Documenting All Of These Fantastic Trips
Hello, HMG world. One thing I've grown increasingly curious about as digital information about relatively inaccessible places has blossomed like a spring flower (or mold in a petri dish, you decide) -- how is everyone managing to document these experiences while also staying present in the moment? I recently learned that Heather Anderson (Anish) uses a small foldable Bluetooth keyboard to journal on her phone every night. I've tried this, but at 6 oz, I routinely find myself too tired at the end of a long day to justify what inevitably becomes dead weight. How does she do it and also set multiple FKTs?! Pretty incredible.
For us regular writers and youtubers and bloggers and photographers, or for those who simply like to keep loved ones informed back home, what's your strategy for "creating content" while also embracing the actual, honest-to-god experience? I'm curious in both mental attitude/approaches, as well as your gear and how you navigate connectivity/battery charge. How much weight is too much weight? How much time is too much time? At what point do you find it annoying, if you do at all? And how is it changing our perspective of the outdoor experience, both while we're in it, and when we're back home?
Comments
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I was warned about the decreased motivation to write in a journal prior to my first thru hike which is what prompted me to video journal instead. I found it to be a great way to fully capture the moment, in the moment, with all the rawness you wish to share. While documenting my adventure, I don’t worry about “capturing content” or what will get views and focus on a balance of what others might be curious to know (ie my ever changing resupply strategies, how I pack my bag etc) and what I want to look back on and remember about my hike, which includes the good and the bad because they definitely coexist. I just use my iPhone to shoot and find people often asking what camera I’m using because the quality is so great. I stitch the clips together for a daily video and keep the editing process pretty simple using just the basic functions of an app called Lumafusion, which has tons of tutorials on YouTube if you really want to get creative with your videos. Battery life hasn’t really been a problem for me, though I keep my phone use limited to shooting clips throughout the day and checking Guthook periodically, no music, texting or streaming. I was extra cautious during my first thru hike and carried a 26,500 power bank, but have since dialed it back to a 20,000 and find it last 4-5 days before needing a recharge in town. My biggest hurdle doing videos is storage. I carry an sd card so I can transfer files there when I’m finished so I can free up space on my phone for more footage.
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