along the backside of this medieval marvel for a beautiful look at its flying buttresses from the bridge over the Seine.

So grab a quick-lunch from a food stand and stroll at a leisurely pace along the Left Bank. There's so much to offer in Paris for free, you'll wonder why you hadn't gone there sooner.

Blame my dad, I’m a morning person. The feeling of waking up early and getting things accomplished is invigorating. When I start my day early I’m able to dictate the pace at which things happen to me. Well, for the most part. According to a 2012 Psychology Today article, early risers are “happier, healthier and more productive” than our night owl counterparts. I’m not sure I believe that completely, but I do know that when I go against my internal biology I’m definitely cranky.

My wife Kim is not a morning person. Her mind races at night and the creativity and accomplishment I feel in the morning, she feels roughly twelve hours later. None of these methods are better than the other one, just different based on our biology. Once we've found our pace and rhythm, we stick to it. This, however, is something we had to discover when traveling together.

The Steps In Cinque Terre

Our honeymoon was a beautiful affair. We flew into Rome and quickly caught a train along the coast to the Cinque Terra. Since Kim is a much better planner and events person than I, she handled a lot of the wedding while I was in charge of the honeymoon. As we got off our last train of the day in Corniglia, we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Italian Riveria. We had a small apartment overlooking the water just below the steps up to the little town. By steps I mean 382 steps. It was a piece I'd overlooked slightly but was more of an annoyance than problem. (I don't know...walking up may have helped stave off the pasta weight gain for a little bit.)

Our time in Corniglia was beautiful, relaxing and magical. We made friends from San Francisco that treated us like royalty and ate some of the finest food I've ever had. The three days in Corniglia were exactly what we needed, but I had an itinerary planned and was determined to stick to it.

One Too Many Stops

It went like this. Three days in Cinque Terre, a few in Florence, on to Venice for two days, hop a quick plane to Paris for four days and then back to Rome for two to cap off the trip. Even as I write this, that schedule makes me cringe. I was so focused on maximizing our time that I didn't take into account our style of travel. See, Kim and I both like to live in a place. We refer to it as 'local touristing' and this plan threw that out the window. Think of this method as less guidebook and more travelogue. It's a slower pace on purpose and revolves around food and experiencing culture as someone who would live there.

The more cities we explored, the more exhausted we became. Travel was turning into a chore instead of an adventure. Lauren Juliff of Never Ending Footsteps recently wrote about how she stopped traveling full-time for lots of reasons, including her health. It got me thinking about why our honeymoon turned out to be a bit more exhausting than restorative. We were gong against our nature, trying to be people we weren't. Kim and I love to immerse ourselves someplace and two days doesn't allow for that.

A Respite In Paris

The longest leg of our trip was in Paris. Kim had never been before so it was a treat to show her around a city that I once called home. The more I look back on the honeymoon, the more I realize that Paris was our highlight because of the pace we took it at. There wasn't any rushing to see sights or experience things, we had breathing room. We even left the Louvre because it was too crowded and reminded us of the hordes milling about Florence. In Paris we did what we wanted to do and not what the guidebook suggested because we had time to make decisions. The Italian legs of the trip were rushed and full of expectations.

Florence turned out to be a nightmare for us. We were in this beautiful Italian city and we couldn't see past the crowds or galleries to see what real life in Firenze was supposed to look like. The highlight of that stop was seeing Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones filming Inferno in front of the Duomo. That's how disconnected we felt.

Finding Our Own Pace

Ever since the honeymoon we've structured all of our adventures around our desire to be a 'local tourist.' It's just how we like to do things. One of our favorite trips was to a little town in England called Oundle where we stayed with friends and just lived life. Sure there was a special excursion to see Kirby Hall and a few other local sites, but it was mostly just enjoying life with people we love. For us, that's what travel is.

Our pace is slow and steady. It's what works for us. What type of traveler are you and do you find that getting out of that travel lane disturbs your enjoyment?

For us, I think we're going to give Italy another chance, but at a much more leisurely pace. Anyone up for a trip to Rome with two pasta loving Americans?

