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Scenic view of Lake Tahoe, representing a creative journey into video production

From Vacation to Video

A Creative Journey in Media Production

Posted on July 17, 2025, by Peter Loomis

Introduction

Summer is here—and for many, that means vacation. For me, a shift in travel plans became an unexpected opportunity: a “staycation” in San Francisco that transformed into a deep dive into comprehensive media production. What began as simply documenting family moments evolved into a methodical exploration of creative storytelling, technical workflows and the art of content creation.

This post outlines the 10 key steps I've refined through my personal journey, from initial planning to final sharing. It's about learning to see differently, thinking more like a filmmaker—even for personal projects—and leveraging new tools to craft better, richer stories from my experiences.

1. Plan
2. Capture
3. Review
4. Reframe
5. Music

6. Record
7. Master
8. Edit
9. Export
10. Share

Assortment of camera gear including smartphone, action camera, DSLR and 360 camera

My current photo kit (from Left to Right: iPhone, DJI Osmo Action, Insta360 x5, Canon D60). It's not about collecting so much as adding and enabling the capabilities that each tool can offer to my vision.

1. Plan

The journey to a great vacation video starts long before I press record. It begins with careful planning and smart packing, considering both my creative vision and the practical realities of capturing footage on the go.

Choosing Tools: Overview

My setup has grown over time and with every new camera came a new way of thinking. Each was a genuine paradigm shift—not just adding new gear, but enabling new possibilities.

A. Ever-Present: iPhone

No matter what fancy gear I bring, the phone in my pocket ends up doing a lot of work. It’s the camera that’s always ready—especially for those spontaneous moments I didn’t plan to film. Upgrading to a 256GB iPhone XS was a major quality-of-life improvement, allowing me to capture without constantly clearing space. It’s reliable, quick and capable of genuinely good results.

B. Action Workhorse: DJI Osmo

I picked up the DJI Osmo Action for a 2021 road trip and it quickly proved its worth for landscapes, hyperlapses and underwater footage. Its rugged chassis, waterproofing and ecosystem of mounts make it ideal for perspectives other cameras can’t handle. My microSD latch has since broken, battery planning is key for this essential backup.

C. DSLR w/Zoom: Canon D60

Adding the Canon D60 with an 18–250mm zoom lens was a leap into more deliberate photography. It allows for true telephoto shots, honing in on details and capturing crisp B-roll—the raw material that makes any edit richer. Learning its nuances for video in bright daylight has been a fun challenge, opening up creative possibilities nothing else in my kit can match.

D. 360° Game Changer: Insta360 X5

This is my newest addition and the biggest shift yet. I got it to stop worrying about framing. With 360° capture, you literally get everything, allowing you to reframe, track subjects and compose shots in post. It’s liberating, letting me be more present in the moment. However, it's a commitment: 360° footage demands extra dedicated editing time to do anything fun, even just to export and browse.

Unseen Foundations: Memory & Power

Behind all the creative philosophy is the reality of production. Two factors define whether you can shoot at all: memory and battery life.

Having ample memory (256GB on iPhone, 256GB for Osmo, two 512GB cards for the X5) has been a game changer, freeing me to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments without constraint. Likewise, consistent power is crucial. Multiple batteries for the DSLR and powerful banks for the X5 are essential, as power limitations directly shape what and how long you can film. Consider adding fast chargers at home and bringing power banks with fast charging capability (Power Delivery, 20w, Quick Charge) if possible.

Shot Planning

This is something that can really help you when you get out on location. Often the work involved in getting everything together, getting to the location, setting things up and being 'ready to go' can precede actually having ideas of what to shoot. I've gotten on site and then thought to myself, ok, now what? What should I be shooting that will yield cool results? This leads into cinematography and the creative visioning process. It also calls for more footage to edit later. More of a "shoot first, edit later," mentality.

Packing

Part of the process is getting oneself — with all desired gear — out on location. This involves packaging it up carefully, to optimize space and keep gear tight, but also to ensure it can be carried and the entire trip can be enjoyable.

From recent experience, It's quite unpleasant to be out shooting and struggling with backpacks falling open, too many straps, tight spaces and trying to find things under pressure. All of which, while staying creatively open and present and interested, engaged in the moment and capturing something "special." It could be especially harrowing in an urban environment where more people, distractions and even theft were more of a factor than where it happened to me (Kite Hill, Mt. Sutro Greenbelt...).

