NE

GoPro
The Complete Manual

The independent handbook for GoPro users

For all
models

Welcome to

GoPro
The Complete Manual

The GoPro range is the result of a gap in the market

and the innovative idea of Nick Woodman. What
started as a business selling unique ways of attaching
cameras to surf boards developed into a worldwide
phenomenon. From humble beginnings, the GoPro
now has a plethora of ingenious mounts that make
this clever little piece of technology capable of
capturing all sorts of activities. The full spectrum is
covered, from a humble dog walk to extreme snow
sports. GoPro even have their own editing software.
Reasonably priced, super portable and hugely versatile,
there should be nothing stopping you from using
GoPro to record all your adventures.

GoPro
The Complete Manual
Imagine Publishing Ltd
Richmond House
33 Richmond Hill
Bournemouth
Dorset BH2 6EZ
 +44 (0) 1202 586200
Website: www.imagine-publishing.co.uk
Twitter: @Books_Imagine
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ImagineBookazines

Publishing Director
Aaron Asadi
Head of Design
Ross Andrews
Editor in Chief
Jon White
Production Editor
Jasmin Snook
Senior Art Editor
Greg Whitaker
Assistant Designer
Claire Evison
Photographer
James Sheppard
Printed by
William Gibbons, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by
Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU
Tel 0203 787 9060 www.marketforce.co.uk
Distributed in Australia by
Gordon & Gotch Australia Pty Ltd, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 2086 Australia
Tel +61 2 9972 8800 www.gordongotch.com.au
Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is
the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this bookazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written
permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review.
Although the bookazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability
may change. This bookazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
GoPro, Hero, the GoPro logo, and the GoPro Be a Hero logo
are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro, Inc.
GoPro The Complete Manual Third Edition 2016 Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 9781785464355

Part of the

bookazine series

Contents
What you can ind inside the bookazine
Introducing GoPro

8 Introducing GoPro
Why GoPro is better

14 Camera guides
Find the best GoPro for you

Getting started
44 Capture great photos
Use your GoPro to capture
those random moments
46 Take burst-effect photos
Get that ultimate shot with
continuous snapping

20 GoPro mounts
Shoot it your way
28 Batteries & chargers
Keep your battery full
36 Setup your GoPro
Get your GoPro out the box
and get ready to shoot

30 Lens & filters

Allow for wear and tear
32 Cases & doors
House your GoPro

40 Use the Manual settings

Get to grips with the
manual settings

34 Storage drives
Store your media

42 Shoot epic GoPro videos

Take amazing video footage
with your GoPro

35 Cables
Get connected
6

48 Get to know the menus

Learn the ins and outs of
the GoPro menus
50 Cleaning your GoPro
Keep your camera in good
running order
52 Stay safe using
your GoPro
Make sure you stay safe
doing outrageous activities

For all
GoPro
cameras
Using your GoPro
54 Introducing the
GoPro apps
Capture and edit your
footage remotely
58 Control your GoPro with
Apple Watch
Start your adventure with
the tap of a wrist
60 Use your GoPro on
the water
Get wet when filming
66 Stay on piste
Capture footage straight
from the piste
72 Take it to the extreme
Take amazing footage of
adrenaline pumping sports
76 Take it up a gear
Capture your bike-fuelled
adventures on GoPro
80 Film on the run
Get your running shoes on
84 Hit the road
GoDrive with your GoPro
90 Film mans best friend
Find out what your pets do
when youre not looking
94 Strike a chord
Film gigs from more
interesting perspectives

Going further
98 GoPro Studio
Learn how to use
GoPro Studio

112 Export your video

Prepare to share your video
by exporting

100 Import to GoPro Studio

Get your footage onto
your computer

114 Quik and Splice

Edit and share your videos
with the GoPro apps

102 Edit in GoPro Studio

Edit your video footage

116 Edit your photos

Improve your photos with
simple edits in Photoshop

104 Use GoPros templates

Insert your footage
106 Correct colour casts
Correct a videos colour
108 Use advanced
editing effects
Take your editing further
110 Create a time-lapse
Make a time-lapse video

118 Retouch your images

Use Photoshop to ensure
your shots are perfect
120 Correct exposure
Get the exposure right
using Lightroom
122 Adjust in Photoshop
Adjust and perfect your
images in a flash

124 Sharing GoPro footage

Send your work into the world
t
Share on YouTube t Upload to GoPro
t
Use social media t Get video views
7

Introducing GoPro

Introducing GoPro
Discover how this rugged, versatile camera captured the world
Durable and wearable, GoPro has become to the go-to device for capturing
the world around us. Whether its strapped to a dogs collar or a mountaineers
helmet, it records the wearers point-of-view in high-quality, high-resolution
footage. The dramatic results have made GoPro cameras a irm favourite of TV
companies, sports personalities and even spacemen. Astronauts have embraced
the technology, capturing HD video of spacewalks and transporting viewers to the
International Space Station to bear witness to the breathtaking, vertigo-inducing
views from space. This is the power of the GoPro. But the cameras purse-friendly
price puts it within reach of Earth-bound adventurers, too. From videographers
to casual home users, professional-looking results are within everyones reach.
Realise the potential of your device and read the inspiring story of how one mans
adventure helped so many others to share theirs.

Introducing GoPro

W High-quality results GoPro is

one of the best-known names
in the action camera market
thanks to its high-quality results
GoPro

Introducing GoPro

Rugged exterior GoPro is a popular

choice among extreme sports
enthusiasts thanks to its rugged
versatility and tough casing

The story of GoPro

Today, GoPro is one of the biggest names in the action camera
business, which makes its humble beginnings all the more
surprising. It was the brainchild of Nick Woodman, a surfer who
wanted to capture his experience riding the waves on a trip to
Australia in 2002. At that point, any footage would have to be
ilmed from the safety of the shore or a boat, and equipment was
really expensive.
Woodman devised a solution while selling bead and shell belts
out of his VW van a wrist strap that could hold a camera. The idea
would make him a billionaire, with sales doubling every year since
its launch in 2004. GoPro helps people capture and share their
lives most meaningful experiences with others to celebrate them
together, sums up Woodman. Like how a day on the mountain
with friends is more meaningful than one spent alone, the sharing
of our collective experiences makes our lives more fun. GoPro
and its ability to be mounted to pretty much anything has helped
people share these experiences with others.

Ian Hylands

10

Introducing GoPro
Tell your own story

Attach your GoPro to a

commercial drone, like
the DJI Phantom, and
record aerial views!
Sharing your experiences

Provide context Begin your

video by introducing the setting.
Using a wide-angle, take shots
of the surrounding area and
your subject so the viewer gets
a chance to establish where
they are.

In order to share your footage with others, GoPro has an app for
Android and iOS devices. It enables people to use their mobile
device to play back and share photos and videos captured on
compatible cameras via email or text, as well as a host of social
media websites. The GoPro App also gives you the option of
controlling the camera remotely using your smartphone or tablet.
Change settings, see what your camera sees with Live View and
even start and stop recording all without setting a inger on the
camera itself.
Afterwards, you can upload the results to GoPros Facebook or
Twitter, where millions of users post every day. It efectively enables
people from all around the world to communicate, whether its
about their love for shredding snow or base-jumping from a tower.
The most popular subjects are extreme sports, enabling viewers
with a more cautious nature to experience the action through the
safety of a screen. What makes these cameras so versatile are the
mounts and accessories designed with all sorts of activities in mind.
These, coupled with the GoPro App and software, make it easier to
capture and share anything, anywhere.

Introduce yourself Introduce

the viewer to the star of the video
thats you! Turn the camera on
yourself by using a selfie stick,
or by attaching the GoPro to a
nearby object and positioning
yourself in shot.

Set the pace Once youve

switched to a first-person pointof-view shot, experiment with
different frame rates. A slowmotion 120 frames per second
creates a cinematic effect and
combats any shakiness.
11

Introducing GoPro

Mount it The GoPro can be

attached to anything, making it a true
vacation hero

Design features
GoPro is called the worlds most versatile camera and its not
diicult to see why. Its so compact that it literally its in the palm of
your hand, making it the perfect travel companion and the pointand-shoot design means anyone can use it. Long battery life and
the ability to record continuously for hours is a huge advantage over
traditional cameras, along with the fact you dont need to press the
shutter button to capture a shot.

Must-have accessories
By investing in some well-chosen accessories, you can customise
your GoPro to your speciic needs. For those who want to dive
straight in, a waterproof case will be your irst port of call. These
come in standard and dive housing, and can plunge as deep as 60
metres (197 feet)! And its not just the ish that are ready for their
close-up, as dishwashers and washing machines can look just as
interesting from the inside. Another essential item is the GoPole
Reach the equivalent to a selie stick that ensures youre in every
shot. If youd rather go hands-free, however, there are plenty of ways
to wear or mount the camera.

Perfect bungee Bungee jumpers

should never be without a GoPro to
document that heart-racing moment
12

Introducing GoPro
Professional appeal

Taking still photos

GoPro has a huge following among

ilmmakers who want to go where
conventional cameras cant. The
irst-person perspective ramps up
the fright factor in a horror movie,
for instance, while a high-octane
car chase can look even more spectacular when ilmed from the
roof of the vehicle in slow motion. Whats more, GoPro has been
designed to combat motion blur and unwanted background noise
for better quality results, and the super wide-angle lens packs a lot
into the scene. The GoPro is capable of more than just one shot,
though, which is another draw for videographers. As well as the
point-of-view shot, you can achieve close-ups with mounts like
the gnarwhal; a medium close-up with the help of a three-way
extension arm; or even achieve a full shot by using a long extension
to position the camera several metres away from your body.

Create a time lapse If youre

shooting handheld, set your
GoPro to Time Lapse so it
captures shots at intervals. This
lets you continue with your
activity without having to switch
the camera on and off.

Everyday adventures

Try Burst mode If you want to

capture a photo of a stunt, for
example, then switch to Burst
mode. This will fire multiple shots
as soon as you press shutter
button, making sure you dont
miss the moment.

GoPro

The sheer range of shots available to the GoPro user is why its used
to record so many diferent subjects. One of the biggest consumer
trends is to attach a GoPro to your favourite furry companion to
see the world through their eyes. Want to know where your cat
goes at night? GoPro has it covered. A musician, meanwhile, might
strap it to their instrument to record footage from an angle that
even the person in the front row
couldnt see. The option to attach
it to anything means the creative
opportunities are totally endless,
which is why GoPro is so popular
across the board. It really can be
used to shoot anything.

If the sun is setting, use

a low frame rate such as
24fps. This lets the camera
capture more light

Use a mount For more flexibility

with your GoPro photos, you
could use a pole mount. This
gives you the power to tilt and
turn your GoPro, which allows
for better positioning and
dramatic angles.
13

Hero4 Session

Introducing GoPro

Hero4 Session
Introducing the smallest, most versatile member of
the GoPro family, which can capture stunning video
and take bursts of pictures efortlessly
The Hero4 range is the jewel in the crown of GoPro technology and
the cameras range vastly in terms of size and capabilities. Top of the
range is the Hero4 Black, providing 4k Ultra HD video capture and
super-smooth slow motion at up to 240 frames per second, but
its quite a bulky unit for some purposes. Enter the Hero4 Session,
which sits at the opposite end of the size scale, yet is small and
lightweight enough to capture all of your adventures.

The Frames let you attach your Hero4

Session camera to any GoPro mount and
can be purchased for 34.99/$39.99.

When size matters

The Hero4 Session is the smallest, lightest
and most compact GoPro ever and can be
operated to record video, burst or time-lapse
photos with a single button control. It can
capture stunning high-resolution 1440p,
1080p and 720p video with frame rates of
60 or 100fps for ultra-smooth slo-mo playback. The photo quality is
also exceptional, delivering 8MP single snaps, time-lapse images at
intervals from 0.5 to 60 seconds, and bursts can be initiated at up to
ten frames per second. Its impressive for a device a little bigger than
a match box.

Mount and go!

The Hero4 Session is a versatile little device thats purpose built for
activity thanks to its size, which allows it to be mounted via all
GoPro mounts tightly and snugly onto vehicles, helmets, etc. It is
also fully waterproof up to ten metres, so you can mount it to your
kayak, canoe or surfboard to record your water sports. You dont
even have to mount it the right way up as the device will always
know which way is up. The camera is also intelligent enough to
acknowledge when bright light turns to dark and can make all of
the necessary adjustments to the exposure automatically, leaving
you free to concentrate on your game.

The Smart Remote lets you control

multiple GoPro cameras from distances
of up to 182m and can be purchased
separately for 64.99/$79.99.

14

Hero4 Session

Introducing GoPro

With added SuperView

Protune tools

A single button powers up the Hero4

Session and starts recording HD video,
photo bursts or time-lapse images
automatically. You can also operate it with
the Smart Remote or GoPro App

The Hero4 Session boasts the worlds most

immersive wide-angle field of view. A GoProexclusive, SuperView means you can capture
more of your surroundings to produce truly
epic videos

With the Hero4 Session, you get to enjoy

the greatest degree of manual control
over a GoPro camera. Settings for Colour,
ISO Limit, White Balance, Sharpness and
Exposure are fully customisable

GoPro

One-button control

Dual mics

Small and compact

Conserve battery life

The Hero4 Session houses one mic on the

front and a second on the back. Both mics
work together to automatically sense and
then filter out any unwanted noise, such as
the whistling of wind

The dimensions of the Hero4 Session

camera are 38 x 38 x 36.4mm and it
weighs just 2.6oz, making it the perfect
everyday GoPro camera for any activity
or adventure

The Hero4 Session only uses battery power

when its recording. When inactive, the
device powers down to ensure that there
is always fuel in the tank when you need
it the most

15

Hero4 Silver

Introducing GoPro

Hero4 Silver
Easy to use and incredibly versatile to your needs, the Hero4 Silver can be
power-up and set to work at a moments notice
Capture convenience
If you need to capture a moment in an
instant then the Hero4 Silvers QuikCapture
mode lets you fire up your device and start
recording instantaneously with the press of
a single button

New SuperView
The Hero4 Silver features an exclusive mode
called SuperView that captures the worlds
most immersive wide-angle perspective,
allowing more of your surrounds to appear
in the shot

Tag and go
The Hero 4 Silvers HiLight Tag mode
enables you to mark out your key moments
while recording or playing back your video,
making it easier to find, view, edit and share
your favourite clips

Awesome audio

16

Snap and share

Improved control

Built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities not

only allows you to share content straight
from your device, but you can also use the
mobile app on your phone to act as a smart
remote control for your GoPro device

The Hero4 Silver features a dedicated

button that allows you to quickly access
the camera settings. This, coupled with a
simplified menu system makes controlling
your GoPro much more intuitive
GoPro

The built-in microphone of the Hero4 Silver

captures clean, high fidelity sound at twice
the dynamic range. You can also connect a
variety of external mics using the optional
3.5mm Mic Adapter

Hero4 Silver

Introducing GoPro

Retailing at around 329.99/$399.99, the Hero4 Silver is a highperformance all-action camera with a built-in touch display, which
makes controlling the device, framing shots and playing back your
captured content incredibly easy. Also, with 12MP Burst photos at
30 frames per second, the Hero4 Silver helps you capture those
important moments with ease, especially as a Time Lapse mode lets
you shoot photos automatically at certain time intervals from 0.5 to
560 seconds perfect for when your activities make it tricky to get
to the shutter button. Your picture and video highlights can also be
beamed out straight from your device thanks to built-in Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth capabilities.

Colour choice The Hero4 comes in

either black or silver GoPro

Exceptional video quality

GoPro

Like its slightly bigger brother, the

Hero4 Black, the Silver features a
12MP sensor that makes for far
superior quality images than all
of the GoPro models that have
preceeded it. As such you can capture stunning 1080p video at 60
frames per second, 960p video at 100fps and 720p video at 120
fps which delivers exceptionally smooth slow-motion playback
to better display your sporting feats and activities. Whats more,
HiLight Tag actually enables you to mark your key moments while
recording or playing back video, making it easy to skip straight to
the highlights later.

Always ready to go
Whatever the activity you are wishing to capture, the Hero4 Silver is
always ready to go thanks to the new QuikCapture mode. This turns
your GoPro into a one-button camera, allowing you to turn it on
and start recording automatically with just a single press of a button.
Hold for two seconds to capture Time Lapse photos.

Touch screen The fist ever GoPro to

feature a built in touch display GoPro

Auto Low Light mode changes the frame rates

based on the lighting conditions so you can easily
move between light and dark environments without
changing the settings.
17

Introducing GoPro

Hero4 Black

Hero4 Black
Not only is it fast and extremely high quality, but the Hero4 Black can also be
tailored to suit your activity of choice
Capture stills

Shoot remotely

The design of the Hero4 is essentially the

same as other GoPro models, making it
compatible with most of the mounts you
may already have

You can opt to capture stills at the same

time as video; the camera will automatically
fire off a 12MP still every 5, 10, 30 or 60
seconds, or it can be fired manually

Now with built-in Bluetooth, you can shoot

remotely using the Smart Remote or the
GoPro app to control your settings while
keeping well back

Enhanced audio

Create easy Time Lapse

Highlight Tag

The Hero4 has increased audio range by

approximately 10DB when compared
to the Hero3+, and the black version is
compatible with professional external mics

Using the Time Lapse video mode, you

can automatically capture a perfect
sunrise, road trip or gig in-camera and
share it

The Hero4 lets you tag key moments in

your footage while recording, using a
dedicated button, so you can quickly go
back to these points later

18

GoPro

A familiar look

Hero4 Black

Introducing GoPro

The Hero4 Black is top of the range in GoPros line-up and retails at
around 409.99/$499.99. Upgrading from the 10MP sensor in the
Hero3+, the Hero4 Black comes with a 12MP sensor, which wont
make a huge diference but will make footage appear higher quality
when using larger screens. The processor is twice as fast as previous
models so both versions are able to have a 30-frames-per-second
burst rate to help capture crisp action.
They boast a new menu interface, faster Wi-Fi connectivity and
added Bluetooth for connecting to mobile devices. Protune settings
ofer manual control of Color, ISO Limit, Exposure and more, while
the HiLight feature lets you tag favourite footage while shooting.

