This week we hit 100 vlogs on YouTube, and even though that may seem like a lot for some, when you create daily vlogs, that number creeps up faster than you'd think. I started to vlog for multiple reasons and one of them was simply to get more creative in the shooting and editing process. I wanted to vlog, I wanted to share a part of my life and adventures with the community created. So after all of these videos, hours of editing, frustration, late nights, lost files, and uninteresting days, I want to share with you what I learned after creating 100 vlogs. Let's get right into it!


There are 5 main things I want to point out and each of these can branch out into their own sub topics that each individual will learn differently depending on their creative process. Take note, I am no professional videographer but I have learned some things that you can benefit from or understand, especially if you are thinking of starting your own vlogs / YouTube channel. 



1. Being Original and Raw

This has been something that I've always strived for since the inception of my YouTube channel. Vlogs are like diary entries in a video format and that's where you share your life as raw as it is. Yes you can edit things out, in case you blank out or spoke a bit too long, edit transitions and effects, but at the end of the day it's about you being original and what you can bring to your community. They want to meet you as who you are, not an actor or someone that is trying to portray someone they are not. 



2. YouTube Will Be Your Best Friend
I began editing on a software called Filmora. That is a one time fee of about $40 bucks and had a very easy interface. You can start editing with iMovie which is free and does nearly everything this program had to offer. I soon upgraded to using Premiere Pro and that's when a lot of my frustrations occurred. I found myself on YouTube many times looking up tutorials and how to use the basic controls. At one point I got so frustrated that I resorted going back to using Filmora only to be going back a few days later once I understood how to edit on the new program. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. apart from being a video platform, so getting on there to search how to do something can apply to anything you're working on.



3. Make The Most Out Of Your Gear You Already Own

Sometimes I get asked about the gear I use for photography and videos and usually get taken away when I show them what I use. Up to this point, the gear I've used have been my Canon EOS SL1 (100D) and my iPhone 6S Plus. Yeah, that's is all. The SL1 is an entry level DSLR that comes in a light and portable package. It features an 18MP APSC sensor, no tilt or articulating screen, but does shoot up to 60fps at 1080HD. Learning how to get the most out of the gear I own has allowed me to make the best quality of work that I was able to both in photography and videos/vlogs. Smartphones are amazing tools that can shoot 120 fps at a decent quality and they are small, easy to carry around, and a great start to creating videos if you're ona budget or need a secondary camera. The gear you own does not matter if you don't know how to use it. You may have a $6,000 dollar camera but if you don't know how to use it, you won't be able to bring out its full worth. So get on YouTube, practice shooting and understand what your camera can and cannot do.



4. Post Consistently

Being consistent does not mean daily, unless you plan on being a daily vlogger as in my case. I've had a hard time being consistent but once I started doing so I noticed by channel would get more views, more subscribers, and more watch time. Try to post your videos on the same day and at a similar time. YouTube's algorithim picks this up and ranks you up when it sees consistency, watch time, and engagement.



5. Have Fun

If you don't enjoy and have fun creating these vlogs/ videos, your audience will take notice and you will be losing a lot of time and effort. YouTube can take a while to grow depending on the content and frequency that you post. Make sure that vlogs are fun to create and the editing process becomes a lot more fun. I'm telling you from experience. There were times where I wasn't feeling it and it showed in the vlogs. Once I began to have fun with ALL of the vlogs, I had fun editing, choosing the music and sharing my life, my story, my adventures with you all.



I hope these tips and lessons learned can teach you a thing or two about what goes into making vlogs. If there si anything else I can shine some light on, feel free to let me know in the comment section below!


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