I am still looking for my ideal setup, considering a camera bag or sling for dedicated gear instead of a combined backpack with miscellanea (sweatshirts and other EDC items...) embedded therein. (Lmk if you have recommendations!)

Our creative philosophy was tested in real places, with real challenges. My brother and I filmed a daytrip through San Francisco that included a drive down Lombard Street, which is famous for its hairpin turns. Editing and keyframing this shot in post was a fun project. The capture was wiggly and so it required a lot of keyframes to simulate stability. Also, due to the angle of the sun, the selfie stick shadow appears in much of the forward, downhill facing footage.

2. CAPTURE

Once the planning is done, it's time to immerse yourself in the experience and capture the moments.

The Big Idea: Capture Everything First

My approach often (but not always) centers on maximal recording, allowing for more creative editing choices later. Instead of worrying constantly about perfect framing or missing a moment, with the 360° camera especially, I can stay present, knowing I can reframe what I've shot in post. This offers huge creative freedom, including multiple angles from a single take, AI subject tracking and the chance to direct your footage after the moment passes. The trade-off is definitely more editing. Thus far, for me, it is still an active experiment, ideally to explore video storytelling more—turning ephemeral moments into lasting creative work.

Use Cases and Trips So Far

This philosophy wasn’t just theory. It got tested in real places, with real challenges:

San Francisco Staycation: As mentioned in the introduction, a planned — and much anticipated — family trip got rescheduled and postponed. However, as a result I got some new footage with my mom and brother in San Francisco driving through The Castro, Twin Peaks, Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Bridge, seeing cathedrals, filing music jams at home with my brother and fireworks from my deck. Hikes around Mount Sutro Greenbelt and Kite Hill also provided opportunities to test the camera rig.

Lake Tahoe Camping Trip: This recent trip became my first real test case with the Insta360 X5, pushing me to think about shooting, editing and storytelling in new ways. Immediately upon entering the area — when I got my first glimpse of the lake shimmering in the distance — I was struck by the beauty of the landscape. But, I was driving and couldn't really look around.

The day of our beach trip, I got a ride with some friends. As soon as we drove South over the little "land bridge" between the two lakes on either side of the road (in the video), the idea struck me to capture that view — from on top of the world — on the way back. Fortunately, there was no traffic behind us, so I had time to get the camera out and start filming. I had it out and ready the rest of the way back for a few more of the shots.

At the beach, I didn't want to shoot too much. I was trying to do so discreetly but only did so twice. I'm aware of the shadow of the selfie stick in the sunlight and managed to get a panning shot and also include myself by reframing the shot just above where the shadow (of the selfie stick) hit the sand.

Upcoming Adventures: Potential trip to Rucker Lake and upcoming trip to Fiji in August will be the next labs for this evolving approach. Realistically, this latest burst of inspiration to document immersively and comprehensively has all been in preparation for a once in a lifetime family trip to Fiji. Since it got postponed, I am working on the cinematography, B-roll mentality and studying best practices, "shot rules" (9-shot rule, 70/30 principle, etc) and as many film making theory and practice lessons as possible.

Image illustrating XNViewMP showing an index sheet of photos

After capturing, the critical first step is getting footage organized. XNViewMP has become my go-to app for browsing imagery on disk.

3. Review

Once the shooting is done, the first post-production step is to download and review all footage. This is where I get my first look at what I've captured and start to identify the "gold" within the raw clips.

Downloading & Initial Assessment

After each shooting session, I transfer all media from memory cards to my workstation. This is a good time to check for immediate issues like corrupted files or major over/under-exposure. It's also where you realize if you missed key shots, like those unfilmed campfire moments at Tahoe that would have added great textural B-roll.

It's easy to get excited, but resist the urge to dive into heavy editing. This phase is about organization and a preliminary review, tagging promising clips and ensuring everything is securely backed up before you proceed.

One of the index sheet tools that I use all the time is called XNViewMP. My last blog post was about that app, called "Exploring XnViewMP: The Image Manager Every Creative Should Know" in case you want to check that out also. It is a great tool, free for personal use and has nice features for image browsing, tagging and batch processing among other benefits.

“B-Roll is life.”