Get control Purchase the LCD Touch

BacPac, a removable touchscreen
display GoPro

Super smooth recording

GoPro

The Hero4 Black can record in 4K

video at a fast 30fps. This high-res
setting results in superb quality, but
you also have the options of 2.7K
video at 60fps, or Full HD video
(1080p) at a fast 120fps, so you can produce slow-motion footage
in high res. Protune settings for photos and video allow you to
ine tune the colouir, ISO Limit and Exposure of your images and
recordings for stunning results.

Standard, Surf or Music

GoPro

Depending on your interests, the Hero4 Black is available in

Standard, Surf or Music options. The Standard version comes with a
waterproof case; the Surf option includes a surfboard mount, which
comes with an FCS plug that attaches the camera to an FCS centre
in socket. Adhesive anchors and camera tethers give extra security.
The Music edition includes mounts to capture gigs easily. Theres
a frame mount and removable instrument mount to attach it to
guitars, turntables and more, using a non-damaging adhesive.

Waterproof The Hero4 Black is

waterproof down to 40m when using
the standard housing GoPro

Night Photo and Night Lapse modes are

able to take exposures up to 30 seconds,
so you can experiment with more
creative efects
19

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

GoPro mounts

Multipurpose GoPro has a variety of

uses, making it the rugged camera
of choice for sports professionals,
enthusiasts and gadget-lovers alike
GoPro

Customise the way you wear your camera and keep

shooting the moments that matter most
GoPro cameras, by nature, are rugged and versatile little things.
Just because theyre compact in size, however, doesnt mean
theyre not for serious action shooting. The accessories that are
available for the GoPro systems are just as versatile as the cameras
themselves, and relect the wide range of uses that they were
designed to handle. Whatever your passion, theres bound to be a
GoPro mount that will help you achieve the desired shot and, more
importantly, the best point of view. You could wear your camera on
your head, mount it to your pooch, or attach it to your surfboard.
Whatever your purpose, check out all the diferent mounting and
holding options to make sure you capture all your adventures in the
most immersive way.

Record everywhere What sets the

GoPro apart from its rivals is the huge
array of mounts that enable you to take
it anywhere GoPro

20

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

Handheld
Keep your camera to hand and increase stability
and control with versatile handheld options
The Handler

Lightweight This mount is very light

and with a comfortable grip, you can
hold the mount anyway that works for
you GoPro

GoPro

This loating handgrip is perfect for

stabilising your footage when youre
in and out of the water, and its super
buoyant, keeping your GoPro aloat
so you can shoot worry-free. It comes
with an adjustable wrist strap for
greater camera security, and because its
waterproof to 10m, it really is the perfect
water sports accessory. It can provide some
really interesting points of view depending
on where you
choose to hold
the mount.

3 Way

GoPro

This ultra versatile mount is a little pricier than many of the others
on ofer, but because it can be used in three main ways: as a tripod,
extension arm or simple grip. Given all this
functionality, the 3 Way mount really is a worthy
investment. For those who love a selie, the
folding arm makes it easy to capture one without
the mount appearing in shot. By detaching the
handle from the arm, it becomes a camera grip
in its own right. Even more useful is the mini
tripod thats stored inside the handle, which is
lightweight but extends to 50.8cm tall. The whole
mount is waterproof, so you can be sure itll be
durable in adventurous shooting conditions. Its
versatility means to can give you some really
diferent points of view depending on how you
choose to angle it.

POV shots Its easy to capture POV

shots using the folding arm, without
including yourself in the shot GoPro
21

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

Harness mounts
Whether you want a dogs eye view or a hat
attachment, GoPro has got you covered
Head Strap +
QuickClip
This simple harness lets you
wear your GoPro directly
on your head or over a
helmet, so that you can
capture footage from a
headlamp-like perspective.
Like all harness mounts, its
fully adjustable to it a wide
range of sizes, and theres
a QuickClip included that
allows you to attach it to a
baseball cap.

QuickClip The QuickClip included with

the strap can attach to any item thats
3mm to 10mm thick GoPro

Chesty (Chest Harness)

When youre looking for an ultra immersive perspective, this is
the holster to choose. Because the GoPro is held at chest level,
its perfect for shooting activities where you might want a more
engaging, lower-than-the-helmet view of the action. For example,
when cycling youll capture more of your arms and handlebars. You
simply undo the
harness using the
Quick Release Buckle,
and the straps are
fully adjustable
so that youll ind
a perfect it. For
kids, teenagers and
smaller frames,
theres also a Junior
GoPro
Chesty available.

Harness up Shake up your shooting

level by mounting your GoPro in this
fully adjustable chest harness
22

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

Fetch (Dog Harness)

If you thought for one
minute that your furry
friends had to miss out
on the action, then youll
think again with this
mount, which enables
you to capture the world
from your dogs point of
view. This dog harness
features two mounting
locations: the chest (for
bone-chewing, digging
and front-paw action) and
the back (for over-the-head
shots of running, jumping, fetch and more). Well padded to ensure
maximum comfort, its also fully adjustable to it dog breeds of all
sizes, from 7 to 54kg. Because the material is washable and waterfriendly, your pet can carry on playing as normal.

For any dog size The well-padded

chest mount is removable, so it easily
accommodates smaller dogs GoPro

Original Wrist Housing

GoPro

One big selling point of GoPro models are their unobtrusive size,
and the compact dimensions also mean you can carry one in a
multitude of ways. How about wearing it like a watch, using this
afordable wrist housing? The Neoprene and
Velcro strap secures the camera lat
against your wrist, making
it a perfect companion
for activities such as
snorkelling, climbing and
skiing, when you want
to keep both hands free.
Importantly, its quick to
pivot the camera upright
as soon as you want to
shoot photos or video. The
housing its over bulky ski gloves,
but could also be strapped to sports gear itself, for example a
paddle or kitesuring kite.

Multipurpose mount This mount can

also be attached to sports gear for
when you need to keep both hands
free GoPro
23

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

Helmet options
Take your camera higher and capture the peak of
the action with a head mount
Side Mount
With this simple mounting option, its possible to attach the camera
to the side of both helmets and
vehicles. Designed to minimise
vibrations, its also adjustable
in three directions, so
aiming the angle of
recording should be
easy. Its side position
means that you can
shade the camera from
the sun even on bright
days, and it gives a better
irst-person perspective.

GoPro

Getting started The included

mounting hardware and owners
manual helps you get to grips with the
attachment GoPro

Helmet Front Mount

Similar in both price and format to the side mount, the Helmet
Front Mount enables the capture of forward-facing footage. Theres
an added bonus of an extendable arm, so that the camera can
be angled back at you
for self-portrait videos
and photos. Because
it mounts to the front
of most helmets, its
possibilities for use are
really quite endless
take it climbing,
mountain biking or
skiing. To remove the
mount, you heat the
adhesive bond with a
GoPro
hairdryer then peel it of.

Easy attachment The Helmet Front

Mount is easy to stick on and take off a
helmet when you want to GoPro
24

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

If theres ever a bit of sporting

gear that you cant attach a
GoPro to, the company are
quick to recognise it and
bring out a new mounting
option. In this section,
theyve pretty much
covered all the activities
you could need a helmet for,
and this particular mount will
enable you to attach a camera
to any vented bike, ski, kayak or
similar sports head protector. Many
users have found multiple uses for this product, though, doubling
it as a backpack strap mount in place of the chest mount, or a wrist
mount. This represents good value for money when you consider
that its the same price as the others in the helmet category.

GoPro

Vented Helmet
Strap Mount

A very simple design Its made from

moulded plastic and a strap, but it
performs well GoPro

NVG Mount
Although this NVG mount is twice the price of the other helmet
alternatives, its arguably the most rugged and durable option. It
mounts to helmets outitted with an NVG (night vision goggle)
mounting plate, and has even been a popular choice for the Army.
It delivers fairly low-proile positioning and a mounting thats ultra
compact. The camera should it snugly into the mount, so theres
no chance of it falling
of while running. That
being said, it unclips
quickly and easily
via a small button.
Compatible with all
GoPro quick-release
cameras, the NVG
mount is a viable option
for anyone who wants
an adventure, not just
GoPro
military users.

Secure mounting Your camera will be

held securely in this forward-facing NVG
mount GoPro
25

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

For everything else

The best of the rest: mounting options that expand
your creative perspectives even further
Roll Bar Mount
This product is just
perfect for clamping
to the metal or plastic
radiator cap of karts, but
is at just as at home on
bike frames, bumper
bars or roof racks. Put
simply, itll clamp to any
tube thats between
3.5 and 6.35cm, and its
3-Way Pivot Arm will
help you perfect your
angles in each shot.

Easy operation The dual thumb screws

of the Roll Bar Mount make installing,
tightening and removing the mount
quick and easy GoPro

GoPro

Mic Stand Mount

GoPro

Queen or King of karaoke? Or perhaps youve got some professional

concerts you want to share with your fans. Either
way, this afordable mount is a great way to use
your GoPro on a standard microphone stand,
enabling you to capture footage during
practice or performance from the best point
of view. Its compatible with standard US
5/8-27 mic stands, but also includes
an adapter for European 3/8-16 mic
stands. This means youre able
to shoot moments from your
greatest gigs on any GoPro
wherever you are. They are
used by big names during
concerts for recording
professional DVDs.

Record gigs This nifty mount is sure

to come in useful for recording at live
events GoPro
26

GoPro mounts

Introducing GoPro

Suction Cup

GoPro

This small but mighty piece of kit is

proven to stay put at speeds of up to
150+mph, and can be used on cars,
boats, motorcycles and more. Whether
you want to test it to its limits is up to
you, but the reviews are raving,
and the company says its an
industrial-strength product
thats been engineered for
stability and a broad range
of motion. The kit comes
with a standard base and
a quick release base, which means you can move conveniently
between shots and locations. The adjustable arms make it a
compact mount, but to achieve the maximum holding strength,
youll need to attach it to a clean surface, so make sure to wipe over
any surfaces you plan to attach it to with an alcohol wipe to ensure
it is the cleanest it can be.

Shoot fast This mount is a must if you

plan to use it at incredibly high speeds
GoPro

Surfboard Mounts
Surely one of GoPros most iconic mounts, this one can attach your
beloved camera to a surfboard, SUP or kayak. This new style GoPro
surf mount is smaller than the original, but still has enough surface
area to stick securely. It wont stick properly to a bodyboard, but
the more compact size means that you can mount it further up a
surfboard so its easier
to remove when not
in use. You get two
mounts in the pack,
and its ideal for using
during activities where
you need maximum
holding strength. Be
sure to give the mount
enough time to bond
to the board, before
you go plunging into
the surf.

Add a Floaty Backdoor Attaching

a bright floating backdoor is a
great way to spot your camera out in
the water
27

Batteries & chargers

Introducing GoPro

Batteries &
chargers
The GoPros battery gives it life, so make sure you
have spares and keep them charged

Spare battery Purchase a spare battery

to make sure you dont miss a vital
moment when your camera dies GoPro

GoPro

Rechargeable Battery
Its very important to carry spare
batteries around with you, just in case
your camera runs out of power halfway
through an adventure. Not what you
want! This is a 1160mAh lithium-ion
rechargeable battery that works
with the Hero4, and it costs
19.99/$19.99. However, there
are also rechargeable batteries
available for other camera
models too. We cant stress
enough what a worthwhile
investment this is.

Auto Charger

GoPro

When you are out and about, the GoPro Auto Charger is the
perfect way to keep your battery topped up. It
plugs in to your cigarette
lighter in your car, and
there are two USB ports
on it so you can even
charge two cameras at
the same time, or another
device that uses a USB port. You can keep recording footage while
it is charging too, and an LED light indicates when it has inished
charging. This is a really useful device to make sure your GoPro stays
charged while on the road, as there is nothing worse than running
out of battery mid-adventure!

Fast charge The Auto Charger gives

out 1amp per USB port great for quick
charging GoPro
28

Batteries & chargers

Introducing GoPro

This very handy Dual Battery Charger

allows you to power
up two batteries
simultaneously, so you
can ensure your spare
batterys charge is also
maintained, without
you having to wait
around. However, if you dont already have a spare, this comes with
a 1160mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery too.
Youll ind that most standard USB power adaptors will work
with it, as well as the GoPro Auto and the Wall Charger. A very
handy feature is the dual LED lights that let you know when each
battery has inished charging. This charger is for the Hero4, but
there is a slightly diferent version available for Hero3 too. It really
is a fantastic time-saving purchase that is a great kitbag extra at
just 24.99/$49.99.

GoPro

Dual Battery Charger

Save time Being able to charge two

batteries at once is a real timesaver
particularly useful if youre travelling
GoPro

Battery BacPac
When youre out on a particularly long shoot this product can help
extend your battery life signiicantly. Its a removable item that
attaches to the back of the camera and its compatible with the
standard housing.
This version features 15 per cent more capacity than the previous
model, so its the perfect partner for extended suring sessions or
backpacking adventures where you wont get to a charging point
easily any time soon. Its a really small item too, so it wont weigh
down your kitbag.
When you do get back
and are able to charge
it up, most standard
USB chargers, the GoPro
Auto or Wall Charger
will do the job just
ine. Its available for
39.99/$49.99 well
worth the investment
for adventurers.

Clip it on The Battery BacPac simply

clips on the back of the Hero3, Hero3+
and Hero4 models GoPro
29

Lenses & filters

Introducing GoPro

Lenses & filters

Achieve diferent efects and protect your kit with
these handy ilters
Anti-fog inserts

This lens ilter, which

is compatible with the
Hero4, Hero3+ and Hero3,
is an absolute must-have
if you want to avoid
scratches. It is designed
to it onto the end of your
lens when its not in the
housing, keeping dust and
dirt away from the glass. Bear in mind that at just 15.99/$19.99, its
much cheaper to replace a scratched ilter than it is to buy a whole
new camera. With that in mind, this might be worth considering.

There is little worse than your

footage getting ruined by
your lens steaming up midshoot. The Anti-fog inserts
(14.99/$14.99) simply slip into
the casing to avoid your lens
fogging up in humid and
cold conditions. GoPro

GoPro

Protective Lens &

Covers

Dive Filters

GoPro

These red and magenta ilters are extremely useful for divers, as
the name suggests. They must be purchased separately (priced at
59.99/$69.99 each) but both work at depths between 4.5m and
21.3m in order to correct the colour casts that can occur under
water. The red ilter works best in blue salt water or fresh clear
water, while the magenta ilter corrects the colour cast that is
caused by green water. The ilters
ix onto the front easily and are
made from scratch-resistant
material. This version is
compatible with
the Dive and Wrist
housing, however,
other versions
are available for
alternative housing.

Clear waters For clear, blue water, such

as in tropical locations, the red filter
works best GoPro
30

Lenses & filters

Introducing GoPro

Neutral Density Filter

If you dont already know what
one is, a neutral density (ND)
ilter is designed to block some
light, forcing your GoPro to
use a slower shutter speed.
This has many uses: irst of all,
it lets you shoot during bright
light without overexposing
the highlights. It can also be
used to take longer exposures,
resulting in motion blur. And
inally, it will help you in high-vibration environments, such as in a
car, on a plane, or when its attached to a quadcopter. The slower
shutter speed that the camera sets with an ND ilter attached will
help to counteract the wobble efect, smoothing out your video for
more professional results. This ND ilter from Polar Pro works with
the Hero4, Hero3+ and Hero 3, and costs 20/$29.99. As with many
accessories, though, alternative versions are available.

Protection from scratches As with

most GoPro filters, it is easily attached
to the front of the lens and will protect it
from scratches at the same time

Macro Lens Filter

On its own, the GoPros lens will only focus on objects that are at
least 12 inches away, so if you want to capture close-up detail, you
really need a macro ilter. This one from Polar Pro gives you 3.8x
more magniication, meaning with it attached you can focus on
objects as close as 3 inches. Polar
Pro ofer macro ilters for the
Hero4, Hero3+ and Hero3 for
40/$59.99 each. The ilter
is made of glass for optical
quality and it simply snaps
into the front of the lens
for hassle-free attaching,
meaning you can quickly slot
it in to capture a close-up,
then quickly remove it again
for normal shots. It can ofer
a really intriguing perspective
for shots.

Get up close This lens is great for

adding in a creative close-up to cut
between your normal footage
31

Introducing GoPro

Cases & doors

Cases & doors

There are a variety of cases and backdoors available
for your kit, but here are some of the most useful

HeroCast BacPac
If youre
really serious
about your
GoPro, this
wireless
transmitter
connects to
the camera
to allow
you to send
live content
to your audience. Its aimed
at pro broadcasters for live
sports coverage or music
events and should set you
back around $7500 (approx
4800). GoPro

BacPac Backdoor Kit

These backdoors (10.99/$9.99) work with Standard, Skeleton or
Blackout housing and let you it in an LCD BacPac or Battery BacPac.
The kit includes a
Standard BacPac
Backdoor, which is
waterproof up to 40m,
and a Skeleton version
that has space for you
to access the ports,
and the Touch BacPac
Backdoor even enables
you to use your LCD
Touch BacPac.

Floaty Backdoors
This rather ingenious little product is absolutely perfect for all you
surfers out there, because it attaches to your housings backdoor
in order to help keep it aloat if it is dropped in the water. Its bright
orange colour also helps you to easily spot it against the blue of the
water, so you can ind and retrieve it again. The pack also comes
with two adhesive anchors and camera tethers to boost its security,
and it includes spare
backdoors for the
Standard and Dive
Housing. They really
have thought of
everything, and its
worth every penny
of its 19.99/$19.99
price tag for complete
GoPro
peace of mind.

