Why I love my GoPro

I have to start off by saying that I’m not the best photographer. So when I got a GoPro HERO last Christmas, it was a bit of a revelation. Once the domain of thrill seekers and extreme sports junkies, these days everyone seems to use a GoPro on their travels. Although I’m still scratching the surface in terms of using mine, I thought I’d share why I love my GoPro and why its the perfect little camera for lazy travellers.

The best thing about a GoPro? Its waterproof! Its the perfect companion to take to the beach, boating, snorkelling or in the pool. Its not just splash proof but can be properly submerged in water. I’ve taken mine ‘swimming’ in the Bahamas, Mozambique, Corfu and Thailand and its allowed me to get interesting photos both in and around the water.

I could take my GoPro into the pool here in Bangkok for this shot 

And also in this one in Phuket, without worrying about it getting wet 

There are lots of ways to use a GoPro. The easiest is to use the burst mode since this way it takes many photos in one go, so you have time to place your GoPro and then get into the position you want. Of course, this means you will have thousands of useless shots, but a few will have worked out and this is a good method when travelling on your own or when everyone wants to be in the shot.

I took this in Mozambique, having placed my GoPro on the side of the pool, I used burst mode, then got into position. I had to delete lots of photos, but this one turned out right. 

Using burst mode is also useful since GoPros don’t have a screen to view photos after you’ve taken them, so you can keep tweaking the angle slightly and then sort through all the photos when you download them- some will be useless but a few will be perfect!

I also like using my GoPro to make videos, and the fun thing is you can use these to get stills.

These are actually stills from a video I took when I was in the Bahamas. 

There are lots of accessories you can buy for your GoPro- I have a hand-held floaty as its called, which basically is an extension that floats. Its very useful when you travel alone since its like taking a selfie but actually includes the place you are in, not just your face. And it floats, so again its very handy for using in and around the water.

I used the floaty on our long-tail boat ride in Phuket, to include the boat and the surroundings, not just my head 

I wouldn’t mind getting a tri-pod too, they have ones especially for GoPros. I’m not that keen on the chest harness or variety of clips and attachments they sell to attach a GoPro to helmets etc. I personally think they look a bit over the top if you go around with them, and I’m unlikely to be doing such extreme sports anyway. There was no way I could have used them when I went surfing, for example. Sometimes I think its best just to let someone else take the photos, or just remember the experience without worrying about lots of equipment to try and get a photo of yourself.

The fun thing with a GoPro is the interesting perspective it gives, similar to a fish-eye lens. It makes for some unique photos and captures a different view to a traditional camera.

This is an interesting perspective of the pool area in Phuket, quite different to ones taken with a normal camera. 

And a totally unique shot of the Bangkok skyline! 

Another useful thing about the GoPro is its tiny, compact size. Its perfect to slip into a small bag and its light enough to carry anywhere.

Whilst Maya lugged her DSLR up to this view point in Phuket, I had my tiny GoPro in my beach bag! 

Its the perfect beach companion, like for this shot of a deserted beach in the Bahamas. 

Now for the negatives. Although its incredibly durable, its important to remember that water droplets can spoil a photo if they’re on the lens.

This photo would have been better if the water droplets weren’t there- but using a GoPro was the only way to get this unique shot. 

The easiest way to overcome this is to lick the screen. If you’re feeling more civilised, you can always use wipes. Another point is that the colours of a shot taken with a GoPro often look much more faded when its downloaded. Its easy enough to fix this with some editing- it won’t need much but will bring back the colours as you remembered them.

The original shot was a bit dull, I boosted the colours in Lightroom back to how they looked on this sunny day in Phuket. 

I’m still very much a beginner on Lightroom but even the most basic editing can make a difference! That is the trade off with a GoPro- they are so durable and waterproof meaning the colour quality can be compromised sometimes.

There’s so much you can do with a GoPro and I still have a lot more experimenting to do. I wouldn’t mind buying a doggie harness and fitting my GoPro to Prune and Suzi- that should provide some interesting footage and photos! The GoPro website has lots more info on all aspects of use and some handy videos and tutorials for inspiration. They also sell a lot of the accessories or you can try Amazon. I hope that some of the tips here were of interest 🙂

Have a great week xx

All photos my own