— Peter Loomis

Image of a video editing timeline on a screen, specifically Insta360 Studio

Reframing 360-degree footage is where the magic of "shoot first, edit later" comes alive.

4. Reframe

For 360-degree footage, this step is where the true creative power of the Insta360 X5 comes alive. "Reframing" means taking your wide 360 capture and deciding which "slices" or perspectives to use, effectively directing your video in post-production.

Insta360 Studio Workflow

I found reframing in the Insta360 Studio intuitive. Setting keyframes to pan, tilt and dewarp the footage felt smooth, allowing me to guide the viewer's eye through the scene. The ability to export in various formats, including "Flat" and "Ultra," offers flexibility for later editing in a traditional NLE.

However, advanced features like speed ramping within the Studio app felt stiff compared to professional video editing software. For more nuanced motion curves and transitions, I prefer to export and do that work in DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere.

Mega View

Ultra View

Dewarp View

Linear View

Original music can elevate your video from a collection of clips to a cohesive story.

5. Music

The soundtrack is often the emotional core of a video, setting the tone and pacing. For my Lake Tahoe video, I opted to use one of my original songs, which elevated the personal connection to the footage. This step is about composing or selecting music that complements your visual narrative.

Whether you're creating original scores or licensing existing tracks, consider how the music will enhance the mood and transitions of your video. Think about building tension, releasing emotion and guiding the viewer's journey through sound.

A Monoprice 615808 audio interface stacked on a Pioneer Rmx-1000

Beyond visuals, clean and clear audio is paramount for a professional finish. Thankfully, I still had this Monoprice mixer with single channel USB interface to use to re-record my audio as my main Behringer XR-18 is currently not working.

6. Record

While visual elements are often prioritized, the quality of your audio can make or break a video. This step focuses on recording any additional audio, such as voice-overs, sound effects, or re-recording musical elements that need a cleaner take.

For instance, a recent challenge involved re-recording audio from my Synthstrom Deluge due to a noticeable buzzing (likely a ground loop issue). This highlighted the importance of a clean recording chain and attention to detail during the audio capture phase, even for seemingly minor elements like transitional noise hits.

Additionally, my primary audio interface and secondary set of studio monitors have stopped working. This has forced me to find workarounds for audio routing and recording. Luckily I have a spare single channel usb interface with which to re-record my audio!

Logic showing a waveform of the song with mastering assistant plugin

The mastering stage ensures your audio sounds polished, balanced and ready for distribution.

7. Master

Audio mastering is the final polish for your sound. This stage involves applying subtle (or sometimes not-so-subtle) adjustments to loudness, equalization and dynamics to ensure all audio elements—music, dialogue, sound effects—sit well together and sound professional across various playback systems.

During my recent audio re-recording for the Tahoe video, I realized some transitional noise hits were too loud. This prompted me to re-evaluate levels and apply a basic mastering pass in Logic. It's a crucial step to balance your mix, prevent distortion and give your video a cohesive and impactful sound profile.

If I was using commercial audio already then I wouldn't need to worry about this at all since it'd usually be mastered as a part of publishing. But for self-published music, without mastering, I run the risk of my music not having the impact that commercial songs will have as they're engineered (mastered) to sound good across media, with compressed audio levels and tighter, maximized dynamic range. Also, as a DJ, I've played unmastered songs at clubs and they've struggled to keep up with the loudness of other songs that have been commercially mastered. Neglect at your peril!

“More footage equals more possibility.”

— Peter Loomis

Image of a Davinci Resolve video editing timeline

Editing is where the narrative truly takes shape, transforming raw footage into a cohesive story.

8. Edit

With all your visual and audio elements prepared, the video editing stage in a Non-Linear Editor (NLE) like DaVinci Resolve is where your narrative truly takes shape. This is the heart of post-production, where you piece together clips, synchronize audio and refine the pacing to tell your story.

DaVinci Resolve Workflow

Once footage (especially reframed clips from Insta360 Studio) is ready, Resolve becomes my home base. I mute original camera audio, add my chosen soundtrack and meticulously adjust clips to hit transitions in the music, refining pacing and flow. The Tahoe video, despite initial limits, evolved into a 7:12-minute piece with my original song, proving that ample footage allows for shaping something real and impactful.