Stand out Not a colour youll miss, it

could save your camera in extreme
circumstances GoPro
32

Cases & doors

Introducing GoPro

Dive Housing
The Standard Housing is only waterproof down to depths of
40m, so if you want to go diving with your GoPro kit, youll need
something that will let you submerse it a little further. This Dive
Housing is waterproof down to 60m and its compatible with the
Hero4, Hero3+ and Hero3. Its a very durable product to be able
to handle extreme
activities, and its
lens glass is lat to
ensure your image
comes out as sharp
as possible. It includes
the Standard,
Skeleton and BacPac
backdoors. If you
want to keep your
camera safe and dry,
the 49.99/$59.99 will
GoPro
certainly be worth it.

Rugged and durable The GoPro Dive

Housing certainly looks like it could take
a knock or two GoPro

Dual Hero system

GoPro

It should be noted that the Dual Hero System (169.99/199.99) is

only compatible with Hero3+ cameras. This is a housing unit that
will hold two GoPros in tandem, for twice the footage.
Although the Hero4 is able to capture videos and stills
simultaneously, the Hero3+ is not, so having this housing lets you
shoot both at the same time to give you the best of both worlds.
Another use for this product is to record two synchronised bits of
video and then use the free GoPro Studio editing software to create
3D footage. In order to stop the process from being too iddly, you
are able to control
both cameras via
one camera. So if
youre the lucky
owner of two
cameras, you
could make the
next 3D hit in no
time at all!

Mounts This product works with most

mounts and includes two sets of Curved
+ Flat Adhesive Mounts too GoPro
33

Introducing GoPro

Storage drives

Storage drives
Team your GoPro up with a fast and large memory
card to back up your action-packed footage

This storage card from the

well-known and popular
SanDisk (39.99/$40.99) is
compatible with the whole
family of Hero models, and
has a capacity of 32GB.
However, there is also a
64GB version available if you need more space (64.99/$79.99). Its
write speed of up to 45MB/s is able to cope with the cameras burst
photo capture and 4K videos. It is also able to withstand water,
temperature, shock and X-rays. Its a great storage drive, reasonably
priced, and from a reliable manufacturer.

Climates This storage card can work in

most types of climates between 13 to
185 degrees Fahrenheit

Lexar 64GB microSDXC

GoPro

This card from Lexar (64.99/$79.99) has a large 64GB capacity,

which makes it absolutely perfect for the big 12MP ile sizes and
4K video. In fact, it is capable of storing more than 15 hours worth
of HD video or up to 33,000
photos. Its a Class 10 card
with UHS-I technology,
meaning that its a highperformance option that
delivers transfer speeds of
95MB/s. It is even waterproof,
temperature-proof, shockproof, vibration-proof and
X-ray-proof. Whats more, its
compatibility with any GoPro
model means its upgradeproof too!

Transfer files This card also comes with

a USB 3.0 reader so you can easily and
quickly transfer over your files GoPro
34

GoPro

SanDisk Extreme
32GB microSDHC

Cables

Introducing GoPro

Cables
Get connected with this variety of cable options for
your GoPro input and output
3.5mm Mic Adaptor
If audio quality is
important to you, then
make sure you buy this cable,
which allows you to use a 3.5mm external
microphone with your GoPro. Its compatible with the Hero4,
Hero3+ and Hero3, and is 19.99.

Micro HDMI Cable

To watch footage on an HDTV youll
need a micro HDMI cable to connect
your camera up. This one for Hero4,
Hero3+ and Hero3 can be picked up
for 19.99/$19.99.

Mini USB Composite Cable

For standard deinition TVs, youll need
this cable to connect your
camera, letting you play your
footage or watch your
videos on a big screen. Its
priced at 19.99/$19.99.

Smart Remote

If you want the best of both worlds, this cable

has multiple options and will only set
you back 34.99/$39.99. It allows
for composite video output,
3.5mm microphone input and
USB connectivity.

All GoPro

Combo Cable

35

The Smart
Remote
(64.99/
$79.99 allows
you to control
your GoPro
up to 180m
(600 ft). You
can turn your camera on or
off, start/stop recording, even
get into the settings on a
Hero4. Its waterproof to 10m
(33 ft) and can control up to
50 GoPros at once! GoPro

Getting started

Set up your GoPro

Set up your GoPro

Everything you need to get started with your GoPro
The great thing about the
GoPro range is that there is
something for everyone. No
matter the budget, your level
of experience, or whether
youre into full-throttle, actionadventure pursuits or simply
making music, there is a GoPro
model to suit you.
Currently the brand ofers
three main cameras, each with
diferent selling points: Hero4
Black (the 4K30 touting top-ofthe-range model), Hero4 Silver
(even more MP and touchscreen functionality) and Hero4
Session (lighter weight and
compact size). Alternatively, you might have stored away one of the older models: the Hero (for entrylevel users); Hero+ LCD (comes with a screen and Wi-Fi); Hero3 White (you can change the housing);
Hero3+ Silver (captures larger images). Whatever youve got, grab it and lets begin with our guide to
setting up now.

Fantastic extras After youre set up, you may ind these bits of kit useful

Gooseneck (19.99/$19.99)
Whats a GoPro without a mount thats
able to get those shots you just cant
reach? The Gooseneck is a bendy
option, compatible with most models.
36

Smart Remote
(64.99/$79.99)
A boon for photographers who want
to fire up the camera hands free. Its not
compatible with the Hero.

Chesty (34.99/$39.99)
There are harnesses and mounts for
all activities, but this chest harness is
likely one of the most versatile out
there. Theres a Junior version, too.

Set up your GoPro

Getting started

Whats inside a typical GoPro box? Discover the important bits supplied with your camera
This is the Hero4 Silver, but
whatever camera you buy
youre in for a treat

Let this manual help you

through the intricacies of
your new kit

The housing keeps your

camera protected and
waterproof to 40m

Use these sticky pads

to stick your camera
somewhere unusual

The battery can be

charged independently of
the camera

This mount can be used

as a grip, extension arm or
a tripod

37

You can transmit files via

USB, which also lets you
record while charging

This white rubber prevents

accidental release of the
quick release buckle

Getting started

Prepare your GoPro

1 Battery and card

Remove the camera
from its housing
simply by opening the
backdoor. Slide the latch
over on the battery door
and pop in the battery
before closing it. On the
side youll find a memory
card compartment
open it up and push your
Micro SD card into place.

2 Rehouse Its important that you put the housing back on

your camera correctly to ensure it remains waterproof and
safe from dust and debris. So slide the camera back into its
housing and close the backdoor by snapping the top latch
down firmly.
38

3 Lets get filming To turn the camera on, press the Mode
button on the front. If you press it again youll find the
folder of modes, where you can flick between filming and
photography modes. When youre ready to record, hit the
shutter button and tap it again to stop.

Getting started

Prepare your GoPro

Using the GoPro

menu screen

1 Make room for memories

The amount of video you
are still able to shoot or the
number of photos you can take
is shown at the bottom of the
front LCD next to the battery
level indicator.

4 Something to see Most of the GoPros dont have screens, which can make
knowing what youre shooting difficult, so either use the LCD BacPac that
attaches to the back of the camera or download the free GoPro App to your
smartphone and use it as a live viewfinder if your camera supports it.

2 Modes Press the Mode button

at the front to turn the camera
on and hit it again to find the
Mode folder. Here you select
what resolution to record
movies at and what modes to
use when capturing images.

3 Time and Date Go to Settings

and press the top button to
select. Next find Set Up and
scroll through until you get to
Date and select it. Once its right
just turn the camera off and on
again to set it.

5 Update to the latest version Updates are being made all the time to ensure
that your camera keeps up with all the latest upgrades in technology. To make
sure your model is running the latest version, youll need to check in at the
website and follow the instructions found at http://bit.ly/1RFjzrd. You can now
upgrade wirelessly using the GoPro App.
39

Use the Manual GoPro settings

Getting started

Use the Manual

GoPro settings

S Automatic settings By default, the

GoPro will automatically adjust its
settings to suit your surroundings
GoPro

T Settings adjustments You may want

to change settings when shooting in
very dark or bright scenarios GoPro

Take control of your GoPro camera with these

useful manual settings
The GoPro is a clever camera that works out the best settings for
the scene youre shooting. This is great for those occasions when
you dont have time to iddle with the settings, but there is the
option to take control if you need to. Just press the shutter button
to enter the Settings menu and use the power button to switch the
next settings page, or press the shutter button for more options.
In the Capture Setting sub-menu, youll be able to adjust things
like colour, brightness and even which way up your video and
photos appear. One of the options, known as Spot Meter, will
40

Use the Manual GoPro settings

GoPro

Getting started

You can tweak the colour,

contrast and saturation of
your video in the Colour
Tuning menu

S GoPro on YouTube For more advice

on settings, check out GoPros
instructional videos on YouTube

change the way the camera automatically adjusts to the lighting.

If activated, this will ensure the centre of the frame is exposed
correctly when ilming outside from in, for example.
Another setting to consider is white balance (WB). This controls
the colour temperature of the image to ensure it appears as trueto-life as possible. Its measured in Kelvin (K) and varies from 3000K
(the coolest temperature) to 6500K (the warmest). If youre shooting
under an incandescent bulb, for instance, your footage may appear
quite yellow and youll need to opt for a lower Kelvin value to get rid
of this incorrect colour cast.
If youre shooting in low light, however, you may want to play
with the ISO. By default it is set at 6400, which means that it will
make dark rooms brighter. The trade-of is that the results will be
grainy, so for cleaner-looking images, select a lower ISO limit such as
400. This wont afect footage recorded in daylight, though.
To exit the Settings menu at any time, simply hold the shutter
button for three seconds.

W Adjust the colour tones Set the

white balance to make sure the
colours are true to life GoPro
T Spot metering Turn on spot
metering to ensure the camera
prioritises its exposure in the centre
GoPro

41

Getting started

Shoot epic GoPro videos

Shoot epic
GoPro videos
Get to grips with GoPros most popular mode
so youre using the right settings for your scene
The number one thing to get to grips with in Video mode is
resolution. There are a variety of settings and each will determine
how wide or tall the footage appears when you play it back.
For instance, 1080 pixels will result in a widescreen view, but
1440p video will have a more vertical view. There are also higher
resolutions available on some models and they will provide greater
detail but larger ile sizes, so 1080 is a good middle ground to use.
Another important aspect of your movie making is frame rate.
A typical video on YouTube or television is recorded at 30 frames

T Striking selfies The wide-angle lens

can record you as well as the scenery
GoPro

42

Shoot epic GoPro videos

Getting started

S Shoot slo-mo Capture at 1280x720p

at 60fps for spectacular slow-motion
results, especially when recording
action scenes GoPro

per second (fps), but some GoPros ofer higher frame rates. Opt for
these when recording stunts as you can use editing software to
reduce the speed for an impressive slow-mo efect in your footage.
Next youll want to determine how much of the scene you record
with the Field of View options. Depending on what your camera
ofers, choose Wide for the widest view possible, Medium for a
slightly zoomed-in efect and Narrow for a regular look.
By default, the GoPro will automatically adjust to the scene, but
you can change this by turning on Protune if you have the Hero3,
3+ or 4. This is the last option in Capture Settings and it enables you
to alter white balance, colour tuning, ISO, sharpening and exposure,
as well as enhancing the quality by increasing the ile size. Changing
exposure is useful when youre recording a particularly bright or
dark scene. Set it to +2.0 to brighten, and -2.0 to darken the results.
Make sure you record a variety of angles, close-ups, point-of-view
and long shots in order to create more visually arresting videos.

You can use editing software to reduce

the speed for an impressive slow-motion
efect in your footage

S Change perspectives Record plenty

of angles to make your videos more
interesting and to give you plenty of
options while editing GoPro
43

Getting started

Capture great GoPro photos

Capture great
GoPro photos

S The fish-eye effect This distorted

look can be used to comical effect
when taking photos of friends
GoPro

T Try helpful mounts A pole mount

can help you compose self-portraits
at a flattering angle with plenty of
background in the shot GoPro

Master Photo mode and wow your friends with

your amazing images
Youll ind Photo mode near the top of the Settings menu. Activate
this and the GoPro will act like a regular camera. You can then
choose to leave the GoPro in automatic mode so that it makes all
the tricky decisions for you.
However, to take more control over your image making simply
cycle to the Settings menu, press the shutter button to enter and
then press the Mode button for options. This includes megapixels
(MP), which will afect how large the photo will be. There are
diferent options depending on your camera; the lower the number,
44

Capture great GoPro photos

Getting started

There are a variety of ilters that attach

to the front of the lens and enhance the
colours of your photos
the more scaled down the image will be. While a lower resolution
will take up less space on your memory card, its best to shoot in the
largest resolution and crop images after.
The standard shot on most models has a slight ish-eye efect,
which is due to the cameras ultra-wide, 170-degree angle lens. It
crams a lot of background into the frame, which is ideal for action
photos but may not be appropriate for a portrait. To change this,
select from GoPros ield of view (FOV) options. Chose from Ultra
Wide, Medium and Narrow, with the latter providing a more
conventional appearance and Ultra Wide creating a ish-eye efect.
Its also possible to capture both still and moving footage at
the same time by selecting Photo + Video mode. This will capture
images at set durations while the GoPro is recording. The downside
is that pictures are limited to a lower resolution but its useful for
special one-of occasions. In addition to Settings, always take
practical elements into consideration, like the direction of the
sun and whether you have enough foreground and background
interest to ensure your photos are the best they can be.

S Simultaneous shooting Switch to

Photo + Video mode to record video
and capture photos at the same
time GoPro

W Use Waterproof housing Shoot

beneath the waves but always
make sure to attach a protective
waterproof case first GoPro
T The field of view The standard shot
comes with a fish-eye effect, but it
can be changed in Settings GoPro

45

Take burst-effect photos

Getting started

Take bursteffect photos

Use the Continuous Photo mode so you can ire
multiple shots so youll never miss the moment
Continuous Photo mode enables you to take a series of images in
quick succession by holding down the shutter button. Its designed
for capturing fast-moving subjects such as a sports event, where an
ill-timed shot could mean missing the crucial moment. By providing
the photographer with plenty of photos to choose from, they are
free to select the best from the bunch, or even stitch a sequence of
images together using editing software.
This mode is indicated by an icon of a camera and will turn the
GoPro into a conventional point-and-shoot. Once Continuous

X Capture action Action lovers are

free to perform a stunt while the
camera takes care of the rest GoPro

T Take a burst Shoot a succession

of shots quickly to make sure you
capture the best image GoPro

46

Take burst-effect photos

Getting started
Burst in action

Capture multiple shots

using Continuous Photo
mode and then stitch
them together

Joakim Sommer

GoPro

Photo is enabled, you will be able to take photos nonstop for up

to 30 images at a time. They can be taken at diferent rates; three
shots per second (SPS), ive per second or ten per second. Once the
camera has reached 30, it will pause in order to write the image iles
to the cameras SD card, regardless of the resolution or rate youre
shooting at. This only takes a few seconds and then you will be free
to start another continuous sequence.
If you have selected Continuous Photo mode and you ind
that only a couple of images have been captured, this is probably
because the shutter button was released too early. Make sure you
hold it down for the entire duration to get the maximum number
of photos. However, if the opposite is true and you end up with a
whole batch of pictures with a single press of the shutter, then you
may have selected Burst Photo mode instead. This will capture lots
of images in an even shorter length of time, but it takes twice as
long to save the iles to the camera.

47

Get to know the menus

Getting started

Get to know the menus

Get to grips with the GoPro menus, where to ind the diferent functions and
what each of the symbols means

Key
Auto Low Light

Continuous Photos

Field of View

Looping

Auto Off

Date/Time

Frames Per Second

Megapixels

Beeps

Default Mode

Interval

Night Lapse

Burst Photos/
Multi-Shot Mode

Delete

ISO Limit

Night Photo

Color

Exposure Value
Compensation

LEDs

On-Screen Display

48

Get to know the menus

Getting started

Orientation

Setup Mode

Time Lapse

Video Resolution

Playback Mode

Sharpness

Touch Display

White Balance

Protune

Shutter

Video Format

Wireless

QuikCapture

Single Photo/
Photo Mode

Video + Photo

Rate

Spot Meter

Video/Video Mode

49

Getting started

Cleaning your GoPro

Cleaning your GoPro

Keep your lens clean to ensure dirty marks dont appear in your videos. All you
need are two cheap bits of kit
With seawater, sand, mud and more often being part of the locations where youre most likely to use
the camera, keeping your GoPro clean is extremely important. Not only will this keep it looking its best,
but it will also stop dirt and grime from ruining your footage. After a salt-water dive, soak the housing in
fresh water, and always store your kit in a protective bag to avoid further dust and dirt building up. Then
make sure you use our step-by-step guide to clean the cameras lens, otherwise you may start to see
dust spots appear in your footage.

50

Cleaning your GoPro

Getting started

1 Remove dust If there is dirt, its important not to scrub it,

as youll scratch the glass. Use a blower to move dust off
without you having to touch the lens with your fingers.

2 Remove smudges To get rid of grime or fingerprints,

GoPro recommends not using a cleaning solution. Simply
breathe on the lens to fog it up and gently wipe it with a
micro fibre lens cloth.

3 Keep other kit clean Avoid dirt getting back onto the
lens again by simply making sure your housing and bag
are clean. Use the blower in the bags creases and the
cloth on the housing.
51

Getting started

Stay safe using your GoPro

Stay safe using

your GoPro

S Stay safe Make sure you put your

safety first when filming a movie or
shooting some stills with the GoPro
GoPro

Dont get carried away or take risks with the camera

We often put our pursuit of art above all things, but putting it above
our own personal safety and the safety of others is just plain stupid.
There are many ways you can shoot and stay out of harms way;
heres some advice on staying GoPro safe!

