Why Snorkeling with a GoPro is an Excellent Idea
GoPro has easily become one of the best offerings in the market. Sure, there is no shortage of action cameras now that everyone has jumped on the bandwagon but the legacy that GoPro created still remains and grows stronger every year when the company comes out with a new variant offering something better than the last.
A GoPro camera can be used for countless adventures and considering how it is one rugged action camera, why not take it for snorkeling and shoot some stunning underwater photos?
When done right, snorkeling can be a lot of fun and if you have a good camera that can capture all the action happening, then you are going to be able to tell a story, as well. If you want to use a GoPro for snorkeling, you should close your eyes and go ahead with it, exploring the underwater world is something that everyone needs to take part in.
Let’s start exploring some of the most important aspects of snorkeling with GoPro.
Snorkeling With GoPro
Some Important Snorkeling Photography Tips
Now, I have to let you know that snorkeling is not something that is going to be difficult. There are more ways to learn snorkeling than one might think. However, what a lot of people are in for is the photography that is going to take place because after all, if you are not paying attention to it, the experience might not be the same for anyone and that is not what we are looking to deliver, in the first place.
If you are thinking about whether should get a GoPro? then remember that shooting underwater is not going to be a difficult task. Underwater videos look amazing, we all know, but to actually experience the marine life and make an underwater video while being there is something that is entirely different.
With that out of the way, I am going to share some snorkeling photography tips with you that should help you a lot. You just need one of the GoPro Hero cameras or any other good action camera and you are all good. Whether it comes to stunning underwater videos or some stunning videos, a GoPro Camera has you covered.
1. Choosing a Good Camera
I will be honest, you have to start by choosing a good camera. A lot of the time, people go for snorkeling and they just take the cameras they have while that might work in some cases, in most cases, this just ends up creating a lot of issues and no one really wants to go through that, in the first place. The smarter thing is to be sure that you are choosing a good camera so you can be ready that you are doing something that is good.
I would highly suggest that you check out the best snorkeling cameras and then make the decision that you feel would suit you. This will at least let you buy the right camera without beating around the bush or wasting your money on something that simply is not good enough.
The reason why GoPro for snorkeling is such a good option is that you can even use it as a selfie stick. If not that, then the camera already has an excellent video mode, and the GoPro lens is considered to be one of the best when you are talking about capturing marine life in action.
2. Using the Right Settings
Now, when you are snorkeling with a camera, things are going to be a bit different than you might know, in the first place. For starters, you should be putting your camera in a macro mode, keep the focus to spot focus, and keep the zoom at the widest setting. Additionally, I would also suggest that you use an ISO that is as low as possible.
It is also worth noting that if this is your first time snorkeling with a camera and you want the right experience, it is not going to be difficult for you and you will be easily able to get the pictures you are looking to get.
3. Shooting in Clear Water is Important
Now that you are done with settings, the next step is to know that whenever you are going underwater, you have to be sure that you are shooting in clear water. Simply put, it is a lot more important than one might think and not being able to get the right shot can end up with more problems. Clearwater is always the best place to shoot.
4. Making Use of Ambient Light
Based on how deep you are, the amount of light that you can find underwater might differ. However, what you have to understand is that the best thing that you can do in such a time is to make use of ambient light at every point you can get. After all, the purpose here is to make things easier for everyone and the more you are focused on this, the better it is going to be.
5. Finding the Angles
Another thing that you must be aware of is that finding the right angle is one of the most important things that you will have to take care of. A lot of times, people end up messing the angles up because they are not really aware of what needs to be done and what needs to be avoided.
6. Keeping the Camera Steady
This is very, very important whenever you are taking pictures underwater or even recording videos. The purpose here is simple; keep the camera as steady as possible as that is going to allow you to get the best results and that too, without any issues.
Now, if you do not keep the camera as steady as possible, things are more than likely to get out of hand and your pictures might not end up looking good at all. Therefore, a steady camera is important.
