How Our Small Production Team Delivered a Full Travel Shoot in Portugal – Strikes, Power Cuts, and All
When you work in creative production, it’s not always about the big, fancy gear or having a twenty-person crew following you around. More often than not, it’s about experience, planning, and having the ability to adapt on the fly — especially when working with a small content production team like ours at The Production Dept.
That was certainly the case on my most recent assignment. We’d been hired by a UK-based travel client to capture original travel photography and videography in Portugal for their new walking holiday campaign. After years of relying on stock images, they wanted authentic content to really showcase what their walking holidays are all about.
The brief was clear: cover a key section of their Portugal itineraries, capturing both stills and video, all on location with their talent. Simple enough on paper — but once the strikes, power cuts and transport changes kicked in, this trip became a textbook case of why agile content production is so valuable in the travel sector.
Here’s how it all unfolded…
Day 1 – Manchester to Porto: The calm before the storm
We kicked things off on a Saturday with an early flight from Manchester to Porto via Ryanair. The first leg of what was shaping up to be a packed travel content production schedule.
Porto’s a brilliant city to shoot — full of textures, colour and character. Even in those first 24 hours, we’d already captured some gold for the client’s content library. From the Ribeira’s winding streets and riverfront scenes, to the tiled facades and classic trams — it’s a dream for travel photography and film Portugal style.
Porto
Day 2 – Porto to Pinhão: Straight into the action
Sunday was where the flexibility really began to pay off. With ongoing train strikes in Portugal causing havoc, we jumped in a taxi early to head out into the Douro Valley. No messing about, no faff — being a small content production team meant we could adjust travel on the fly.
By midday, we were in Pinhão and straight into our first full shooting day. The scenery there is absolutely stunning — rolling vineyard terraces, winding paths and panoramic views over the Douro River. Exactly what you want for walking holiday photography Portugal focused.
We shot talent walking the paths, pausing for scenic moments, and exploring local villages — all under that perfect golden Douro light. A strong start to the shoot.
Day 3 – Walking the Douro & wine tasting finale
Monday morning began with a lovely, relaxed walking route up into the Douro hills — the kind of shots that really bring walking holiday videography to life. Quiet, dusty paths, olive groves, and those classic sweeping river views.
After lunch, we wrapped up the Douro section with a wine tasting shoot at the beautiful Quinta de La Rosa. A perfect opportunity for some lifestyle travel content, capturing the talent enjoying the experience — relaxed, authentic moments, exactly what the client was after.
Straight after the shoot, we grabbed a taxi back to Porto, ready for an overnight stop and an early coach down to the Algarve the following day. Again — the beauty of an agile content production approach. We adapted around the travel issues and kept things moving.
Day 4 – Porto to Lagos: 7 hours, 1 coach, 0 complaints
Tuesday’s original travel plan had been rail — but with strikes ongoing and the uncertainty of another power cut looming, the client’s producer back in the UK wisely booked us onto a 7-hour coach to Lagos.
It was a long one, but again, with a lean team and portable kit, travel content creation like this is very manageable. We arrived in Lagos on schedule and were ready to go for the following day’s big walking shoot.
Day 5 – Walking the Algarve coast: A full day of adventure
Wednesday was a big day — over 10 miles of walking and shooting along one of Europe’s most spectacular coastlines.
We started in Lagos and made our way along the cliffs of Ponta da Piedade — absolutely jaw-dropping views — through to Porto Mós Beach (with a well-earned lunch stop), and onwards to Praia da Luz.
Every section of the route offered opportunities for fantastic travel photography and videography Portugal focused. The cliffs, the beaches, the textures of the rock, the sea caves — and of course, candid shots of the talent genuinely enjoying the walk. Exactly what the client needed to bring their walking holiday content creation alive.
Day 6 – Burgau to Salema and back: More steps, more content
On Thursday, we moved west, kicking off with a taxi to Burgau. From there, we walked the stunning coastal path through to Praia da Salema, capturing more of those quieter, less touristy spots that their audience really values.
We also looped around to include the Forte de Vera Cruz and Figueira — plenty of history, rugged beauty and more great storytelling opportunities. We stayed that night in Sagres, ready for the final shoot day on the Friday.
Day 7 – Final walk: Sagres to Cabo de São Vicente lighthouse
Friday’s mission was clear: capture the drama of the wild Atlantic coast around Sagres, finishing at Farol do Cabo de São Vicente — the southernmost point of mainland Europe.
We started at Praia do Telheiro and walked the final section of the coast with perfect weather and incredible light. The sea was pounding the cliffs, and we were able to shoot some stunning walking holiday videography with real atmosphere.
After that — a final taxi to Faro for an overnight stop before flying back to Manchester the following morning with easyJet.
Why small team travel content creation works
This project really underlined why working with a highly experienced, small travel content production team is such an advantage — especially for brands in the travel and tourism space.
When your brief involves moving locations every couple of days, covering long walks, adapting to transport strikes and even a national power cut — you need a team that’s built for flexibility.
Our walking holiday photography Portugal project delivered exactly what the client needed: beautiful, authentic, bespoke visuals of real people walking these routes — not staged stock shots. They now have a proper library of stills and video to promote their tours — and we’ve already got two more trips booked to continue building on that content.
Final thoughts
If you’re a travel brand or tourism board looking for a creative production partner who can adapt on the ground, work light and fast, and still deliver top quality travel content production — that’s exactly what we do at The Production Dept..
From Portugal walking holiday campaigns to adventure travel shoots across Europe, we bring an agile content production mindset, years of experience, and a solid understanding of what brands need from their content today.
If that sounds like what you need — let’s have a chat. We’d love to help bring your next campaign to life.
Much Love