Prepare before you set of

The most logical thing to do is to tell someone where you are
going, with whom and when youll be back. If your plans change,
be sure to update the person with a text to keep them in the know.
Its advisable to never go of for a shoot without a fully charged
phone battery, as it really could make the diference if you ind
yourself stranded somewhere.
52

Getting started

Stay safe using your GoPro

Check the weather

Essential safety gear

BA Turkish

Be sensible and make sure

you always check the weather
forecast for the day of the
shoot, then pack your backpack
and vehicle accordingly. So, if its
going to rain, take waterproofs,
a towel and spare dry clothes
and shoes. If the weather forecast predicts a scorcher of a day,
be sure to pack plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat. For cold
climates, extra thermal clothes and a thermos of a hot drink will be
appreciated, plus keep a blanket, extra food and water, a torch and
shovel in your cars boot just in case a small snow lurry turns into
a full-blown blizzard.

Head Strap & QuickClip 20/$20

This handy headgear allows you to
fasten your GoPro to your head or
a backwards-facing baseball cap,
making it ideal for those who want
to look good while being safe, such
as snowboarders, skateboarders
or surfers.

Shooting from heights

It doesnt take a genius to know to take extra precautions when
shooting from heights, but there are sometimes things we just
cant predict, so were going to cover all the bases just in case.
When using your camera on the top of a building, clif tops or a
steep drop, pay plenty of attention to the real world instead of just
watching the action through the LCD. Watch your footing and if you
want to reach out over the edge as far as you can to get the shot,
then use one of GoPros compatible mounts.

Wear protective clothing

Part of the attraction to GoPro products is that they are designed
for adrenaline-fuelled sports and action-adventure lifestyles,
but just because your camera can withstand a few knocks and
scrapes, doesnt mean that you can. Make sure you always wear
the appropriate safety gear and put yourself irst; the GoPro can be
replaced, but you certainly cant.

Dont rely on your phone

as you might ind yourself
without signal; bring a
map and compass too

Helmet Front Mount or Side

Mount 15/$15 each For fast and
furious activities where protective
headgear is a must, the Helmet
Front Mount or Side Mount leave
your hands free to concentrate on
staying safe. Bikers, snowmobilers,
kayakers and pot holers: take note.
53

All GoPro

Wrist Housing 40/$50

Compatible with the Hero4, Hero3+
and Hero3, the Wrist Housing, with
touch display functionality, is
the only choice for those who
enjoy full throttle activities
where holding the camera is out of
the question.

Using your GoPro

Introducing the GoPro App

Introducing the
GoPro App
Control your GoPro using the free smartphone app
Even if you own a GoPro with a touch-sensitive screen, it can be
a challenge to compose a shot, especially when the camera is
mounted in an inaccessible place (such as on a helmet). Of course,
you can buy a dedicated GoPro Smart Remote to change camera
settings and trigger recordings, but this solution is quite expensive
and wont help you with a shots composition.
The free GoPro App enables you to compose your shots using
Live Preview, record and play back video clips, and then even share
them on the go all from the comfort of your smartphone or
tablets screen. You can also use its portal to the GoPro Channel to
discover other GoPro users content and get inspiration for your own
shoots. A nice addition is that the app is now compatible with the
Apple Watch, which brings an exciting wealth of possibilities to the
fore, such as the ability to preview shots, control your camera and
even add HiLight Tags.

S Photo of the Day Be inspired by

viewing video content on the GoPro
Channel and peruse the Photo of the
Day via GoPro App
X Portable shoot Compose, shoot
and share your GoPro footage using
GoPro App and a portable device
(Apple Watch not pictured)
54

Using your GoPro

Introducing the GoPro App

Where can I get it from?

Sync with GoPro App

Before you can remotely

control your GoPro youll need
to download the free GoPro
App onto your smartphone
or tablet device. You can
download GoPro App from
the App Store if youre using
an iPhone or iPad, or Google Play for Android devices. The app will
also run on Windows phones. It is compatible with Hero4, Hero3+,
Hero3, Hero Session (you may need to update the camera software)
and also with the HD Hero2 if youve purchased a Wi-Fi BacPac.

1 Pair app with GoPro Launch

the app. Click the Settings icon.
Choose Connect Your Camera.
Tap the camera model. Turn on
your GoPros Wi-Fi and select
the GoPro App menu option. A
pin number will appear on your
GoPro screen.

Get connected
When GoPro App is installed
on your portable device you
must pair it with your GoPro via
Bluetooth. This pairing process
is a one-of procedure. Once
the app has paired with your
device, youll use a Wi-Fi link to
transfer data between your camera and your phone.
The GoPro app will talk you through the process of how to
connect your camera to your smartphone. This process varies
between GoPro models. In our sidebar tutorial we demonstrate
how to pair an iPhone with a Hero4 as an example. Once youve
successfully paired your GoPro to your phone or tablet you can
select it via Wi-Fi. Youll also be able to replace your GoPros generic
name with an easier-to-identify label so that you can connect to
your camera in a location where other GoPro users are operating
(such as a skate park). A personalised password will also help
protect your GoPro from being accessed by other GoPro App users.

2 Create name and password

Select your camera. Tap Pair
My Camera, and then enter the
pin number that shows on the
GoPros display. Next, tap Pair.
Create a personalised camera
name and password for your
GoPro. Tap Continue.

Wi-Fi will drain your

battery faster, so invest in
a spare when using the
app with your phone

3 Take control Go to your

iPhones Wi-Fi Settings and
select the personalised GoPro
camera from the list. Enter your
password to connect to the
GoPro via Wi-Fi. You can now
go to the GoPro App and tap
Connect & Control.
55

Using your GoPro

Introducing the GoPro App

Live Preview
Once you have got your GoPro talking to your smartphone or tablet
you will be able to shoot with conidence, as you can preview
precisely what the GoPro is going to capture using GoPro Apps Live
Preview video feed. As well as enabling you to produce a perfect
composition, Live Preview helps you to avoid the disappointment
of ilming an awesome stunt and then realising that the camera was
misaligned and actually missed the action!
By playing your GoPros captured footage back on a
smartphones larger screen, you are able to check that it looks
perfect while you are still on location, enabling you to re-shoot if
necessary. After viewing the footage you may decide that you need
to set your GoPro to shoot with a wider or narrower ield of view to

Live Preview Use GoPro Apps Live

Preview video feed for more control

Setting information

Capture modes

Adjust settings

Action!

Here we can see that were

shooting at a resolution of 1080
and a shutter speed of 30 fps, with
a Medium field of view

Click on this icon to select a Capture mode

(such as Video, Photo or Multi-Shot). You
can then choose a particular mode such
as Video or Time Lapse Video

Tap here to choose a setting

to suit your subject matter,
such as aspect ratio, shutter
speed and field of view

When youre happy with your

settings and composition, tap
the big red button to capture
video or stills on your GoPro

56

Introducing the GoPro App

Using your GoPro

Take manual control

To share footage to a
social-network site via
your iPhone, shoot using
a lower resolution
suit your subject matter. Normally, changing a setting like the ield
of view would take multiple button presses in order to access the
appropriate sub-menu. By using GoPro App, you can change the
ield of view in just three taps!
A recent enhancement to the GoPro app also lets you pull highquality still images from your videos. As you can imagine, this means
that you can obtain some stunning shots in amongst the action to
highlight an expression, explosion anything. You can then share
them instantly with other people straight from the app.

1 Set up Protune In app, set

the capture mode to Video.
Then tap on the Settings icon
to access the Video Settings
window. Now, scroll down
to Protune and tap in order
to access its manual imageadjusting controls.

Highlight tags
If you are ilming a subject using cameras such as the Hero4 Silver
you are able to tap the Live Preview windows Highlight tag icon to
lag up an important or signiicant moment (such as a successful
trick on a skateboard, for example). This highlight tag will make it
much easier for you to ind that precise moment when you import
the footage into the desktop GoPro Studio app later on, saving you
time. You can also view highlight tags as yellow bars on the timeline
when you play back your footage on GoPro App itself, which can
be handy.

2 Ensure natural colours Click

on Color and choose Flat. This
mode creates more subtle and
natural colours that you can
tweak in editing apps (such as
GoPro Studio) to get a specific
look. It also captures more
shadow and highlight detail.

Extra adjustments

1 White balance Setting White

Balance to Native, you can use GoPro
Studio to experiment with more
accurate White Balance settings.

3 Improve exposure When

shooting in contrasting lighting
conditions, make sure you use
the EV Comp (exposure value
compensation) slider to open
up or close down the GoPros
aperture and ultimately get a
better exposure.

2 ISO A high ISO makes the camera

more sensitive to light, but this can
add picture noise. You can drop the
ISO Limit to reduce noise.
57

Getting started

Control your GoPro with Apple Watch

Control your
GoPro with
Apple Watch

S Quick use Using the Preview Mode

is a great way to ensure you get the
shot every time. You can also use it
to get the right angle
X Minimal effort With the GoPro app
on your Apple Watch, capture all of
your most treasured memories with
one touch of the wrist

Use Apple Watch with your GoPro, to start your

adventure with the tap of a wrist
GoPro have partnered with Apple and created an Apple Watch app.
Your Watch acts like a remote controller, capable of previewing your
shot, adjusting modes and marking highlights as you go along. With
your Apple Watch and iPhone already paired, power up your GoPro
and turn on its Wi-Fi to pair your iPhone to your GoPro. Then, open
the GoPro app and connect it to your camera with your phone.
58

Control your GoPro with Apple Watch

Getting started
Utilise Highlights

Preview, not review

When you open up the app, your Watch will instantly be turned
into a remote control. On the opening screen youll see a red push
button, it is here that you can begin using the app to its fullest. You
can press the red button to record video, or use the Digital Crown
to cycle through the diferent modes such as Burst Mode, Stills
Mode, Time Lapse or Video. Its worthwhile noting that, whereas
you cant review the footage shot on your Apple Watch (your
phone will do that just ine), you can see a preview by swiping
right. This mode is really geared up to allow you the opportunity to
compose and set up your shot rather than use it as a view inder.
When using the Preview Mode, you will also be shown the
settings your footage is recording in, such as Deinition, Frame Rate
and Lens Mode.

1 Open up the app

Make sure that your GoPro and
Apple Watch are connected
and communicating. Scroll
through your app list and open
up the GoPro app. Once its
open, select the Record Mode
for filming.

Highlights
Highlights is quite possibly one of the best editing aides a ilm
maker could have when it comes to sifting through hours of
footage. It will streamline your worklow allowing you to see the
iles youve highlighted. Each highlighted ile will have a yellow
tag on it in the ile list, and when your ile is on the Editing Suites
timeline, you will see a yellow marker at the time the button was
pressed. This gives you an even better overview of your work.

2 Its all yellow While you are

recording footage, you need to
make sure that you always stay
vigilant for the moment you are
looking for and when it presents
itself, hit the Highlight button.
This will make sure you have the
moment stored.

3 File list priorities Your file list

is where you will see the
tagged files. Select one of the
segments you wish to view
and, when open in the timeline,
you will see the time-stamped
highlight marker.
59

Use your GoPro on the water

Using your GoPro

Use your GoPro

on the water
Capture every heart-stopping moment whether its catching the
wave of your life or racing through river rapids
The foolproof water resistant housing that comes with your GoPro makes it ideal for
taking out on or under the water. Grabbing yourself an adhesive mount is an
excellent idea for suring or body boarding, with lat and curved mounts available.
Even if youre planning to visit the deep sea, GoPro ofers a dive housing that is
waterproof to 60 metres (200 feet).
A handlebar mount is a jet skiers best friend and kayakers can get a camera rig
that attaches to the front of the boat. These ilm from an elevated height while not
obscuring your view of the open ocean.

60

Use your GoPro on the water

Using your GoPro

S The ultimate selfie

The GoPro lets you film or
photograph any moment
of your life and the water
sports accessories on offer
make your coolest memories
unforgettable GoPro
61

Using your GoPro

Use your GoPro on the water

S Surfs up Permanent sticky mounts

allow you to record or snapshot all
the action your surfboard sees, or
you can flip the camera so it records
what you see. You might just capture
action that could go viral GoPro

These cameras were made for the water and can be used in
countless ways to create the perfect shot. Surfers can stick a
permanent mount to their board to ilm themselves or use a head
or chest mount for POV footage. GoPro makes a speciic kit for
surfers that includes safety tethers and a locking board plug to
make sure the camera has no chance of escape.
Windsurfers, kitesurfers and sailors have the advantage of ixing
their camera up high. When rigging your windsurf, use a clamp
mount or an adjustable watch-strap mount to ix the camera to
the mast. Angle the camera where you want, and experiment with
what height works best. Filming when windsuring is easy because
you can adjust your camera with ease. Just by dropping the
windsurf sail you can access the top of the mast.
Mounting a GoPro to a bigger boats mast is a diferent story.
Attach it when rigging the boat, ideally before the mast is erected.
If you forget, a quick capsize is a great opportunity to ind your way
to the top of the mast. There are other places around the vessel to
attach your camera, from metal railings, atop the engine or even
just the bow.
62

Use your GoPro on the water

Using your GoPro

S Snorkel selfies Swimming with wildlife

is an incredible experience. Take your
GoPro along for the ride with you, but get
yourself a bobber mount first. Its easy
to hold and it will stop your camera from
sinking to the seabed GoPro
W Capture with your kayak You can easily
record sports that require two hands by
mounting your GoPro directly to the hull
of your kayak. If not, get yourself a helmet
with its own mount to be able to film
yourself from above GoPro
T Climb the rigging Get the authentic
pirate experience by attaching your
GoPro camera to your boat mast. If the
metal is too thick for this, try attaching it
to a rope or metal shroud that keeps the
sail in place instead GoPro

63

Use your GoPro on the water

Using your GoPro

S Get into the blue Take your

GoPro on the ultimate
underwater adventure if youre
SCUBA certified. Either film your
entire dive or take snapshots
when you spot something worth
capturing, but make sure the water
visibility is good enough GoPro
64

Use your GoPro on the water

Using your GoPro

SK
eep your kit safe Use the Floaty
Backdoor (left) to make your camera
float if you drop it into the water, and
the bright orange colour will also
make it stand out so you can quickly
spot it. Use an adhesive mount like
the one shown here (right) to keep
your camera attached safely to your
water sports equipment

GoPros are also excellent for capturing whats going on beneath

the waters surface, so ixing it to the underside of your board or
boat can result in phenomenal footage. If mounting the camera
in this way, make sure you attach a loating device in case it gets
dislodged. SCUBA diving with a GoPro is a dream, as it leaves both
your hands free when under the water so you can explore your
surroundings unhindered. Deep divers can even get ilters to attach
to the housing to correct colours in murky or deep water. Red light
disappears after descending 30 to 40 metres (100 to 130 feet), so a
ilter can make a real diference to your shots.
If youre reluctant to plunge your precious camera straight into
the water, try testing the housing irst. Submerge the empty casing
in a bucket or bathtub and watch closely for air bubbles. If a steady
stream of bubbles emerges from the plastic, its likely that there
is water getting in somewhere. Make sure the casing is properly
locked in place and try again. If the bubbles continue, contact the
manufacturer and get a replacement.
The vital thing to bear in mind when using a GoPro in water is
to keep it clean. After every water sports session, especially in salt
or chlorinated water, soak the housed camera in a bucket of fresh
water for up to an hour. Let it dry before opening the housing and
removing your camera.

Diving with GoPro

Before taking your precious
camera down, take the empty
housing on a test run first.
Then snap your waterproof
housing in place around your
charged camera, making
sure the memory card is in.
Use an elastic body mount,
or grab a mask with a built-in
mount so the camera picks up
everything your eyes do.

Deep divers can get ilters to attach

to the housing to correct colours in
murky or deep water
65

Using your GoPro

Stay on piste

Stay on piste
Snow-topped mountain, check. Snowboard/skis, check.
Thermals, salopettes, beanie hat and goggles, check. Now all
you need to experience that snow-fuelled adrenaline rush is
your GoPro to capture all the action!
That fantastic white snow, that crisp mountain air, that high you get from
performing a McTwist, Tamedog or Frontside Misty you just cant beat it. And
thankfully the GoPro is capable of capturing it in all its clear, sharp and bright glory.
But having a GoPro is one thing; knowing how to use it properly on the slopes
is quite another. Thats why over the next few pages weve spoken to two of the
worlds greatest GoPro-using snow sports enthusiasts to clue you in on what
mounts and settings to use, what to focus on and more.

66

Stay on piste

Using your GoPro

W GoPro in the snow The
GoPros ability to connect
to boards, skis, helmets and
your body makes it the ideal
camera to shoot with while on
the slopes Hiishii

67

Stay on piste

Using your GoPro

S Airborne Allstar Well the main

thing is that your filmer is a solid
rider or skier and ready to follow
you wherever you go, because in my
opinion follow-cam brings out the
best action on to the screen. Its so
dynamic and entertaining to
watch, suggests snowboarding
Olympian Peetu Piiroinen

More people are falling in love with adrenalin-fuelled piste pursuits

than ever before, thanks mainly to their growing inclusion in global
audience-reaching events like the Winter Olympics. Not only
have snow sports become incredibly popular to watch, but more
and more of us are tempted to give them a go, and what better
way to capture our triumphs and tribulations than with a camera
speciically designed for this adventure-driven experience.
Finlands Peetu Piiroinen, four times TTR World Champion, not to
mention silver-medal Olympian, is a huge advocate of the GoPro,
claiming that having the camera around helps to push him to
greater heights. It always gives us an extra boost when theres a
camera around. Ill go bigger, focus 100% on each trick to be as
stylish as possible. Also its a great tool when trying something new
so I can see what I could do better or diferent while in the air or
on a rail. Thats not the only reason the GoPro Hero4 Black edition
is the 27-year-old snowboarders weapon of choice. Its the best
in range and even though we usually dont ilm 4K with it for our
little online edits, it has the possibility when were doing bigger
productions. All-in-all GoPro is a great little tool with big features;

David Malacrida

68

Stay on piste

Using your GoPro

BA Turkish

Enthusiast BA Turkish
on using GoPro

Amateur BA Turkish explains

why he uses a GoPro to record
his action-packed videos
What do you use GoPro for?
I mainly use it for action/sport
shoots. I also used several
GoPros for an automotive
shoot where we mounted the
cameras on different vehicles.
But Im planning on using it for
cinematographic purposes and
more scenic shoots as well.

