A single-layer laser cladding experiment is conducted on stainless steel surfaces using the side-axis wire feeding technique. The effects of scanning speed, wire feeding speed, and laser power on the formation quality of the single-layer cladding are investigated. Moreover, a high-speed camera is used to capture the dynamic evolution of the weld pool during the laser cladding process, enabling the analysis of the relationship between process parameters and the formation of high-quality cladding. The results show that the mode of the weld wire transited into the weld pool mainly depends on the scanning speed and wire feeding speed, and it can be classified into droplet transition and liquid bridge transition. The liquid bridge transition leads to a superior formation of the cladding layer. The process parameters for achieving the highest quality cladding are found to be as follows: scanning speed of 18 mm/s, wire feeding speed of 300 cm/min, and laser power of 3400 W.