It's a first edit and I know I could further integrate other sources and mine my B-roll a bit more. But as a concept edit — done within a week's timeline from start to finish — it's a satisfying proof of concept, capturing Tahoe’s grandeur and personal moments in a way static photos never could.

While the version shown below represents a solid first pass, I’m already identifying moments where reframing and motion dynamics could better align with the soundtrack. In a future version, I plan to explore DaVinci Resolve’s Insta360 Reframe plugin for more nuanced motion control — deepening the connection between audio and visual rhythm.

Lessons Learned from Editing

“B-Roll is Life.” Never skip it; it adds richness and context.
360 needs planning. Tilt, pan, roll, height and angle all matter for effective reframing in post.
Commitment, not convenience. Using 360 cameras means accepting significant editing work to really extract great shots.
Cinematography principles matter. Concepts like the 9-shot rule, 70/30 framing and motion flow are actively considered during editing to enhance storytelling. This isn’t just “point and shoot”—it’s directing in post.

Video export settings in Davinci Resolve

Choosing the right export settings is crucial for quality and compatibility.

9. Export

Once your video is edited and polished, the penultimate step is to export it from your NLE. This involves selecting the right format, codec, resolution and bitrate to ensure your video looks its best while being suitable for its intended platform (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, social media, or a high-quality archive).

Pay close attention to details like frame rate, aspect ratio and audio settings to avoid unexpected quality drops or playback issues. A common mistake is using settings that are too compressed for high-quality platforms or too large for quick sharing. This step ensures your hard work translates into a final product that can be easily viewed and shared.

The Lake Tahoe project captured grandeur and personal moments, despite initial challenges.

10. Share

The final step is to share your creation with your audience. This involves uploading your video to platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or social media and crafting compelling titles, descriptions and tags to maximize discoverability. Consider who your audience is and where they are most likely to engage with your content.

Reflections on Multi-Device Storytelling & Longevity

This entire exploration has deepened my understanding of why a multi-device approach is so powerful. Each camera serves a unique purpose: iPhone for spontaneity, Action Cam for rugged environments and timelapses, DSLR for zoom and nuanced B-roll and 360 Cam for reframing and immersive capture. Paired with robust memory planning and battery strategy, these tools create a complete production ecosystem.

One caveat to consider is longevity with proprietary formats. While Insta360’s ecosystem is great today, I'm thinking about exporting archives in universal formats to safeguard against future compatibility issues, as I've experienced with older devices like Flip cameras.

The Why Behind the Capture & The Road Ahead

Ultimately, why do any of this? For me, it’s about having material with purpose—for music videos, studio reels, trailers, teasers and shareable memories. More footage equals more possibility; it’s gold in the bank for creative projects.

This is just the beginning. I’ve got a backlog of footage from San Francisco, music sessions and other trips waiting to be edited. Upcoming adventures this Summer to Fiji and beyond will be next, continuing to push me to learn, adapt and tell better stories with this evolving approach.

Picture of the Painted Ladies Victorian houses at Alamo Square in San Francisco

The Painted Ladies at Alamo Square with downtown San Francisco in the background. Shot with my iPhone.

Conclusion

Turning footage into compelling memories is a rewarding process that moves beyond casual shooting. Even small moments can become rich, impactful stories with the right tools, intentionality and commitment.

It's possible to do a lot with everyday tools like a phone camera. By thinking creatively and strategically about primary and secondary (A & B roll) shots and pushing oneself to get more from each shot, compelling stories can be created with any type of camera. Cinematography basics and study go a long way towards developing ideas of ways to film and shots to get. If you can remember any of it when you're out in the field, you're ahead of the game. Perhaps even more than having a ton of expensive gear. My goal in showing you the gear and software is not to overwhelm or say it's all necessary, but rather to reveal my evolving setup, philosophy, process and intentions.

The key is a desire to do more—to be creative and to make video and photo projects with purpose. While specialized cameras like 360 cams offer immense creative freedom and spectacular shots, they also demand an additional commitment to even more post-production. For me, this journey isn't just about documenting; it's about growing as a media producer.

Stay tuned for more insights, projects and updates from my ongoing creative adventures here at Persone Design.

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This article is part of our ongoing series on creativity, media design and production. You may enjoy some other articles from our blog, including: Exploring XnViewMP The Free Image Manager Every Creative Should Know. Subscribe to our mailing list for updates.

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