S In the action I prefer to see the

movement, says Peetu Piiroinen. Seeing
the whole trick from start to end and
filming full lines is in my opinion the best
way to go. If theres a need for stills you
can get screengrabs afterwards
David Malacrida

W Star settings Use your GoPro at at

least 1080p. When you watch it on the
big screen youll see why, suggests
medal-clad Austrian Snowsports star,
Tom Klocker

Why do you use GoPro?

It opened up a very new branch
of shooting video. Because of
its compactness and features
you have more possibilities for
perspectives and a creative way
of filming.

Hiishii

T High quality The new GoPro Hero4 Black

is the best camera for adventure sports on
the market right now, says Tom Klocker.
Good quality is so important nowadays
Hiishii

What is your proudest

GoPro achievement?
Frost. Im not a pro snowboarder
so it didnt have any crazy moves
in it. But I think I did a pretty good
job editing it. [See it here: bit.
ly/1BWcWrl]
Whats your GoPro advice?
When shooting action footage,
the quality and look very much
depend on weather conditions.
The best footage I got was when
there was a lot of sun and no or
just a few clouds. Everything casts
harder shadows and therefore
has more structure and looks a lot
more detailed and neat.

69

Stay on piste

Using your GoPro

S Snowboarding shots Both

Austrias Tom Klocker and Finlands
Peetu Piiroinen, are huge fans of
the GoPro and use it regularly to
capture film footage and image
stills while they are snowboarding
alone or with friends Hiishii
70

Stay on piste

Using your GoPro

GoPro

Hiishii

Snowboarder Tom
Klocker on GoPro

Pro boarder Tom Klocker tells

us why he chooses to use a
GoPro and why it works so
well for him

its easy to use, theres no need for big camera bags and most of
the time Im riding with friends and so we take turns ilming so that
everybody gets some shots and no one needs to stand around by
themselves with a camera.
Peetu, who mainly uses his GoPro with a 3 Way mount,
predominantly captures follow-cam footage and has no problem
sharing his shooting secrets. We always try to keep the distance
as even as possible for the whole run, so stay as close as possible
to the subject at all times, but at a safe distance, as you dont want
to land on your buddy if he crashes. For settings, I select 60fps (its
good for slo-mo shots) and 1080p minimum. I have the camera
setting on Wide, which helps keep the subject constantly in frame
and aim at the midsection of the rider so you wont lose him/her.
When you get that right and youre ilming in sunny conditions with
some trees etc for contrast, youll get sick material to take back to
the edit table. On long ilming days we mark the good shots right
away onto a phone to make the edit quicker. I like a lot of actionpacked short edits, so we usually dont have very long approaches
to obstacles, just good old-fashioned action. The more you practice
the better youll get at editing, ilming and riding. Just have fun on
the slopes and youll catch some good memories on your personal
memory bank and on your cameras memory card!

Why do GoPro cameras mesh

well with snow sports?
You can just use it so easily; press
record and its on, plus its small
you can bring it everywhere and
the quality is amazing. When
were filming, we always use
GoPros for second angles and
creative on-the-head angles.
Which GoPro do you use?
The Hero4 Black, because the
quality is just breathtaking when
you record 2.7K or even better 4K.
What mount do you prefer?
Mostly I use it with a stick
and hold it in my hand, but
sometimes I use it on my head.
What advice do you have for
GoPro users?
When you use a GoPro on your
helmet, remember to check the
camera is in the right position
lens pointing down in the
direction you travel and always
use the appropriate settings. If,
like me, you prefer filming with
the stick, remember to check that
the lens is not pointing too high
or too low; it should point to your
chest so you are in the frame. Also
try some slo-mo shooting the
results are awesome!

For settings, I select 60fps and 1080p

minimum. I have the camera setting
on Wide Peetu Piiroinen
71

Using your GoPro

Take GoPro to the extreme

S Weapon of choice
From bungee jumpers to zorbers,
free climbers to FMX riders, the
GoPro is the only camera that can
keep up with these thrill-seeking
enthusiasts, thanks to its size,
functionality, ease of use, quality
of results and ability to attach to
almost anything Hiishii
72

Take GoPro to the extreme

Using your GoPro

Take GoPro to
the extreme
If youre addicted to adrenalin, then extreme sport is for
you! Find out how to best use your GoPro to capture these
dangerous yet exciting pastimes
Skydiving, rock climbing, base jumping, wingsuiting, high-lining, paragliding,
parkour, sand kitting, caving, sandboarding, BMXing, clif jumping, cave diving
the list of extreme sports goes on and on, much like the enthusiasm of those
who participate in these white-knuckle hobbies. As the action happens at such
an incredible pace, and the feats these so-called adrenaline junkies achieve are
so death-defying, it makes sense to want to capture the rush as it happens from
the irst-person perspective, which is why so many ly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants
adventurers invest in GoPros; they are small, can attach to almost anything, and
record the action in superb clarity, ready to be relived at will.

73

Take GoPro to the extreme

Using your GoPro

S Image quality
Extreme sport makes me happy; that rush
of adrenaline through my veins makes
me feel free. Matej Cesak enthuses. The
15-year-old pro sets his GoPro at the
highest image quality to relive his stunts in
impeccable detail Hiishii
W Gear guide
If youre passionate about adventure
sports and want to capture the thrill as it
happens, invest in a suitable harness or
mount so that you can attach your GoPro
to you or your equipment and record the
action smoothly Joakim Sommer
T First-person experience
If youre determined to relive that thrill,
opt for a helmet mount or helmet strap, to
get as close to your eye-level as possible
GoPro

74

Using your GoPro

Q&A with FMX Pro

Matej Cesak

Hiishii

S Video versus stills

As the action happens at such
a fast pace, most extreme
sportspeople prefer to shoot in
video rather than stills. Then if
users want images, they can cut
sterling screengrabs from the
video, thanks to the GoPros high
image quality GoPro

At 15 years old, FMX Pro

Matej Cesak uses his GoPro to
take stunning footage of his
stunts. We find out more
You are fairly young to have
career highlights, but if you
had to name a few what
would they be?
The best so far is getting first
place in Brno Race (Czech
Republic) for The Best Whip, and
also regularly attending Masters
of Dirt.

Extreme sports lovers live for that rush, and thats one of the reasons
GoPro is favoured by these adrenaline addicts; they can relive and
share the thrill of that experience over and over again, whether it be
with their 90-year-old grandma or future ofspring in the year 2090.
One such GoPro-using, white-knuckle devotee is Matej Cesak,
a 15-year-old student from Prague who, when not in school, is
delighting fans with his death-defying stunts in freestyle motorcross
(FMX) events all over the world. Im just an ordinary teenager
who happens to have a lot of adrenaline-fuelled hobbies, the Pro
says humbly. While attempting to impress judges with jumps and
stunts midair on a motorbike, Matej records all the action with his
GoPro Hero4. I usually always use a high-deinition setting, which is
perfect for outdoor shooting. I attach the camera to many locations,
but in my opinion the best views for extreme sports come from
being attached to the chest, helmet or fender in my case, using a
range of GoPro mounts and harnesses to keep the camera as still
as possible so the motion is smooth, not shaky. To discover what
GoPro mount best suits your preferred sport, just visit the online
shop at shop.gopro.com.

What model of GoPro do you

use and why?
I decided to go for the GoPro
Hero4, because its perfect for the
sport and events that I do.
How so?
The Hero4, and GoPro cameras
in general, are just the best! The
functionality of the camera and
quality of the video are amazing.
My family and friends can finally
see what I see, and feel what I feel
when Im flying through the air
on my motorbike. Also, it means
that the feeling you only get from
sports like this lasts much longer
thanks to GoPro!

75

Take it up a gear

Using your GoPro

S Choose your attachment

Depending on your
preference for content,
the helmet or the bikemounted options will work
best for you, so weigh up
the options of practicality
with what you want to see
in your footage GoPro
76

Take it up a gear

Using your GoPro

Take it up
a gear
Top technical tips

Get on your bike and capture great moments from

your cycling routes or of-road adventures
GoPro action cameras are notoriously used for extreme sports and
crazy outings, but sometimes you might just want to document a
new cycling route.
The irst thing to consider with any outing on a bike or near a
road is safety. So make sure you wear a helmet, ix some lights to
your bike and load up with food and drink before heading out. You
will need to make sure you have the right attachment to hand, so
question what kind of footage youre after. Do you want to capture
the cyclists point of view? Would you prefer a bike-mounted
view? Perhaps youd like both. As there are a number of diferent
attachments available for the GoPro, you really can choose what
suits you best.
A bike-mounted bracket is great to capture a street view of
your ride, but then again so is a chest strap. As these two are
static once attached, there is really just one set view, so its ine
for documenting the route, but for more drama and a cyclists
perspective, a helmet attachment will give the best results.

With your GoPro mounted on

your bike either on your head,
chest or bike attachment never
forget the technical adjustments
at hand within your camera.
The main technical aspect to
consider is the size and speed
of your storage. As the GoPro
accepts micro SD cards, make sure
the card you have will store your
rides duration, but also handle
the amount of data being pushed
on it. When editing footage,
its easier to convert to a lesserquality format than what you
filmed in, rather than up-scaling
lesser-quality footage to HD. To
avoid this, keep your camera set
to 1080p/60, meaning you get HD
footage at 60 frames per second.
Then, most importantly, add a
high-capacity card. Depending
on your budget, go for a 64GB
micro SD card or higher.
But size isnt everything, so
make sure you are getting a
UHS-1 rated card. This refers to
Ultra High Speed and is the datawriting speed your card is capable
of writing to. Anything lower
and your card wont write the
data being received fast enough,
leading to potential quality issues.

T Attach a sticky pad to your helmet

The GoPro comes with a sticky pad for
helmet attachments, which is simple
to apply. When attaching, make all
efforts to keep it firm, straight and
central to avoid any skewed views

77

Take it up a gear

Using your GoPro

S Fastening to a helmet Not

everyone uses a smooth, dome
helmet when cycling, so for those
using aerodynamic, ridged helmets,
you can get fastening attachments
that feed through the holes in your
helmet GoPro

The most impressive footage comes from being prepared, so take

a cloth to clean your GoPro, and even take a lens attachment. As
the GoPro camera has a native wide-angle lens, your capture area
will be incredibly wide, but do bear in mind that the GoPro editing
suite has a zoom and perspective-shifting utility already built in to
it. Your best bet to enhance the optics for your ride would be in the
form of a Neutral Density (ND) ilter. An ND ilter will give your ilms
exposure a 3-stop reduction, which will allow brightly lit scenes to
be ilmed with a slower shutter speed.
By using the slower shutter speed, you can give footage a
naturalistic motion blur, which helps it appear more realistic and
reduce vibration movement if your GoPro is attached to your bike.
The colour saturation of your footage can also be improved by
using a polarising ilter, which is ideal if youre cycling through lush
vegetation or ields, or just under a blue sky. The polariser works
by iltering out light, and both reduce glare and add contrast to an
image. You dont have to be speciically cycling through a ield to
get the beneit from this attachment; it is ideal if cycling near water,
as it will mute down relections on the water as well.
78

Take it up a gear

Using your GoPro

S Chest strap When using a chest strap,

make sure that the straps are tight and
that the GoPro is at a decent angle so that
you dont get wobbly footage of hands
holding handlebars

W Bike mount If you are using a bike mount,

make sure you fit it tightly. Most of the
attachments will come with a foam inner
layer. Use this to give some cushioning to
the mount, because this will ultimately
protect your GoPro
T Tighten and fasten This might seem
like common sense, but its good
practice. Make sure that all of the straps,
attachments and helmets are safely
fastened and attached. This is for safety
reasons, as well as to avoid wobble

79

Using your GoPro

Film on the run

T Different POVs
Using a selfie stick
can offer different
perspectives when
running GoPro

80

Film on the run

Using your GoPro

Film on the run

Use your GoPro to track favourite running routes,
as well as record your progress and share your
achievements with family and friends

Lens cleanse

Until recently, going for a run required very little thought. Wearing
appropriate clothing and footwear, doing some warm-ups and
staying hydrated were the only things we really needed to consider.
Now, with the aid of GPS, pedometers and health-tracking apps on
our wrists and in our phones, running has been reinvented. We are
now able to show of how far weve run and how fast we did it, and
even share the route on a map
Using your GoPro to monitor and track your progress is yet
another creative way of showing friends, family and your social
network what lies behind the stats you post online.
Running is such a varied and diverse activity that its both a sport
and a hobby one that has a massive following. With computer
game companies and advertising agencies already seeing a sales
tool in the form of point-of-view (POV) running footage, its a trend
that seems to be catching on.
So, what kind of runner are you? Do you prefer long distance
or sprints? Do you parkour or mud run? Whatever your preference,
each style has something to ofer and makes for great video
footage, so put your GoPro to good use and start ilming!

Being outdoors with a GoPro

gives you so many options for
its use, be it filming your run, or
shooting stills of areas of interest
for your next route. Either way,
using lens adapters is a perfect
way to get the most out of the
cameras capabilities. If you are
looking for a really dramatic
and overly edited movie, why
not look at whats around you,
such as foliage and textures, and
use a macro lens to film subtle
cutaways that relate to your run?
As for the footage itself,
alternate between a neutral
density filter and a polariser. This
will give you an added edge
of colour saturation with the
polariser and an opportunity to
add a slower frame rate to your
footage, allowing a softer run to
view. Sadly, you can only use one
filter at a time with most GoPro
lenses, so take the time to think
about your run and capture
every moment.
To make sure you retain clarity
of your shots when running,
especially if you are a mud runner
or in the rain, take time out to
check your lens before a desired
section of your run, because it will
get messy.

W Head strap
If you are running a route that
you know will have some drama
that you want your viewers to
see from your point of view, use
a head strap. Just make sure it is
tightly secured and comfy

81

Film on the run

Using your GoPro

S Shoulder strap
If you want the best of both worlds
between head and body straps,
use a shoulder mount. These are
brilliant options, but bear in mind
that a higher rate of head/shoulder
movement will reduce movement
and angles

The irst thing you will want to take into consideration is your
comfort. If you are mud running and going chest down a lot, you
should consider taking a head strap as well as a chest brace. This
means you can capture the race with the ease of a chest brace, but
also document the scope and angles of your obstacles with a head
strap. Alternating between the two will serve you well.
Another extreme running form, parkour, or street running, would
beneit from both a head and chest strap, although a wrist strap
might be interesting for dramatic efect. Because parkour uses
pace, speed and agility to negotiate everyday elements such as
rails and walls to get to the end point, your GoPro will experience
knocks and extreme movement. You even run the risk of losing it.
To accommodate this, use the correct strap attachment, analyse the
run and consider big jumps. If you need both hands, this should
be ine with the head or chest straps. For high altitude and tight
spaces, wrist and head attachments allow freedom of movement.
For the long distance and forest runners, use the head or
chest strap. This is purely for ease of use, and non-stop recording
capabilities. Who wants to see just your arms point of view?
82

Film on the run

Using your GoPro

S Keep it tight Whenever you are wearing

any tech of any kind, make sure the
attachment is adequately fastened and
fixed tight enough for practical use but
allowing smooth movement

W Get in on the action When taking part in

events such as Wolf Run or Tough Mudder,
a GoPro is a great way to capture the
action either via chest straps, head straps
or in your hand!

T Dont run into the sun Even though the

GoPro has a great metering system, try not
to run into the sun, because you might get
a lot of flare in your shot. So, unless this is
a look that you are attempting to achieve,
try to avoid it at all costs

83

Hit the road with your GoPro

Using your GoPro

Hit the road with

your GoPro
A comprehensive rundown of the key tips and tricks you need
to remember if you want to achieve some awesome automotive
action with your GoPro camera
While GoPros cameras may have been originally devised for the world of action
sports think dropping into an awesome wave or backlipping over a tabletop
on a BMX the POV camcorders are equally adept when mounted on and in a
car. Whether its to document your latest road trip, monitor your performance on
a circuit or try to emulate the internet-breaking feats of Ken Block, a GoPro is more
than up to the task. Just ask company CEO Nick Woodman, who uses the cameras
to record his own racing antics.
84

S GoDrive
Whether inside the cockpit
or attached to your cars
bodywork, a GoPro Hero is
a great way of getting highquality footage of your
driving escapades GoPro
85

Hit the road with your GoPro

Using your GoPro

S Be creative
Dont just focus on the road with the
camera. Think outside the box and
you can create some unique angles
for your footage GoPro

With a GoPro and a car, the creative possibilities are endless, but
there are things you must consider before shooting ilm or photos.
First, you need the right mount for the job. The suction cup
mount is your friend when driving, as its easy to relocate and secure
up to a speed of around 150mph. If you want something more
secure, the 3M sticky pad mounts provide a super-strong hold on
metals and plastics, but dont work as well on materials like leather.
If your car is kitted out for the track, and features a roll cage, GoPros
roll bar mount easily clamps on, allowing various interior angles.
Of course, you dont need to ix the camera to the car. For a cool
perspective, try attaching the GoPro to yourself. If driving on the
roads, a head or chest mount would do the best job. If on a circuit, a
curved stick mount on your helmet is your go-to.
The position of your GoPro will help dictate which settings youll
want to use but, generally, if youre mounting the camera inside
a closed-top car, youll want to use the skeleton or open-backed
cases to pick up the engine noise. If mounting outside, wed
recommend using the closed back to reduce wind noise. Ideally,
using two cameras (one inside and one out) is the best setup for
86

Hit the road with your GoPro

Using your GoPro

S First-person view Using either a helmet

mount or head strap, you can create a firstperson view that will truly immerse your
viewers in the experience GoPro

W Spot metering By turning on the spot

metering function you will prevent the
road from washing out when shooting out
of the windscreen GoPro

T Casing While the open-case back is

recommended at speeds of up to 100mph,
wed suggest using the solid back when
shooting externally GoPro

87

88

GoPro

Hit the road with your GoPro

Using your GoPro

S Suction cup
Preparation is definitely key if you
want to ensure that your suction-cup
mount stays secure and your GoPro
doesnt go for an unintended ride

getting awesome audio and visuals. Another thing to consider if

ilming from inside is spot metering. Car interiors can be dark, and if
shooting through the windscreen the road can look washed out. To
prevent this, turn on the spot metering function in the settings.
Resolution settings will vary depending on what efect you are
trying to achieve, but wed suggest using the highest frame rate
possible. Shooting at 60fps and higher means that you can reduce
the speed of your video creating epic slo-mo footage without
reducing the smoothness of the ilms playback.
Framing-wise, if you want to capture the landscape, use the
wide-angle setting (the slight ish-eye efect may also accentuate
the sensation of speed at the edges of the frame). If you want to
focus on a speciic feature without cropping your footage in postproduction, use the narrowest setting. With later GoPros ability to
preview (either through the proprietary Android/iOS app or the
Hero4s touchscreen), you can get creative with your angles without
worrying about wasting time. Dont just focus on the road; think
about intriguing angles (like shooting the front wheels moving) and
youll have exciting snippets to cut into your main footage.
The most important thing to remember is to drive responsibly.
If you dont make it home at the end of the day, there will be no
footage to get excited about.

