Tips for better Gopro videos

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Recommended settings

  • 1080p 60fps
  • Turn Spot mode OFF to let the camera evaluate the entire scene for better exposures.
  • Turn ProTune OFF, as this feature requires more work when editing in post.

 

How to correct color

Where? Fix
Ocean (blue tint) Red filter
Fresh Water (green tint) Magenta filter

If you already have the footage you can color correct using your favorite editing program. GoPro offers the CineForm editing software as a free download from their website. This software does wonders! It’s free…go get it!

When editing

There are a few simple steps you can employ using editing software to make your footage look more like the way you intended when you captured it:

  • In the white balance tool, move the slider slowly from blue towards yellow until it looks right to your eye. You are warming up the image by lowering the color temperature.
  • Slide the tint tool from green towards red/magenta.
  • Look at the highlights in your image to ensure you have not gone too far and tinted them pink. Continue to adjust each slider until it looks right.
  • Increase the contrast.
  • Shift the exposure slider to brighten up the shot.
  • Review the entire shot sequence to ensure that your corrections appear consistent throughout the entire range of light in the shot.
  • Work in short clips for color correction. Attempting to correct a long sequence might take significant system memory and time.

Get closer

GoPros are designed to shoot the widest angle possible in order to catch all the action. When you’re underwater that’s great, until you want to get a close-up of something. Steadily approach your subject until you’re almost on top of it. That should get it all in shot!

How to steady your shots

  • Breathe deep and swim slowly
  • Pan the camera very slowly with deliberate moves
  • Use a tray with built in handles
  • Use an extension pole (selfie stick)
  • Use optical stabilizing features in editing programs that smooth out some jerky movements

Fogging up

Operating a battery-powered device underwater generates heat; seal that in a housing and plunge it into cold water and it’ll fog up pretty quickly, ruining your footage. You can buy special anti-fog inserts OR use chamois leather (shammy – that you use to wash your car with), cut out small squares and drop them inside the housing to absorb any moisture. Wash it once and dry it in a low-heat oven to increase its effectiveness even more.

 

Article by Jacques Bezuidenhout (co-owner of The Scuba Shop) – PADI MSDT, Rebreather Instructor, Cave Diver