Ten years ago I made the choice to go on my first journey that required a passport. In May of 2007 I was slated to fly from Houston to Birmingham, United Kingdom for a one month stay and then another few weeks in London after that. I had been to Eleuthera, Bahamas in high school but made it in with only a birth certificate at the tiniest airport I’ve ever seen. Now I needed governmental approval to travel. That first trip really cemented in me a love of finding new things. Birmingham, which is not most people’s ideal first travel experience, was eye-opening for me. I’ve long been obsessed with British culture and just being around university students that had completely different life experiences than I was invigorating. These students holidayed in Spain or Germany for fun because it was accessible. I, on the other hand, had yet to visit Canada or Mexico.

Starting Out Small

In Birmingham , UK in 2007 (I’m on the far right.) Photo by Zack Russell.

Taking my first trip in an English speaking country was the best thing for me. I needed to ease myself into a different culture and with the diversity represented in Birmingham, there was nothing short of a million things to see. The trip was so amazing that I actually did it again in 2008, followed by another month in London. To date, it’s the most time I’ve ever spent in the UK and I miss it terribly. That’s part of why I chose to propose to my wife in London. There’s just something about the city and culture that has captured my soul.

No matter how many times I go back, there’s always something new to be acquainted with. That’s the beauty of travel, it always affords you new eyes.

Taking a plunge

With my now two-year old passport, I decided to try my mettle at a bit more long term adventure. I signed up for a program that allowed me to teach English to university students in Paris. My teammate and I lived in a tiny room in the 16th Arrondissement and I spent my time letting Paris change me. I was fresh out of university and needed something new in my life. I let my hair grow long, read books by French philosophers and spent every Wednesday playing music at an Open Mic in a Scottish pub. It was a beautiful, stressful and life-altering time.

There was no turning back for me. Travel was exactly what I wanted. Well, travel was more the conduit for experience. I’m a firm believer that you can find what you’re looking for anywhere as long as you’re ready to find it.

Homebound

After returning home to Houston, life set in. I got a job, started dating someone seriously and moved into the city. Whatever I had wanted from my life in Paris was quickly gone. This is something that happens to every traveler at some point. You lose focus of what you wanted to do, sometimes for very good reasons, and then five years passes. For me, I wanted to be normal. The problem is, normal is a myth and I never knew how to find it. To sate my wanderlust I talked about traveling with my girlfriend, who was pretty lukewarm on the idea. I planned imaginary trips that we would never go on and spent my free time pricing airfares.

I was stuck between two worlds with a girlfriend I wasn’t being fair to. So, as expected, the relationship ended. Meanwhile, my passport sat in my desk collecting dust.

Finding the Perfect Travel Companion

passport

It was now 2012 and I had no idea when I was going to travel outside of the United States again. Then the best thing that ever could have happened walked into my life. I found my traveling partner. In five years I had only been to Las Vegas, Seattle or on trips to see family or friends. Within one year of dating my now wife, we’d gone to New York City, all over Texas and planned all the trips to our dream destinations. So when we had the chance to lead a pilgrimage to London and Canterbury in 2014, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I’ll save the whole story for another time, but in short, she said yes as we sat right outside St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Since then we’ve been to Italy, France, and England, with shorter trips to lots of US cities. The last trip on my passport was with my wife and parents to Paris for 10 days. Now I have to start the renewal process so we can have some fresh pages to stamp on our next adventures!

My first ten years of travel have been the most formative years in my life. Living in different cultures taught me to appreciate the “other,” whether thats a different religion, race, lifestyle, sexual orientation or simply an attitude. That’s what I love about the art of travel. No matter where you go you never come back the same person. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The How To Make A Travel Video series looks at the different aspects of capturing travel memories on film. You’ll see great examples to inspire and learn about the gear and techniques that help make great travel videos better. You can find the rest of the series here. I've written about the effect music can have on travel and your ability to remember things. The same rings true for music in travel videos. I can't tell you how many times I've watched beautiful images fly by but don't give them another thought because they're accompanied by "Achy Breaky Heart" type songs. You end up only remembering the crappy music and not the romantic kiss beneath the Eiffel Tower. So lets take a look at how the soundtrack can shape your travel videos.