Mounting the
suction cup
With little more than simple
physics stopping your GoPro
having a high-speed accident,
make sure that the surface
youre attaching the suction
mount to is thoroughly clean
by using alcohol wipes. A little
bit of water (or saliva) on the
suction cup itself will also help
its adhesion. Finally, make
sure the locking arm is firmly
pushed down on the mount
to fully secure the whole unit.

Dont just focus on the road; think about

intriguing angles and youll have exciting
snippets to cut into your main footage
89

Film
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
mans best friend

Using your GoPro

S Pet POV
Attaching your
GoPro to your pets
can offer a fun new
perspective on the
world GoPro
90

Film mans best friend

Using your GoPro

Film mans
best friend
Why not use your GoPro to record the funny things
your pets do from their perspective?
Get your housing
in order

GoPro

Why should we have all the fun? Its only fair that GoPros can also
be used to capture the adventures our pets get up to. This is also
a great way of seeing things from their perspective, such as when
a ball or stick is thrown their way, or the view they get when we
take them for a walk. Now we can gain some insight into how they
interact with the world, and even relive it with them.
There are currently plenty of pet-friendly harnesses and
attachments on the GoPro market that will enable you to attach
a GoPro to your beloved animal. Most, if not all, are designed with
their comfort in mind, which is obviously the most important
consideration in all this.
Using the traditional-style body harness is sure to get you the
best results if you would like to ilm from your pets point of view.
This is due, in part, to the weight of the camera being evenly
distributed across their back and stomach by using a irm but not
tight body brace. With the camera being attached in such a way,
you will add to the luid nature of the footage and reduce camera

Our pets are awesome, theres no

doubt about it. Our four-legged
little buddies often follow us
around, and usually trust us
implicitly. Unless there is water
involved, and then its every man
for him/herself. Dogs love it, cats
hate it, and the GoPro varies
depending on your housing.
So, if you think theres even a
chance that your pet could
come into contact with moisture,
then definitely armour up and
attach your waterproof housing.
These housings can differ in their
depth of useable range, but all
waterproof housings will at the
very least protect against brief
submergence, so its safe to use
if you are looking to go on a run
in the rain. For the dogs that love
the sea, ensure that your casing
will take any potential depth
changes and that its attached
firmly, but unless you are going
deep underwater and have
attached your GoPro to a whale,
then the standard 40m depth
housing will suit you just fine.

T Use a harness
A GoPro-ready
body harness
attached to your
pet is the safest and
comfiest way for
you to capture their
point of view

91

Using your GoPro

Film mans best friend

S Make space for comfort

Allow for movement and comfort for
your pet when using a body harness.
Gauge this by making sure you can
fit two fingers comfortably between
the strap and their fur GoPro

wobble. Having said that, our pets dont necessarily move with
grace and elegance, so bear that in mind when using any form of
brace for speciic footage, as you might need a few takes.
One tip for achieving great content is to not leave your GoPro
on your pet for a long period of time. So, for example, dont leave
it attached to them while you go to work. Of course this is for their
own wellbeing, but bear in mind that you might not necessarily
want to know what they do to your plants when youre not around.
And, lets face it, watching them nap and so on isnt very exciting.
When out and about with your pet, not only can you ilm your
walks, but you can also ilm water-based activities too. As the GoPro
is waterproof, you really can capture every adventure-based aspect
of your pets life. These stand-out moments when your dog runs
into the sea, or your cat falls into the pond, are often the most
memorable and truly show of their personalities.
Getting the most out of your footage is important, so why not
add an adapter to the front of your camera, such as a Neutral
Density (ND) ilter? This way you can get the most out of your
GoPros shutter speed and exposure value system.
92

Film mans best friend

Using your GoPro

S Set for speed

Set your camera to 1080p at the
highest frame rate; that way you can
make sure you capture every leap in high
enough quality to slow motion it in
post-production GoPro
W Still life
Sometimes our pets are lazy, and they
stay put for a while, so why not use the
cameras burst mode to capture images
that you can later edit into a stop-motion
video? GoPro
T The Fetch mount
Easy to adjust and fitted with extra
padding so it is comfortable for your
canine friends, the Fetch mount allows
you to connect your GoPro to either the
top or the chest of your beloved pet

93

Strike a chord

Using your GoPro

Strike a chord
Whether youre on stage in front of thousands, recording a
studio track or just jamming with some friends, your GoPro can
document every stage of your musical journey
GoPros are the modern musicians best friend. Orchestras from across the globe are
using them to show the world what its like to perform classical music as a group.
Even global artists like Beyonc are getting on board by using GoPros to help ilm
her 7/11 video.
To make capturing music moments even easier, GoPro released a music-focused
version of the Hero3+ Black edition. The camera is designed to mount to turntables,
instruments and microphone stands, as well as connecting to the GoPro app to
be controlled remotely. GoPro even has its own media group that accepts track
submissions to accompany its videos, so your music could feature in a viral video
thats viewed by millions.
94

Strike a chord

Using your GoPro

S Make moments last forever

Whether youre just starting out
or have been performing for years,
see what your eyes never could
before with the compact camera
thats ideal for recording music
GoPro

95

Strike a chord

Using your GoPro

S Any setting
Capture music you stumble across in the
street, or secretly set up a GoPro to record
a flash mob. Simply screw your chosen
mount in place and press record

W Set the scene

Mounting cameras around the room gives
you a birds eye view of the action. Attach
a clamp mount to a high structure, and
make sure your camera is set to record
upside down

T Easy mounts
Body mounts are made of elastic, coated
with non-slip grip. Slide your mount on
your head or chest and adjust the stretchy
straps. Youll forget its even there GoPro

96

Using your GoPro

Record your rock show

1 Mount your cameras Use any

kind of mount from a screw-in
microphone grip to a stretchy
head mount.

S Hand-held equipment
Grenade grip and bobber
mounts are perfect for
recording gigs and festivals.
They screw directly into the
base of the GoPro frame or
waterproof housing and are
extremely portable GoPro

2 Connect to the app Install the

GoPro app to control when your
camera records, and activate it
before you go on stage.

Take your band from practice to performance with the GoPro.

Capture every moment of rehearsal, get footage for your video from
recording sessions, and create the prefect visual accompaniment
with the worlds most convenient camera.
Filming is the fun part, but once your video is ready to go, its
time to edit. GoPro Studio software was made with beginners in
mind, and features a selection of video templates that can be easily
edited. Advanced editors can make their videos from scratch, and
the software automatically imports the media from a connected
GoPro. Once your video is together, you can add music, titles and
motion efects. All thats left is to upload it to YouTube.
For remembering your stage experience forever, the GoPro can
record every second from any angle. Use non-adhesive mounts on
your equipment, or a vice grip mount to attach the camera to a
microphone stand, guitar neck or overhead rig. You could even use
multiple cameras to record the crowds reaction as you play.
Make it super smooth by controlling your GoPro from your
phone. The GoPro app allows you to start and stop controlling
remotely, as well as showing whats in the frame.

3 Film your fans Get a camera

on the crowd to relive the
moments when you were
blinded by the stage lights.

4 Edit your footage Once

the show is over, edit your
recordings and maybe even
create your own music video.
97

Going further

Get to know GoPro Studio

Get to know
GoPro Studio

S Quick use Using the Preview Mode

is a great way to ensure you get the
shot every time. You can also use it
to get the right angle
T Minimal effort With the GoPro app
on your Apple Watch, capture all of
your most treasured memories with
one touch of the wrist

Import, cut, and create mini masterpieces easily with

the GoPro Studio desktop app
After installing the free GoPro Studio software, simply attach your
GoPro camera to your computer to access your footage. You can
select Add Media by accessing your connected GoPro via the
GoPro app. This will import your footage to a preset or chosen
destination, or you could choose to import your iles directly via the
Studio software. Either way, it is wise to set your save directory to
a location where you know youll have a good amount of storage
space, as later, when you begin to convert footage, the newer iles
will begin to take up space as well.
With your footage imported, safe and sound, it can streamline
your worklow to rename certain iles according to content.
98

Going further

Get to know GoPro Studio

Working with timelines

1 Learn the timeline of things

Drag your audio file into the
music timeline. First the app will
show you approximately how
long your video will last and
how much space you have to
edit into, so its important to be
concise with your cuts.

Making your mark

Once your footage has been imported and saved to your chosen
directory, open the GoPro Studio app. Here you can import all the
preexisting content you may need, be it audio or video. You will
ind the Import New Files tab on the far left of the panel, so click to
locate the iles you need and they will appear below. Now you can
get started with trimming.
To begin with, select your ile and it will appear in the main panel
where you can mark the start and end of your clip. Once done,
click Add Selected to Conversion List. Your selection is now being
converted into an editable ile for use in the next stage.

2 Introduce yourself Select Title

to open a text editing panel
where you can create a title,
credit or intro. Select Font and
Fade options or get creative
with colour and letter spacing.
Once done, your title will be
available in your file list.

Get creative and share

Select the Edit tab where you can choose a template or create your
own. Drag your music ile into place and ind your starting visual.
Mark In Points will be available. Move the anchors for the start and
inish points of your clip, then drag your footage into the timeline.
Treat and grade your footage with the Adjustment tabs. Make
adjustments or apply presets.
Now that your footage is edited, graded and its to the beat,
export your ile.

3 Splice and dice With a title in

place and the audio ready, select
your first clip. Use the Mark In
and Out anchors to set your clip
length and drag it into the video
timeline. On the second time
you will see a plus sign so you
can insert a fade.
99

Going further

Import to GoPro Studio

Import to
GoPro Studio

Use it to

Transfer videos and photos from your camera to

your computer in a matter of minutes

Play back
View your clips and pause, rewind and fast
forward them using the timeline sliders

Change size
In advanced settings, choose a different size
for your video footage

Once youve inished shooting, your GoPros job may be done, but
your footage usually needs to be polished. There are several ways
to get footage from your camera onto your computer, but plugging
your camera in directly via USB and using the GoPro Studio is the
most streamlined option. When you irst use the software, GoPro
Studio Importer will prompt you to use it as the default importer
for GoPro cameras. Select yes, then give your plugged-in camera a
folder name and select a location for the footage to be stored.The
easy bit is that once youre set up, the GoPro Studio Importer will
automatically open and begin the importing process whenever
your camera is plugged in.

Alter frame rate

Its easy to change the number of frames
per second

100

Import to GoPro Studio

Add footage

Simple interface

Files can be imported at any

stage of the process, in the
top left corner of the software

There arent any hidden features

or tricky shortcuts to get your
head around

Going further
Edit and convert

1 Import files Import files you

want to use in your conversion
playlist, then ensure each one
is set to your desired frame size
and quality from the advanced
settings. All imported files will
be shown as a list on the left
frame of the software.

Creating a conversion playlist

2 Trim clips You can cut the

video to remove unwanted
portions, make a smaller
selection or pick out a part. Play
back the clip, and click the Mark
in point button to start the
selection. To end the subclip,
press Mark out point.

You can look at creating a conversion playlist as a way to batch

process your camera footage before you move on to the editing
stage, which can be very handy. There are some advanced settings
in the import and convert section of GoPro Studio, but in most
cases you will not need to touch these at all. However, if you plan
on using your video iles in third-party editors, you might ind
yourself needing to make a few changes when you convert the
clips. For example, checking the Remove Fisheye option applies a
lens adjustment to the converted GoPro CineForm, in order to give
it a smaller ield of view. You might also want to change the frame
rate, so that it matches the frame rate of other video iles youre
working with.

3 Convert Click Add to the

conversion playlist. Press
Convert and progress will
appear on each clip, showing
how far through the process
it is. When all items have been
converted, youll be prompted
to move on to step 2.

Mirror view

Video destination

By simply clicking Rotate/Flip,

its quick and easy to change the
orientation of your clips

You can change where your

converted file will be saved by
adding a directory

101

Going further

Edit video in GoPro Studio

Use it to

Edit video in
GoPro Studio

Create a final cut

Video editing made easy with GoPros suite

Turn your footage into a homemade movie

Trim your footage

As soon as you buy a GoPro, you can download a free editing suite,
which is perfect for cutting, mixing and grading footage. Of course
there are other alternatives, but this one is speciically designed to
work hand-in-hand with the GoPro.
The GoPro Studio isnt just for cutting and pasting clips; it can
also adjust the colour, white balance, speed and crop of the footage
too. Also, with the opportunity to export in many diferent formats,
you can rest assured that you can make a YouTube movie or a full
HD movie the choice is yours. In this section we will be showing
you a quick overview of the editing section of the software.

Cut it down and move it around

Playback your edit

Make sure what youre doing makes sense!

Media tab

Trimming points

Editing controls

The timeline

Here, you will see all of your

clips to add into your main
project, be it movie, music
or titles

Once you select your

footage, you can use the edit
sliders to trim to the exact
point you want

The editing and video controls will

give you power over all elements of
your footage, from the colour tone to
the perspective and crop

The timeline will show you all of

your footage that is in the actual
film. Here is where you will move
and add footage or music

102

Edit video in GoPro Studio

Going further

Get started with basic edits

Find your footage, remove unwanted frames, add audio and more

Get your footage

Controls for slicing

Transition between shots

From the files listed in the Media

panel, find your start footage
and drop that into the timeline. This
is very straightforward, as all you have
to do is click and hold the footage
and drag it into the timeline. Once its
there you will see that it will appear in
the main panel of the suite, allowing
you to preview the footage frameby-frame.

Chop the segment by using the

Mark In (I) and Mark Out (O)
markers. Doing this will allow you
to go back to the file you originally
imported and knock off any unwanted
frames from the start and end.
However, if you want to slice the
footage completely and move along
the timeline you can split it by using
the Splice tool.

Add more files to your timeline

by repeating step one. Once you
have added and trimmed them, you
can slide in new clips up and down
the timeline and slip them between
shots. The cross in between each shot
is a transition. The plus sign means
that it will be a straight cut; when you
click it, it will become a fade transition
between the two shots.

Make some noise

Colour the scene

Add some music to your project

by clicking the Media Search
button on the top-left of the page.
This will give you the option to find
more footage or find a music file.
Once found, you will notice the music
appear in the bottom of the timeline
and you will have fade controls on
the right of the page. Move up, splice
and fade the music the same way you
would trim or fade the footage.

When all your clips are trimmed

and all transitions are set, use
the adjustments panel on the right of
the screen. Set your preview mode to
Auto to give a good clear image based
on your system settings. For this step
well alter just the contrast and the
colour, so select the White Balance to
adjust the temperature of the image
and then alter the Tint, Contrast and
Exposure sliders until you get the
result you want.

Visual distortion such as

pin cushioning can be
edited by selecting the
Framing Controls panel
and adjusting the sliders
103

Going further

Use GoPros templates

Use it to

Use GoPros
templates

Edit using templates

Import and edit your footage using templates

Get some help from GoPro Studio

Convert to QuickTime

After a shoot your GoPros memory card will be packed full of movie
iles. To separate the wheat from the chaf youll need to import all
your raw footage into a desktop PC and then use the GoPro Studio
software to edit the iles into short, slick video sequences.
To help you get up to speed with producing an edited product,
GoPro Studio provides templates. These contain example clips cut
to music. You can drag and drop to replace these placeholder shots
with your own clips and tell a personal story in a short, snappy way.
However, before you can add your best clips to templates youll
need to trim and convert them to an editable ile format.

Make your footage compatible

Replace the clips

Fill the template with your own footage

SOURCE FILES
AVAILABLE

Imported clips

Ins and outs

Add to conversion list

Convert

When you connect your GoPro to

your PC and open GoPro Studio,
your imported clips and stills
appear in this pane

Tap the spacebar to play a clip. Click

here to mark a start (in) and stop (out)
point so that only the best section is
selected for conversion

Once youve trimmed favourite clips, click

here to add them to the conversion list.
This will create QuickTime movies that you
can edit in GoPro Studio

Click the Convert button. A blue

progress bar will indicate which clip
is being converted into an editable
QuickTime movie

104

Going further

Use GoPros templates

Add your clips to a template

Follow along with our example to learn a quick way to edit

Choose a template

Import media

Replace template clips

After converting your trimmed

GoPro clips to QuickTime movies
(see annotated image on p106),
click on the Step 2 EDIT button.
Alternatively you can download and
use the eight source clips featured in
our tutorial. Choose File>New Project.
Click on Step 2 EDIT then choose an
Edit template. The templates vary in
style, but well choose Dubstep Baby.

