Top Ten tips – SUP with a GoPro

Getting out on the water on a SUP is one thing, but capturing that moment on camera is another. Not all of us are lucky enough to have someone on the shore with a big lens to get that wave of the day, that first family SUP shot or exciting wildlife encounter on the river.  But now with more and more waterproof action cameras available, you can get your very own, up close, and in the moment (and barrel if you’re lucky!) water footage. Photos, video, wide angle and different angles. What you can do when you SUP with a GoPro (or other camera) is endless. But don’t expect it to be perfect first time. To capture that moment takes a bit of thought and preparation, and practice! Expect to have a few sky shots, annoying water blobs, and on/off mishaps at the start! As annoying as they will be you’ll soon figure out what works best for you, to capture that on the water moment.

To help you get your 2016 on the water action camera footage off to a good start, here are SUPboarders top ten tips …

Get to know your camera

Afloat is not the time to learn about how your camera works. Familiarise yourself with your camera and its settings beforehand and make sure you can still operate it effectively wherever you decide to mount it!

Remember to charge it!

We’ve all done it, gone for a paddle then found out halfway through that the battery is flat from the last paddle. Its good to get into the habit of recharging the battery immediately after each paddle so you know it’s ready when you want it.

Make space

Again, there’s nothing worse than having that flashing symbol telling you that the memory cards full when you’re out on the water and just about to capture that perfect moment. Always check you’ve put in an empty memory card before you hit the water.

Stop the mist

Mist on the camera lens is one of the most common (and annoying!) problems experienced when using a waterproof camera. There’s nothing more annoying than excitedly uploading the footage when you get home only to find that the screen misted up early on in your session and you can barely make out whats going on. Mist/condensation forms on the lens inside the camera case due to moisture being present inside the camera housing, and the temperature difference between inside and outside the housing. The best way to prevent lens fogging in use is to heat up the open camera case before closing it. This dries out any moisture within the casing, preventing condensation from forming. Placing your open camera case in front of the heater vents in the car on the drive to the beach is ideal for this. Also check out the inserts that are available to suck the moisture out of the air in the case. In really cold conditions switching the camera off between shoots may also help.