Music, Editing and Shot Length

First things first. A lot of the leg work behind the perfect music track really depends on your editing. Cutting to the beat or by dynamic moves can totally ramp up the tension and emotion of the images that are being displayed. This can be as quick or as slow as the music but it also doesn't have to be consistent. If you start off cutting shots to the beat don't feel like you're stuck with that for the whole video. Long pauses force viewers to take a breath and ponder what is happening in front of them. In the example below, "I Was Not The Fyrst" you'll find some great examples of using lulls in the rhythm and volume to accentuate landscapes.

Chehade Boulos chose a semi-ambient track to go with his mostly wide shots. At 1:23 the dynamics pick up just as the drone shot crests a ridge and shows the watery expanse below. Instead of using a cut, the beat pushes the narrative forward. The image at 3:23 of the man looking out with light guitars playing in the background is breathtaking. Now, imagine that same shot with someone singing a country song over it. Loses something, right?

A great example of editing to music can be seen in the video "A Week In Norway." The beat pushes shots into the next ones and keeps your eyes moving as the scene unfolds. Cuts take place on beat and even employ quick cuts (example at 0:27) that give only glimpses of whats to come. Editing tightly to music helps amp up the visual movement and keep viewers engaged.

Ambient Noise & Sound Effects

I'm bad at using natural sound in videos. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and when I'm out shooting I'm not worrying about audio as much as I should. Ambient noise can really bring a viewer into the visual story. In the video below, "Serbia - Land Coloured With Life," we're treated to some beautiful images but they're accompanied with some very out of place sound effects

The screeches of the chain and the wooshing effect makes me immediately want to stop watching. It effectively pulls me out of the world that is being shown. It's unnatural, overpowering and only serves to cheapen the images being shown. Now contrast that with the subtle ambient nature sounds in "Patagonia" below.

Instead of taking you out of the environment, the subtle noise plants your feet into the grass and rock of Argentina and Chile. The ambient sounds almost feel like they're a part of the music, not simply playing underneath it. So make sure to capture some of the surrounding audio, just in case.

Music As Narrative Focus

Walter Martin's song "Amsterdam" was basically made to accompany whimsical videos from the Dutch capital. It sets the scene, mood and everything else. Seriously, just go make that video. Another way to use music to set the narrative focus is to use a song that has lyrics that speak to your journey. The video below is about a couple traveling in Asia and they chose a song from Kidnap Kid that focuses on moments.

The lyrics move along with the journey like a pseudo music video for the song. Some music videos are basically travel videos, I'm looking at you Death Cab For Cutie. The beat in "Moments In Asia" helps move the journey along, taking you along for the ride. The use of a GoPro also helps by getting you up close and personal with the couple.

Another way to use music as narrative is to pick music that helps identify with a place. Think reggae beats in a video about a Caribbean trip. The ease of identity helps draw the viewer into the narrative. In this video by Jose Matos, the first notes of the song set the scene for what is coming ahead. You can practically feel the air of Paris blowing across your face as you hold a cappuccino in your hands.

Movement In Music

If you're watching a snowboarding video that is accompanied by really slow folk music, odds are you're left scratching your head. Where's the energy? Action shots call for certain types of music that match their intensity and slow moving walks require something completely different. In "The Quiet City: Winter In Paris" we see a city that seems like it's slow, languid and serene. To help get us in the mood, Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel" plays softly in the background. This also happens to be one of my favorite compositions and pairs beautifully with the slow moving pans and shots of cars gliding down cold, crowded streets.

Resources

A good soundtrack can make or break a good travel video. It can also make it much easier to edit and put together in post production. You can find great music to license at places like The Music Bed and Premium Beat. There's also free options like Free Music Archive. Check with local musicians about using their music to give your videos an indie flair and help them promote their projects. With plenty of places to find great music, don't steal something that's copyrighted. It costs a lot of money to make good music and musicians should get paid for their music and not have it ripped off. So please, get permission or a license before you put music in your video. It's better for everyone and could keep you from having your video taken down.