Favorite spot to mount GoPro...
07-27-2014, 06:27 PM
#6
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I've been experiment w placement.
Have a curved sticky on center of upper windshield frame, looking over lightbar. Was decent view while driving
Then I have a flat sticky one the passenger side light bar mount. Not to bad there... Works better with the goose neck
So between those 2 and using the 3 way pivot with or without the gooseneck, plus the jaws on the stinger. I got some decent spots.
Also, w the doors off.. The jaw on the lower hinge, w the GN and 3way pivot... Could get a good action shot of the front tire climbing.
Have a curved sticky on center of upper windshield frame, looking over lightbar. Was decent view while driving
Then I have a flat sticky one the passenger side light bar mount. Not to bad there... Works better with the goose neck
So between those 2 and using the 3 way pivot with or without the gooseneck, plus the jaws on the stinger. I got some decent spots.
Also, w the doors off.. The jaw on the lower hinge, w the GN and 3way pivot... Could get a good action shot of the front tire climbing.
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07-28-2014, 12:34 AM
#8
JK Jedi Master
Hey, I'm kind of new at this video photography stuff (but been shooting still for nearly 50 years), but below summarizes what I've taught myself about shooting better quality videos based on answering your question about camera angles...
Follow what the pros do: Multiple camera angles rock, especially when some of them are outside shot with cameras other than GoPros (to get a smaller field of view for those close-in shots). If you've just got a GoPro, stop and move the camera on occasion. Make sure the mount is very secure or you'll get plenty of Jello footage--if you've experienced it you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, good: Keep doing what you've been doing.
And footage of just the Jeep in front or behind you gets boring pretty quickly, no matter what angles you might use. Take some B-roll footage--the wind blowing the trees, the ignition key being turned to crank the Jeep, etc. There's a reason pros do that: It provides a frame of reference for the location, gives the mind a place to relax for a moment and just makes for more interesting videos. Of course, doing that takes time and often it just isn't available. But, a couple shots from outside, even with a GoPro, and a little B-roll can make your video stand out from the same angle for 12 minutes of seeing the back end of the same Jeep crawling over rocks that after about five minutes all start to look alike.
Some angles I've used (GoPro only):
Also, half of video is sound. Consider the housings you have to use and how important sound is. The standard GoPro housing muffles most sound. Recommend a Skeleton housing unless you must have it weatherproof. And if recording voice reactions is important, place the GoPro inside where it can capture it--either narration, or the reaction of those on the adventure.
Finally, power. GoPro batteries die quickly. I've found that an old Garmin Nuvi adapter works to power my older GoPro's. So battery life becomes moot. I can leave the GoPro on, ready to hit the record button, rather than wait for it to boot. This will affect location, obviously. It is why the bulk of my shots are from inside the windshield, with a few others to make life more interesting. LOL.
Here's a very short video that will give you some idea of different camera angles used (though there are multiple photographers using a variety of cameras, including GoPros, but some high quality HDSLRs, as well).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS_3V2bnv50&list=UUIK_7F7GJJcvTo9d7Ag5cYA And here's another video--pay particular attention to the audio at 1:13, and especially at 1:30, where it really makes that section of video (Brandy yelping and James whistling are classic, LOL) ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yq51rHh8MY One final tidbit: Everything you record--every single second of it--needs to be watched at least once. So, if you turn a camera on and keep swapping cards out for six hours of driving, someone is going to have to watch six hours of video to ensure that the best parts are culled out to make a final product. Although you'll miss some good stuff, your post-shoot life will be a lot easier if you exercise some judgment on when you record. Rarely will you want more than a five to ten second clip from any one shot. Record for five or ten seconds before and after the desired footage to give you editing room. If there is something that will take a while to accomplish--say thirty seconds to climb a steep hill--record all of it, but in editing use some techniques to reduce it down to two or three short segments, fading between each one (And NEVER use all of those stupid looking transition effects that come in video editors. Stick with the very rare fade or dissolve, through black. Usually-99.9% of the time--just cut off the first sequence and start the next sequence with no transition effect.)