Click Create. The clips from the

template will appear in the
Storyboard (timeline) as a series of
target areas. Tap the spacebar to play
the template to see where it features
effects such as slow motion. Click the
Add Media button in the left pane,
browse to our eight project files, then
click Open. The imported movies will
appear in the left-hand pane.

After the GoPro logo plays, the

Storyboard contains eight short
clips. Drag the imported 01.mov onto
the first shot of the baby to replace the
target areas clip with this wide shot of
London. This shot is slowed down due
to the effect added to the templates
first clip. Add the midshot (02.mov)
and close-up shot (03.mov) of the
location to create jump cuts.

Edit the titles

Complete the edit

The next step in the process is

to drag the Storyboards yellow
Time Indicator bar to display the
captions in the Titles track. Click on a
blue title to select it. In the Fonts pane,
edit the content of the templates
caption to personalise your video.
Drag the start or end of a blue title bar
to make it run for a little longer. Drag
inside a blue bar to change where it
appears in your programme.

Replace the rest of the eight

target area shots with the eight
imported clips from our London
shoot. Each clip is automatically
trimmed to fit the duration of the
placeholder shot that it replaces.
The final shot (number eight) has
had effects added to it to make the
baby slow down and speed up. This
retiming effect is added to the our
08.mov clip, which makes the floating
bubbles change their speed.

If you plan to slow

down a clip, you will
produce smoother
results by shooting in
WVGA mode
105

Going further

Correct colour casts on video

Use it to

Correct colour
casts on video

Remove colour casts

Solve problems with colour, tone and composition

Remove unwanted colour

Adjust framing

This walkthrough shows you how to continue working with the

eight video clips that you added to a template on the previous
spread, but well now demonstrate how you can ine-tune by
correcting colours, tones and even composition.
Our projects video clips were captured using Protune settings,
which enable us to record in Flat mode. Flat mode produces neutral
colours so you can decide how saturated the colours will look by
adjusting sliders in GoPro Studios Edit work area. You can also use
GoPro Studio to overcome any colour casts. Read on to ind out
how to correct each clips colours in a click.

Focus on areas of the shot

Add presets
Make your own preset settings

SOURCE FILES
AVAILABLE

Perfect Presets

Framing

Image

White Balance

These presets let you grade your clips

in a range of creative ways. Simply
select a clip and change its colours and
tones in a click

Here you can crop the selected clip

to zoom in on a particular area (or
remove unwanted objects at the
edge of the frame)

This panel overcomes exposurerelated problems and create a

healthier range of shadows, midtones
and highlights in the clips

This panels tools enable you to warm

up cold colours or cool down warm
ones, as well as banishing green or
magenta tints

106

Correct colour casts on video

Going further

Fix problem hues

Quick ways to change your clips colours

Remove colour casts

Manual White Balance

Adjust framing

Scrub the Storyboards Time

Indicator bar to show a clip.
Toggle open the White Balance
section in the panel on the right.
Click the Eyedropper tools icon. Click
the cursor on part of the image that
should be a neutral grey. If the tool
decides that the area is too cold or
warm it will automatically adjust the
colours to create a natural look.

Continue sampling each clip

using the Eyedropper. The shot
of the bubbles (08.mov) was captured
when the sun made an appearance,
so looks warmer than the other clips.
The colours are comparatively too
saturated. Drag the Temperature slider
left to cool down the warmer colours.
Drag the Saturation slider left too for
more subtle colours.

Theres a photographer at the

left of shot 08. To remove him,
toggle open the Framing panel. Drag
Zoom to the right until he disappears.
Dont zoom in too far when working
with a low-resolution clip (like this 848
x 480 WVGA file), as this runs the risk
of exaggerating fuzzy compression
artefacts. To restore some of the tall
building, drag the Vertical slider right.

Copy and paste

Add presets

Although you can adjust each

clips White Balance, tonal and
saturation settings manually this could
take a while on a larger project. Once
youve edited the colours and tones of
one shot to your satisfaction you can
click on it and choose Edit>Copy. You
can then click on an unprocessed clip
and choose Edit>Paste. This will apply
all copied adjustments (including
Presets) to the shot.

A quick way of changing your

programmes look is to use
preset grading effects. Drag the top
of the Presets panel up to resize it.
Click on a clip to select it and then
click on a Preset thumbnail to change
the clips colours and tones instantly.
As weve spent time getting our
colours to look accurate, well only
apply a Vignette Large preset to
add a dramatic dark border to our
Storyboards clips.

If youre not keen on the

colour correction added
to your Storyboards clips,
choose Edit>Reset ALL
and start from scratch
107

Going further

Use advanced editing effects

Use it to

Use advanced
editing effects

Create a blank template

Edit from scratch and create a truly custom show

Make your project your own with a custom

template from start to finish

The editing templates used in the previous spread are useful, as

they automatically trim the duration of your clips to it a music track
in the Storyboard. Although templates help you process your raw
footage into a shareable product, you can do a more efective job
by editing your programme from scratch using a blank template.
For instance, you can decide precisely where a speed change will
occur, and you can also access extra post-production assets such
as transitions, so that you can mix gently from one shot to another
instead of using a jarring jump cut. Read on to ind out some of the
more advanced techniques a blank template can open up to you.

Add a transition
Use the in-built dissolve template

Add movement
Make the camera zoom and pan on your
GoPro clips

Split a clip

Add a dissolve

Adjust duration

Add movement

By using the Split Clip tool to cut a

shot into several sections, you can
speed up or slow down part of the
action during the shot

By default we cut between

clips. If you click on this +
icon you can swap a cut for a
dissolve transition

By default a dissolve lasts for

just a second. For a longer,
slower mix drag this slider to
the right

By adding keyframes you can make

the camera zoom, pan and tilt as
a clip plays. This works well when
using 4K source files

108

Use advanced editing effects

Going further

Top editing techniques

Take your post-production to the next level

Create blank template

Lets split

Retime a section

Download this projects files.

Launch GoPro Studio and choose
File>New Project. Choose File>Save
Project. Name your project and save
it. Click on the Step 2 Edit button.
Click on Blank Template and Create.
Click the Add Media Button. Browse
to select the project source files and
click Open. Theyll appear in the Add
Media panel.

Drag the Deckchair.mov clip

to the Storyboard. Drag the
yellow Storyboard Time Indicator to
04:14 (just as the chairs cloth begins
to billow). Click the razor blade Split
Clip icon to cut the clip into two
sections. Scrub forward to 05:36 as
the material rises up and click the Split
Clip icon again. The clip has now been
chopped up into three sections.

Click on the middle section of the

split clip to select it. Toggle open
the Video panel at the right. Drag the
Speed slider left to 45% to slow down
the clips middle. Untick the Flux box
this creates smooth movement but it
takes a long time to process. Play back
the sequence. The clip will slow down
during the middle section then revert
to real time.

Animated camera moves

Extend dissolve duration

Add Wheel Still.mov to the

Storyboard. Scrub to its first
frame. Go to the Framing panel
and click the + shaped Add New
Keyframe icon. Scrub forward to
around 23:00. Click the Framing panels
Add New Keyframe icon again. Drag
the Zoom and Vertical sliders to get a
closer look at the wheel. Play the clip.
The camera will now zoom in and tilt
up between the two keyframes.

Add the Pier clip to the

Storyboard. Click the + icon
between the Deckchair and Pier
clips to replace the default cut with a
smooth transition that mixes from one
shot to the next. To extend the default
duration of the one-second dissolve,
click to select it in the Storyboard.
Drag the diamond-shaped in and
out points below the Player window
further apart. The dissolve icon will
stretch horizontally in the Storyboard.

By shooting at 4000
x 3000 (4K) you can
zoom in on a still or clip
without adding any fuzzy
compression artefacts
109

Going further

Create a terrific time-lapse

Use it to

Create a terrific
time-lapse

Create a time-lapse video

Speed up time by playing stills in rapid succession

Get in on the time-lapse trend

If you set your GoPro to Time Lapse mode, it will snap a series of
shots at intervals. By capturing a photo every few seconds you can
run the shots together as a video clip in which time whizzes by at
an accelerated rate. A ive-second interval is great for showing cloud
movement; two seconds will capture city commuters well.
You can record time-lapse footage as a self-contained video
clip so you can view the efect on your cameras screen or on the
GoPro App. Alternatively you can record time--lapse as a series of
stills, which have a higher resolution, but youll need to stitch them
together using GoPro Studio. Well show you how

SOURCE FILES
AVAILABLE

Time-lapse stills

Time-lapse video

Protune mode

Convert

This time-lapse clip was captured

as a series of 12MP stills, so it
has a large resolution of 4000 x
3000 pixels

This time-lapse sequence

was captured in camera as a
self-contained video clip, so has a
lower resolution of 2704 x 2028

By setting the camera to Protune mode

we can capture a wider range of tones
in a high-contrast scene and then
tweak those tones in GoPro Studio

GoPro Studio makes it easy to

convert a series of stills into a
movie file that you can work on
in the Edit workspace

110

Create a terrific time-lapse

Going further

From shoot to final video

The steps you need to create compelling time-lapse movies

Choose interval settings

Capture your footage

Import your files

If you shoot with a smartphone

and the GoPro App you can
change the cameras menu easily
and preview each captured frame.
To capture a series of stills at regular
intervals, go to Multi-Shot mode and
choose Time Lapse. Go to Settings
and choose Multi-Shot. Set the Interval
to snap shots at a specific increment
we went for a five-second interval.

To capture our stills we turned

on the Multi-Shot settings
Protune mode for a wider range of
tones and natural Flat colours. Put
your GoPro on a tripod. We used a
clockwork X-Lapse tripod to add a
slow pan to our recording. By using
the GoPro App you can start and stop
the time lapse recording without
touching the GoPro.

Download our Timelapse source.

mov file. Create a new GoPro
Studio Project. Click on the Edit
workspaces button and create a Blank
template. Click the Add Media button
and browse to our source file. Click
Open. Drag Timelapse source.mov
onto the Storyboard. Tap the spacebar
to watch the sequence play as the
tripod pans left, clouds billow rapidly.

Add a zoom

Adjust image

Scrub forward to 01:26. Click

the Split clip icon. Click on the
second part of the split clip to select it.
Scrub forward to 03:00. Toggle open
the Framing panel on the right. Click
the + icon to add a new keyframe.
Scrub forward to 06:20. Click the
+ icon again. Drag the Zoom and
Vertical sliders to get a closer look at
the tower. The camera will now tilt
and zoom between the keyframes.

The clouds are the most

interesting thing in this sequence,
but theyre over-exposed and lack
detail. Toggle open the Image panel
and drag the Exposure slider left to
darken the scene. This reveals more
highlight detail. Tease out more
colour information by dragging
Saturation to the right. Emphasise the
buildings delicate architectural details
by increasing the strength of the
Sharpness slider.

The Muvi X-Lapse tripod

helps stop the sun from
hitting the same spot on
your cameras sensor for
too long
111

Going further

Export your finished video

Export your
finished video

Use it to

Process your GoPro-sourced footage so you can

share it with family, friends and followers

Complete your GoPro video

Finish up your video, watch it and get ready
to send it out into the ether

Export your clips

Get ready to share you finished edits on
your computer

Once youve shot some exciting clips, stills or time-lapse sequences

on your GoPro youll be keen to share the best bits with other
people. In GoPro Studio, where we have been editing our footage, it
is called Step 3 Export. It is the inal stage of using the software and
is as easy to get your head around as the rest of the program. The
developers over at GoPro have made every efort to make the entire
process from ilming to editing to sharing the easiest they can.
And they have succeeded.
Exporting your videos couldnt be more simple and once its
done, youll be able to share your inal product using the handy info
over the next few pages.

Share your video

Let the world see what you have captured

112

Export your finished video

Presets

File size

Use this drop-down menu to

output your movie at a variety
of popular sizes (such as a Vimeo
compatible 1280x720)

When adjusting the Quality slider

youll see the file size value change.
To create a lighter file you can also
reduce the resolution

Going further
Easy exporting

1 Pick a preset When you are

finished, click on Step 3 Export.
An Export window will appear.
Name your movie file. A 4K
resolution file will be too large
for social media sites. Choose a
smaller size or destination from
the Preset menu.

Export using GoPro Studio

2 Custom preset Choose the

Custom Preset from the dropdown menu. You can choose a
custom Image Size and drag a
slider to compromise between
image quality and file size. The
H.264 codec creates good
looking but lightweight files.

Although you can share clips and stills from your smartphones
GoPro App album, some clips (such as those recorded at a 4K
resolution) will be too large to copy between your GoPro and
your phone at full quality. You may also want to edit several shots
together and add music and captions to tell a story. In this instance
youll need to use the GoPro Studio desktop app to import, process
and edit your clips (as weve demonstrated in the last few spreads).
GoPro Studio also enables you to share higher quality versions
of your edited GoPro clips (even at a resolution of 4K), as well
demonstrate in the following step-by-step walkthrough. It also
provides presets to create YouTube and Vimeo-friendly ile sizes so
you can easily share on these sites.

3 Export the file Leave frame

rate, or your clip may play back
jerkily. When youre happy with
your custom size and frame
rate, click Export to create a
QuickTime Movie file. You can
then use your web browser to
upload the file to a site.

Encode

Frame rate

Use H.264 to create good quality lightweight

files for social media sites. If youre outputting
to 4K resolution then GoPro CineForm is
designed to produce the best results

By dropping the frame rate you can

reduce the size of your file, though
this may make the footage playback
to be more jerky

113

Going further

Edit with Quik and Splice

Use it to

Edit with Quik

and Splice

Create almost instant movies

Edit fast and on the go, with ease and simplicity

Editing is almost instantaneous with

the GoPro Quik app. Choose from many
preset edits

The GoPro community is all about sharing, so GoPro have produced

two apps to help: Quik and Splice. Quik is the fastest and easiest
way to create awesome videos. You can create a HD 1080p sharable
movie in literally less than ive taps of your phone simply give Quik
access to your pictures folder and select the footage and imagery
you wish to include. Choices such as Filter Efects and music are
selected for you, though you can alter them post-edit when your
video is presented. The sidebar of icons allows you some degree of
control, starting with the Filter Efects. Here, you can alter the preset
edit style and the free, default music choices. But you can also
import your own music, add text, select individual key frames and a
point of focus.

Edit footage
The GoPro Splice app is great for editing
your footage. Trim or cut your video, add
text and use filters to tone your clip

Share your shots

Quik and Splice are designed with sharing
in mind. Post your footage to social media
instantly

114

Edit with Quik and Splice

Going further

Your projects
Select this menu and you can
view all your different GoPro
Splice projects and select one
to begin editing

Share button
Share your finished GoPro
projects to your various social
media accounts with the
share button

Video timeline
Inspect your footage in
the video timeline, where
thumbnails help you view
scene changes

Audio timeline
Here you can scrub through
your audio timeline and check
that your music is synced to
your footage

Splice your video

The Splice app is the opposite in terms of automation and simplicity, and thats great. Looking more akin
to a desktop editing suite, Splice has a lot more user control than Quik.
The timeline is big enough to see where you are with each clip, and small enough that it doesnt
get in the way. To closely inspect your clip, tap it to bring up the Option bar which will allow you edit,
duplicate or delete the ile. By selecting Edit, you open up a selection of options including trimming,
cutting and ilter efects to enhance and tone your footage. These are very similar to those within the
desktop app. As well as all of these options, you can also add text, alter the font and add the Ken Burns,
panning and zooming movement, to your scene.

1 Finish your project first After you

have created your project with Quik,
view your footage and then revisit
the editing options - specifically the
filters. Why not change the style to
something you feel may be more
apt? A great filter to try out is Action.

2 Add some text and flare Once

you know how your movie is going
to look, why not get even more
creative? By selecting an image, you
will be given a few options, like Point
of Interest and Text Overlay, so you
can highlight an interesting scene.

3 Drop a beat Select the music note

icon in order to bring up the Audio
Options. Here you will be able to
select either a preset song from a
host of genres, or you can link your
own cloud based music and select a
song from there.
115

Going further

Edit your photos

Edit your
photos
Create stunning photos instantly
Use it to
You might consider yourself a fairly decent photographer, but the
fact that youre using a GoPro means youre probably ilming while
active and therefore likely to be concentrating on more than just
taking photos or videos. Luckily you dont need to worry about
capturing perfect shots. But there is only so much the GoPro Studio
can do, and you may ind your image editing needs are going to
take you beyond the capabilities of the free software.
Free trials of many photo editing software programs are available
for download from their websites, so its always worth giving them
a trial run before you commit to paying what can feel like an arm
and a leg and maybe a couple of extra toes too before making
absolutely sure that its right for you.

Correct exposure
Make overall changes to your image so that
it becomes lighter or darker

Improve contrast
Tweak this slider to create a greater variation
in tones

Fix saturation
Move to the left of the scale to make colours
in the shot really pop

116

Edit your photos

Field of view
The preset 4x3 to Wide was
applied to make the perspective
and size more engaging

Going further

Narrow perspective
The field of view might be more
immersive and involved if it were
slightly wider

Before

After

Dark areas
The image could do with some subtle
lightening to bring out the shadowy areas

Image tweaks
The exposure sliders only needed to be
slightly altered to lighten the images
shadow areas

Some general photo edits

Photo editing software ofers you a wealth of options that you might not have even thought about.
But the most simple of edits can often be the most useful and also the most powerful. Dont be afraid
to play around with your photos. In the following steps we show you three of the simplest ways that
you can edit your images to add impact or to just improve them. We are using Photoshop Elements to
complete our edits, using the Expert mode which ofers just a few more options than the other two.
However, if you are a newbie, Quick and Guided edits can work just as well and can be a really useful
way to learn how the diferent options are going to edit your photos. But even if youre new to the
program, the Expert edits shouldnt scare you as they are all pretty straightforward.

1 Edit exposure You may find that

your GoPros attempts to adjust
to lighting may fail you at times.
A simple change in the Exposure
(Image>Adjustments>Exposure) will
allow you to correct it easily. Simply
move the sliders until you are happy.

