Shadowing Practice: Turn your travel vlogs into a movie (beginner friendly) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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If you're planning to travel soon, this video might be for you.
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You don't need to be a pro for your travel vlogs to feel cinematic.
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I recently travelled to Japan and Hong Kong.
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I captured some beautiful shots just by being a bit more intentional with how I film.
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So in this video, I want to share a few things that helped me bring that cinematic feel to my travel vlogs.
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If you want to capture clean cinematic footage, you want to be there early.
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Like I mean very early, especially if you're going to a popular place.
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Mornings give you softer lighting and usually less crowds
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which means you have a bigger chance to get a clean shot without waiting for the right moment.
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Depending on the location, sometimes sunset could be good as well.
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In this clip, I landed on the art island just as the sun was setting
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and most people were just about to leave.
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It was the perfect moment to capture this beautiful shot.
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Since we're talking about cinematic clocks here, a rule that I try to follow is show, don't tell.
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I usually approach this in two different ways.
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First, using B-roll to set the scene and tone.
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Like in this shot, I use a very scenic shot with calm music to create that relaxed, quiet morning vibe, like waking up on an island with nothing but the nature around you.
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Second, when talking to the camera, avoid stating exactly what's happening.
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A common way of vlogging is just saying where you're going and then just cut to wherever you are.
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Honestly, I do that quite often as well.
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But when you leave a bit of space for the visual to carry the story, it can create curiosity and naturally draws the viewer in.
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This is an example of how I did that.
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Next, I passed by the yellow pumpkin again, or should I say the invisible pumpkin.
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Not because I wanted to check it out again but because it was on my way to my next destination.
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Along the way I stumbled across some quirky art sculptures and this is why I love this island so much.
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A few months ago I went to this photo exhibition back in Sydney and I was completely captivated by the artist's work.
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So when I found out that here's a gallery here, I knew I had to visit.
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But not because of his photos but because of this.
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Oh wait I mean this.
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As you can see I didn't even mention the place once.
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I was like slowly building up to it.
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It's kind of like peeling an onion.
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Okay now we know it's better to show and not tell but how do we actually do that when we are filming?
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Let's talk about the kind of shots that can help achieve that.
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For me I usually start with a wide establishing shot, something that gives the viewer a bit more context of where I'm at.
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But before that I like to capture a few different shots
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that can sort of like bring the viewer on the journey with me.
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There are four main types of shots that I tend to use.
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Number one is POV shots.
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These help the viewer to feel they are walking with me.
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It's a simple but effective way to make this experience feel more immersive.
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Number two is third-person shots.
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This shows that I'm actually in the environment and I find they work especially well when there's an interesting background on location.
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They're also great for transitions.
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Number three, still shots.
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These focus more on the surroundings.
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I like using them to slow things down and let the viewer really take in the emissary of a place.
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Number four, I don't really know how to name it so ChatGPT suggest me to call this personal interest shot.
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These are things that genuinely catch my attention.
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For example, I'm a cat parent.
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So whenever I see cats while traveling, I naturally want to film them.
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Little moments like this can add personality to your vlogs, which makes it a bit more you.
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If you want to learn some easy shot and composition, check out my other video where I talk a bit more about that.
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The personal interest shots does require some awareness and intention which leads me to the next point, planning.
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But before we get into that I just need to go right now.
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I'll see you guys in a bit.
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Okay just before we move on I just want to throw in this bonus shot which is the reflection shot.
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I notice I tend to do it quite often when going through my footage.
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I just find it super cool.
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It's a bit subtle
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and you need to be a bit more observant to find this kind of shot
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but that's kind of the whole point right like be more
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aware of your surroundings that's how you can find some interesting angles and shots
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and we are back where were we again oh yeah planning although you can't always predict what's gonna happen especially
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when you're traveling
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but a little bit of research can go a long way
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to be honest i didn't plan as much as i wanted to
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but looking back now the parts
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that i did plan worked out to be better it felt a lot less messy like even just having
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that rough plan in your head can make a big difference For example, the topic of this video is the art island and I found the bathroom to be super interesting.
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So I used that as my opening shot rather than starting from the chronological order
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which is from Osaka going all the way to the island.
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Just that one small decision made the video a bit more intentional and a bit more interesting.
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Okay, last but not least, let's talk about gear.
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For me, it has to meet these three things.
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light, quick and easy to use without sacrificing too much quality.
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Of course the definition can vary from person to person.
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For me I personally am fine with carrying a mirrorless camera
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so this is why I got my main camera which is the a6700 with two other lenses.
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If you want to learn more about my gear setup I
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did a whole video talking about it you can watch it over here
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but if you're just starting out
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and looking for a budget option I will highly recommend the
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DJI Osmo Pocket 3 especially the Creator Combo it's probably one of the best all-in-one option
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that you can get right now but it's super easy to use very lightweight
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and the best thing like super compact this makes it perfect for filming in places like Hong Kong in Japan
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which is where everywhere is like super crowded.
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Like the only downside I would say is the battery.
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It doesn't last that long, but in the creator combo, it comes with an extra battery add-on where you can just plug and go, which I found it to be quite useful.
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Otherwise, just yeah, be mindful of the battery life.
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And honestly, if you're not ready to infest in the camera, like just use your phone.
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It's a great starting point.
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Phones nowadays are so powerful that can make really good footage.
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For example, the latest iPhone, you can even shoot in log where you can play around with the colors in post.
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So those were the things that helped my travel vlogs to feel more cinematic.
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But honestly, the most important thing isn't about getting the perfect shot, it's about enjoying the moment and immersing yourself in the experience.
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It's okay to miss that shot on your camera as long as you're capturing it in your memory.
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If you like this video, please give it a thumbs up and
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if you enjoy this kind of content make sure to subscribe
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to my channel I will try to do a bit more
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I was thinking of doing like 50% of educational 50% vlog let me know what you think in the comments
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and if you made it this far please drop a mic emoji
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so I know you've watched till the end I'll see you next time yeah all right cool thanks peace out
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English Speaking Goals for This Clip: Narrative Flow & Engagement
This video is perfect for practicing english speaking practice focused on storytelling. You’ll learn to build curiosity, use descriptive language, and structure a narrative that draws listeners in—key skills for fluency in casual or creative speaking. The "show, don’t tell" approach challenges you to replace direct statements with vivid details, a milestone for natural communication.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Travel & Storytelling
- "be intentional with how I film" – Adapt to "be intentional with how I explain" for speaking.
- "softer lighting and usually less crowds" – Useful for describing settings.
- "build up to it" – Great for pacing a story: "I built up to the surprise ending."
- "peeling an onion" – A vivid metaphor for layered storytelling.
- "stumbled across some quirky art sculptures" – Natural phrasing for unexpected discoveries.
Fix Your Weak Spots: Rhythm & Pausing with the Shadowing Technique
The video’s conversational rhythm—with pauses to let visuals "speak"—is ideal for shadowing technique practice. Notice how the speaker slows down when building tension ("But not because of his photos but because of this… Oh wait I mean this") and speeds up during casual asides ("I’m a cat parent"). Mimic these shifts to improve your own pacing. Shadow speech exercises here will help you avoid rushing through stories; instead, use pauses to create curiosity, just like the speaker does when "peeling the onion" of their narrative. Focus on copying the natural "ums" and "ahs" that make the dialogue feel real—they’re not mistakes, but tools for flow!
Practice tip: Use the "show, don’t tell" shots as a guide. When shadow speaking, describe a recent experience using only sensory details (sights, sounds) instead of direct statements. This trains you to think in vivid language, a cornerstone of engaging English speaking.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.