Follow what the pros do: Multiple camera angles rock, especially when some of them are outside shot with cameras other than GoPros (to get a smaller field of view for those close-in shots). If you've just got a GoPro, stop and move the camera on occasion. Make sure the mount is very secure or you'll get plenty of Jello footage--if you've experienced it you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, good: Keep doing what you've been doing.
And footage of just the Jeep in front or behind you gets boring pretty quickly, no matter what angles you might use. Take some B-roll footage--the wind blowing the trees, the ignition key being turned to crank the Jeep, etc. There's a reason pros do that: It provides a frame of reference for the location, gives the mind a place to relax for a moment and just makes for more interesting videos. Of course, doing that takes time and often it just isn't available. But, a couple shots from outside, even with a GoPro, and a little B-roll can make your video stand out from the same angle for 12 minutes of seeing the back end of the same Jeep crawling over rocks that after about five minutes all start to look alike.
Some angles I've used (GoPro only):
- Attached to windshield
- Attached to rear looking back
- Attached to top of windshield frame outside
- Held in hand pointed at driver or passenger
- Held in hand pointed down at front wheel
- Attached above front bumper
- Attached below front bumper (cool when fording)
- Attached outside either door
- Attached inside the window looking out left or right
- Attached to the sound bar looking over driver's shoulder (this one will get you some Jello footage because the sound bar is flexible, but okay for a few second burst)
Also, half of video is sound. Consider the housings you have to use and how important sound is. The standard GoPro housing muffles most sound. Recommend a Skeleton housing unless you must have it weatherproof. And if recording voice reactions is important, place the GoPro inside where it can capture it--either narration, or the reaction of those on the adventure.
Finally, power. GoPro batteries die quickly. I've found that an old Garmin Nuvi adapter works to power my older GoPro's. So battery life becomes moot. I can leave the GoPro on, ready to hit the record button, rather than wait for it to boot. This will affect location, obviously. It is why the bulk of my shots are from inside the windshield, with a few others to make life more interesting. LOL.
Here's a very short video that will give you some idea of different camera angles used (though there are multiple photographers using a variety of cameras, including GoPros, but some high quality HDSLRs, as well).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS_3V2bnv50&list=UUIK_7F7GJJcvTo9d7Ag5cYA And here's another video--pay particular attention to the audio at 1:13, and especially at 1:30, where it really makes that section of video (Brandy yelping and James whistling are classic, LOL) ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yq51rHh8MY One final tidbit: Everything you record--every single second of it--needs to be watched at least once. So, if you turn a camera on and keep swapping cards out for six hours of driving, someone is going to have to watch six hours of video to ensure that the best parts are culled out to make a final product. Although you'll miss some good stuff, your post-shoot life will be a lot easier if you exercise some judgment on when you record. Rarely will you want more than a five to ten second clip from any one shot. Record for five or ten seconds before and after the desired footage to give you editing room. If there is something that will take a while to accomplish--say thirty seconds to climb a steep hill--record all of it, but in editing use some techniques to reduce it down to two or three short segments, fading between each one (And NEVER use all of those stupid looking transition effects that come in video editors. Stick with the very rare fade or dissolve, through black. Usually-99.9% of the time--just cut off the first sequence and start the next sequence with no transition effect.)
Last edited by Mark Doiron; 07-28-2014 at 12:38 AM.
07-28-2014, 02:41 AM
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good stuff mark, but i would like to add, please narrate, and use the phrase "hold my beer, i got this" as much as possible, it makes the videos 100% better.
07-28-2014, 04:52 AM
#10
JK Jedi Master
I'm sure you're kidding, but you're more likely to hear me get onto someone for drinking on the trail--I have been known to do that. What we do is usually quite safe, but on occasion we do undertake potentially risky activities. We want to know that everyone involved in spotting, setting a winchline, etc, is completely with us. But, I wouldn't actually keep an admonishment such as that in the video.