2 Change the perspective

Something as simple as editing the
aspect ratio of a photo can change
how it is viewed. Select the Crop
(C) tool and use the 4:3 preset.
Highlight the area you want to
crop to.

3 Go Monochrome Add a little

drama to your photos by making
them black and white, go to Image>
Adjustments>Hue/Saturation. Play
with the different settings to pick
out the various highlights and
lowlights in an image.
117

Going further

Retouch your GoPro images

Retouch your
GoPro images
If your GoPro shots arent picture perfect, use these
quick and easy tips to transform them

Use it to
Brighten and whiten

When images just arent quite right, we can make use of the
wonders of Photoshop to transform tired or average-looking
images into tremendous and amazing ones.
For this tutorial weve used Photoshop CC, which is the latest
version (a 30-day trial of which can be downloaded from the
Adobe website free of charge), but as many of these techniques
are transferable to other editing suites you can still make use of the
guide regardless of what program youre using.
Retouching can be a simple way to really make your photo
complete, be it by removing a rogue lamppost that is disrupting the
view or whitening eyes and teeth.

If you have a localised area of dullness, use

the Dodge tool to brighten it (for example
the swimmers teeth and the air bubbles)

Saturate certain areas

Use the Lasso tool to select a lack lustre area
then, with it selected, find Saturation and
boost the colour

Give it a boost
Retouch the whole of your image by raising
the contrast and brightness to add interest
and impact

118

Retouch your GoPro images

Dazzlingly white

Distractions

By using the Dodge tool we are

able to lighten specific areas of
the image, such as the teeth and
air bubbles

The air bubbles that are in the

swimmers nose and the marks
on the pool wall are distracting,
so they need removing

Going further

Before

After

Dull tones
The image lacks an overall vivacity, as its
been shot underwater, so its dull and the
colours are muted

Bright blues
As the pool looked dull weve selected
only these areas to saturate, rather than
distorting the whole frame

Improve shots with the Clone tool

Whether its a tree sticking out of someones head, an unsightly stain on a t-shirt or the tiniest pimple
on the face of a very vain friend, Photoshops Clone tool is a lifesaver. By carefully using the clever tool,
plus priming the size and strength accordingly, we can simply wipe nuisance areas or distractions away
by painting over them with surrounding pixels, making it appear as though they were never there at
all. Retouching a shot in this fashion is so simple to do; the trick is to get nice and close to the ofending
article (use the Zoom tool to do this) and take the tools circumference down to an appropriate size. You
can also afect the strength so that the efect is subtle, or ramp it up if necessary. Follow the steps below
and have a go yourself.

1 Select the tool Select the

Zoom tool and get close to the
distraction. With the Clone tool
selected, head up to the top of the
interface and alter the tool size and
strength to suit the size and nature
of the distraction.

2 Clone the area Press Alt and click

on an area of the image you want
to paint with (clone). Hold the left
button down and paint over the
distraction in smooth motions. Dont
clone with one area of colour or
tone, as this wont look realistic.

3 Smooth it over Once youve

finished cloning, find the Smudge
or Blur tool, to smooth over the area.
Find the right size and strength, then
hold the left mouse button down
while you move over the area in soft
fluid motions.
119

Going further

Correct exposure

Correct
exposure
Discover how to perfect exposure post-shoot with
the latest version of Lightroom

Use it to
Boost colour

Sometimes its the cameras fault and sometimes its our fault
for using the wrong settings. Either way, photographing a scene
using the right exposure can often be tricky. If you do ind that the
killer image you shot turns out to be underexposed (too dark)
or overexposed (too bright) then there are ways we can draw
back the details from the shadows, highlights or both, post-shoot
with software such as iPhoto, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements,
Lightroom and many more. In this tutorial weve plumped for the
latest version of Lightroom CC (a free 30 day trial is available from
Adobes website) to correct exposure, but the skills we share here
are transferable to other programs.

After adjusting exposure, boost the

saturation and/or vibrance to help the
colours pop

Alter white balance

Once youre set with the right exposure,
recalculate the white balance to ensure your
colours are on point too

Reduce noise
An underexposed shot might display noise.
To rectify this, scroll down to the Basic Panel
to find the Noise Reduction controls

120

Correct exposure
Colour popping

Lacking colour and contrast

Settled at the right exposure, the

colours in the image now pop
off the screen and make more of
an impact

As the image is underexposed there is

limited contrast between the dark and light
areas, plus the muted colours fail to catch
the viewers eye

Going further

Before

After

Dark and dingy

This image is underexposed because the
camera has recognised the mass of white
(sea) and dulled accordingly, thus the details
are shrouded in the shadow

Balanced and beautiful

By drawing back the shadows, we have a
more balanced, attractive exposure and can
now see the detail of the surfers face

Correct the exposure

Weve all been there: thought we took a killer shot only to get home and realise its not quite how we
remembered it. Thats whats happened in this shot. The photographer has simply pointed the camera
and let it work out the exposure using the automatic mode. The trouble is, the camera has seen that the
scene is overly bright, thanks to the large areas of white sea, therefore its decided that this needs to be
dulled slightly to balance the image. As a result, it has used a short, sharp exposure to ensure that not
too much light goes through the lens. The result is an underexposed image that has lost details, such as
the surfers face and the deinition of the waves. The good news is that this is easily rectiied with a little
tweaking in an editing suite.

1 Lift exposure Open in Develop. In

the Basic Panel, nudge the Exposure
slider to the right, ever so slightly,
to lift the overall image. Now scroll
down and find an area called Tone
Curve. Bring up the Highlights and
Lights sliders a tad.

2 Lift shadows To lift the shadows

from the surfers face, drag the
Shadows slider in Tone Curve to the
right. We want to raise it enough
that we can see his features better,
without going so far that we lose
definition from the rest of the scene.

3 Add definition By lifting the light

levels, we may have lost some of the
definition and impact. We can rectify
this by boosting the Contrast and
Clarity. Go to the Basic Panels tools
and adjust these values accordingly.
Be careful not to go too far.
121

Going further

Adjust your GoPro images in Photoshop

Adjust your
GoPro images
in Photoshop

Use it to
Enhance colours

Use the power of CS6 and CC to enhance and

adjust your images quickly and easily

Use Photoshops Raw panel to adjust the

Hue and Saturation of your image

Correct lens distortion

Use the Lens Correction panel to adjust the
distortion of your image

Photoshop, be it CS6 or CC (Creative Cloud), ofers the very best

in lens adjustment techniques coupled with colour and contrast
adjustments to really make your GoPro images shine. You can
use the Adobe Camera Raw interface to bring up a one-stopshop editing panel that will help you adjust lens distortion, colour
intensity as well as contrast and cropping. The Raw panel will also
export your images without you really needing to go too much into
Photoshop itself.

Open up multiple files at once

In Raw you can synchronise images and
open up more than one file at a time

122

Adjust your GoPro images in Photoshop

Corrected distortion

Bright and punchy

With a few adjustments the image

becomes flatter with less fish-eye
distortion, allowing the image to
be viewed in a traditional style

By adding a little saturation to the

images colours you will notice
that it will quickly become a more
vibrant shot

Going further

Before

After

Barrel distortion
Your native image from a GoPro will be
a wide-angle shot and barrel distortion
is present

Lack of contrast in colours

The colours are a standard vibrancy, so not
really popping out until brought into the
editing suite

Distortion and colour corrected fast

In this brief editing tutorial, we will go through how to alter and reduce the barrel distortion of your
image, enhance the colours and saturation of those colours within your shot, as well as add contrast to
the overall image. To do this we will have to open the image up in Adobe Camera Raw. If you are using
CS6, then browse for your image via Bridge, right-click and select Open in Camera Raw; if you are using
CC, then go Filter>Camera RAW Filter and you will be able to follow a similar edit process. Now, the
result of this is to make slight adjustments, not to push the image too far, as the pixels of your camera
might not take extreme editing, so be careful how far you push your JPEG. A slight tweak to the sliders
in Adobe Camera Raw can make all the diference.

1 Instant fixes for distortion Open

your image in Camera Raw and
select the Lens Corrections tab. Tick
the Enable Lens Profile Corrections
box and the software will read the
Metadata and make the appropriate
adjustments to normalise the image.

2 Bring out the colours Select the

HSL/Grayscale tab, find the colour
you want to adjust, and tweak the
Hue (colour range), the Saturation
(how strong that colour is) or the
Luminance of the colour (how light
or dark you want it).

3 Give it some punch Raise

Exposure by 40, up Contrast by
56, reduce Highlights by 54, raise
Shadows by 49, then reduce Blacks
by 19. For extra punch, increase
Clarity by 26, reduce Vibrancy by 17
and up Saturation by 21.
123

Going further

Share your GoPro footage

Social sharing
You can share
files on social
networks
like YouTube,
Facebook,
Twitter and the
GoPro Channel

Share your
GoPro footage

Use it to
Add Music
Add another dimension to your videos
by popping in some tracks. Just hit the
Audio tab

Insert text
Under the Annotations tab in YouTube
you can insert speech bubbles, titles, labels
and more

We show you the best ways to share your GoPro

videos and photos

Create subtitles
Increase your videos reach with subtitles.
After selecting the Subtitles tab, plump for
the desired languages

Sharing is caring
While you dont necessarily take your GoPro footage for the beneit
of other people, it certainly adds to the experience when you do. If
you want to show off that neat trick that you did on your board with
your YouTube followers, or want to share the inner workings of your
dogs every day life, it can be done easily.
You can share your videos instantly using the GoPro App available
for download on your mobile device. With a few taps, the quickly
edited videos can be up in the virtual sphere. Sharing on YouTube
is very straightforward. The video-sharing site is designed to make
your experience as easy as possible, and it is one of the simplest
124

Share your GoPro footage

Going further

ways of getting your videos out there. But you dont have to use
YouTube, as GoPro has its very own website for you to share your
content too. Read on to ind out more.

Stand out on YouTube

Sign up to YouTube
YouTube is hands down one
of the best social networks
to exhibit your GoPro videos
through. Not only is it free and
provides easy, step-by-step
instructions, it also gifts users
with a handy assortment of audio and visual tools and offers the
potential for reaching a global audience. So head to the website
www.youtube.com and follow the instructions to create an
account. When youre prompted to do, hit the Select iles to upload
arrow and ind the desired video or simply drag-and-drop videos
on to the page. With your video ready and waiting to be published,
you can add some extra sparkle to make your clip standout with the
Enhancement, Audio and Info tools (ind out more with our threestep tutorial in the sidebar).

1 Whats it all about? Adding

a description to your video is
a no-brainer, otherwise how
will potential viewers know
what your clip is about? Really
sell your video and add tags
to make it easier to find when
people run internet searches.

Ready, steady, publish!

2 Add some glamour If

your video could do with a
facelift then use the YouTube
Enhancement tools. Youll find
Fill Light, Contrast, Saturation
and Colour Temperature
controls, as well as options to
slow it down, rotate and trim.

With your package ready to go, all you need to do now is decide
who you want to see it. In the Video Manager section select your
ilm and from the drop-down menu on the right-hand side, decide
whether you want the footage to be Public, Private, or Unlisted.
If you select Public anyone can view the ilm, anywhere in the
world, at anytime. Private means that only an exclusive set of your
invited friends, family and other contacts can see the footage, using
a special link. The inal option, Unlisted, makes the video viewable
only by you. When youre happy with your choice, just hit the big
blue Publish button to inish off.

After uploading your ilm,

the site creates thumbnail
options pick the one
that stands out most

3 Shameless promotion
YouTube offers video-makers
the ability to promote all sorts
of extra curricular activities,
including websites, fundraising
sites, merchandise, plus other
videos. Just hit the Cards tab to
enable the item you want.
125

Going further

Share your GoPro footage

Use the GoPro Channel
YouTubes not for everyone, in fact many people consider it too
mainstream for their taste and purpose. If this is something you
agree with then perhaps GoPros very own alternative will be more
to your liking. To get started head to gopro.com/submit. Once
youre there hit the blue Get Started button. Before you can begin
sharing youll need to create an account, but dont worry, this only
takes a few minutes to do. When thats done youll be asked to
Select iles or drag and drop them onto the interface nows your
chance to use the iles you exported from GoPro Studio earlier. Its
worth remembering that only ilms and pictures shot with a GoPro
are allowed, and they must be high resolution, plus you must own
all the content including rights to any music.

Be among friends Sharing your files

on the GoPro Channel means fellow
adrenaline junkies will be able to view
your efforts

Sign on the dotted circle

Really sell it

If youre happy for GoPro to publish

your video footage on its channel, just
select the consent circle so that a tick
appears in it

Use the description box found

here to promote your video. Use
engaging and dynamic language
to ramp up interest

126

Pigeonhole it
To ensure your video appeals to
the right demographic, use this
options list to put your footage in
the correct category

Submit
With all the information boxes
filled out and your video ready
to show, all you need to do is hit
the Submit button

Share your GoPro footage

Going further

For ideas, check out ilms

on the GoPro Channel
to see what people have
written as descriptions

Using the GoPro App

Perfecting your package

As your footage uploads (youll
notice a blue progress bar and
percentage counter near the
top of the interface), you can
use the time to ill in all the
necessary information that will
be shown with your ilm. First of all, give your video a title. Next
add its shooting location; youll discover that the site offers you
suggestions as soon as you start typing, which is rather helpful.
Fill in a description, remembering to use exciting and dynamic
language to intrigue potential viewers, and select a genre from
the drop-down list to help pigeonhole your ilm into the correct
category. If youre particularly proud of your GoPro, you can
choose to reveal what model you used to create your package
from the list provided.
Then when the ilm is fully uploaded to the site, all you need
to do is tick the obligatory consent box and hit Submit. Youre
now done, so just sit back with a warm bowl of popcorn and
enjoy the show!

1 Download Head to the Apple

or Android store and download
the GoPro App for free.

2 Share Head to the gallery and

select one of your GoPro videos
or photos then hit Share.

3 Facebook To share on
Facebook, select the icon then
write a status and tap Post.

Share the love

1 Photo and video of the day Why

not take the time to share someone
elses creation? Open the GoPro App.

4 Text it Send a file in a text by

selecting the message icon,
writing text and hitting Send.

2 How to share In Photo/Video of

the Day find something you like, hit
Share and plump for a site that suits.
127

tri Spe
al ci
of al
fe
r

Enjoyed
this book?
Exclusive offer for new
Try
3 issues
for just

* This ofer entitles new UK direct debit subscribers to receive their irst three issues for 5. After these issues,
subscribers will then pay 21 every six issues. Subscribers can cancel this subscription at any time. New subscriptions
will start from the next available issue. Ofer code ZGGZINE must be quoted to receive this special subscriptions
price. Direct debit guarantee available on request. This ofer will expire 30th September 2017.
** This is a US subscription ofer. The USA issue rate is based on an annual subscription price of 65 for 13 issues,
which is equivalent to $102 at the time of writing compared with the newsstand price of $12.99 for 13 issues, being
$168.87. Your subscription will start from the next available issue. This ofer expires 30th September 2017.
128

Improve your
shooting skills today
Practical techniques
Hands-on guides to shooting and editing to
ensure you create your best ever photos

About
the
mag

In-depth features
Pro advice including kit recommendations

Join the community

Get involved! Win prizes, meet like-minded
photographers and see your work in print

subscribers to

Try 3 issues for 5 in the UK*

or just $7.85 per issue in the USA**
(saving 40% off the newsstand price)

For amazing offers please visit

www.imaginesubs.co.uk/dph
Quote code ZGGZINE
Or telephone UK 0844 848 8407+ Overseas +44 (0)1795 592 862
+

Calls will cost 7p per minute plus your telephone companys access charge
129

HOW TO USE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
ACCESSING YOUR NEW DIGITAL DEPOSITORY

To access FileSilo, please visit filesilo.co.uk/bks-A80

Follow the
Once you have
You can access
If you have
01
on-screen
02
logged in, you are 03 FileSilo on any
04
any problems
instructions to create
free to explore the
desktop, tablet or
with accessing the
an account with our
secure FileSilo system,
log in and unlock the
bookazine by
answering a simple
question about it. One
word answers only!
You can now access
the content for free at
any time.

wealth of content
tutorials and online
guides to downloadable
resources. And the
more bookazines you
purchase, the more
your instantly
accessible collection
of digital content will
build up.

smartphone device
using any popular
browse. However, we
recommend that you
use a desktop to
download content,
as you may not be
able to download
files to your phone
or tablet.

content on FileSilo, or
with the registration
process, take a look at
the FAQs
online or
email
filesilohelp@
imaginepublishing.
co.uk

NEED HELP WITH THE TUTORIALS?

Having trouble with any of the techniques in this bookazines
tutorials? Dont know how to make the best use of your free
resources? Want to have your work critiqued by those in the know?
Then why not visit the Digital Photographer and Imagine
Bookazines Facebook pages for all your questions, concerns and
qualms. There is a friendly community of fellow Photography
enthusiasts waiting to help you out, as well as regular posts and
updates from the team behind Digital Photographer magazine.
Like us today and start chatting!

facebook.com/ImagineBookazines
facebook.com/DigitalPhotographerUK
130

GoPro
The Complete Manual

Introducing GoPro
Navigate your new camera and get your hands on all
the latest add-ons and accessories

Set up your camera

Unbox your GoPro, set it up and grasp the basics
before capturing your irst GoPro adventure

Choose the right mount

From the Fetch to the Gooseneck, GoPro ofers a
range of diferent mounts to suit your needs

Navigate the modes

Dont just stick to videos, learn how to take incredible
photos and use the Continuous Photo mode

U
 sing your GoPro
Take your camera on your adventures whether its
on piste, on the track or in your everyday life

P
 roduce a great video
Utilise the free GoPro Studio software to reine your
footage and create inspiring videos

P
 erfect your photos
Grab photos using GoPro App and edit your shots
with Photoshop CC and Lightroom

S hare your footage

Let the world see your photos and videos by sharing
them on YouTube and the GoPro website