Best GoPro Mount for Snorkeling
Now that we know about the tips that you are going to use for GoPro and snorkeling, the next thing that we are going to focus on revolves around the mount for GoPro. Why do I need a mount? Well, to be honest, you can do just fine without one but if you genuinely are looking for something that will make your experience better and will allow you to handle your camera with great smoothness, then this is definitely worth going for because you are not going to regret this at all.
Needless to say, it takes time to perfectly get the camera stable. The best thing? Well, you can invest in a floating grip that you can buy for your GoPro. However, you can also look into on-body mounts that are available for GoPro.
At the end of the day, the whole purpose of having a mount is to make it easier for you to handle the camera. So, it all boils down to how you are going to ahead and use the camera and what you are comfortable with.
How Do You Carry a GoPro While Snorkeling?
Now comes the important part that a lot of people just go ahead and skip altogether and that is the process of carrying a GoPro while snorkeling. I am going, to be honest here as that does not really take a lot of practice or issues that might come in the way otherwise.
Now, you can carry it in your hand and that would be just fine. All the modern GoPro offerings that are available in the market have ingress protection, so you know that you are not going to lose it to water or some other elements.
However, if you feel like you might drop it, you can invest in a GoPro Floaty, a handy contraption that will ensure that the camera ends up floating to the top in case it ends up slipping.
Furthermore, you can buy on-body mounts for the most secure grip that you can have on your camera. Last, but not least, there are also handheld mounts that will let you put your GoPro on them and then just carry them around.
The point here is that if you are looking for various options, then there is a lot of great stuff that is available in the market and it is only going to help you make the experience a lot better than you might think, to begin with.
Rest assured, you just have to be sure that you are looking at the right mount for your GoPro while snorkeling so you do not run into any issues.
Furthermore, you can check out this video showing several moments of GoPro underwater and you would be stunned to see the beauty underneath.
Is GoPro Worth it for Snorkeling?
Now, I do understand that a lot of times, you are looking at a lot of camera options when you want to go snorkeling and that certainly is a good thing. Why? Well, when you have options available at hand, you would be more than capable of ensuring that you can just go ahead and get things in order but this is not something that is going to work for everyone.
Perfect for Snorkeling
The point here is that if you genuinely want a good experience with snorkeling and you want to capture everything there is. Then a GoPro is a great camera to start with. Why? Well, let me give you some reasons.
Built for Action
GoPro is an action camera through and through, this means that it is built to withstand tougher conditions so everyone can have the right experience using the camera, in the first place. However, it is also important to understand that the camera now comes with all the greatness out of the box. You are getting image stabilization as well as protection against water and other elements, allowing you to truly use the camera underwater.
Portable and Versatile
Plus, the camera is small enough to be easily handheld or mounted on something that you would mount the camera on and be all set. Needless to say, if you have been searching for something that serves as a really good option for snorkeling, GoPro is the camera that you should be going for.
However, GoPro is not something that is just good for snorkeling. I looked extensively into what makes GoPro such a good camera and you can read more about GoPro here and get to know more about this small but powerful camera.
Can GoPros Go in Saltwater?
Saltwater is the enemy of almost everything that has electrical components or circuits in them. Even in general, saltwater can be highly corrosive. Thankfully, you can use GoPro in saltwater as well as freshwater.
However, the one suggestion that I would always give to everyone is that if you are thinking about taking your GoPro swimming in saltwater, it is better to rinse the camera thoroughly once you are done snorkeling.
What that will do is it will ensure that you are not letting any saltwater damage the camera to the extent that you might run into problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
It does not take a genius to come to the conclusion that the GoPro cameras have been excellent for as long as one can remember and if you have been looking for something that delivers good performance, this is the way to go.
For snorkeling, a GoPro is a great camera that will more than do the job. That is even better because, with newer GoPro cameras, you get some stunning video and photo options. This allows you to take your photography and videography to a whole different level and allows for one of the best experiences that you can go through.
Needless to say, if you have been wanting a solid camera for snorkeling, a GoPro is definitely something that you should spend money on.