Action Camera Photography Techniques for Beginners

When you think of action cameras, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is movement. You will capture subjects while in motion. It is why most of the adventure seekers prefer to have an action cam than a regular camera. It enables them to film their escapade in a thrilling perspective, from climbing a mountain to paddling on a river. Action cameras enable you to revisit those moments through video recording.

Tips for Action Camera Photography

With action cameras' ability to record videos in 4K quality, some owners forget that their camera is also capable of capturing stunning photos. Maybe a little know-how will help you take amazing pictures on your next trip.

#1 Play with your angle.

Just like filming your videos, you need to find the right angle when taking photos. It is one of the advantages of having an action camera. You can place it anywhere you want. You need to make sure that everything is mounted correctly. Duck tapes used as a cheap alternative, are not as safe as those mounting equipment. It is better to pay an extra than having it repaired or buying a new one.

When it comes to photography, it is best to have your action camera mounted in a place where it is more stable. For videos, it may look intense when your footage is shaking but not for photos. Shaking will only give you blurred pictures, and you surely don't want that to happen. Placing it near your chest or in your helmet will provide it with less shaking.

Also, action cameras have a wide-angle lens. It would be best if you take note of this, especially when shooting with your hands. Holding it from the rear side will keep away your fingers from getting captured. It also has a fixed-focal-length; that is why you need to come closer to your subject if you want to do a close-up. If not followed, everything will be a wide shot with small subjects.

#2 Have the right camera settings.

A more expensive action camera will not guarantee you a crisp photo if you do not know how to use it. There is no specific camera setting. It differs depending on the situation. That is why you need to know how your camera behaves given a particular circumstance. In that way, you will be able to adjust your camera with the right setting.

For example, you might want to set your camera at a higher frame rate when you are in a bright condition. As you set your frame rate to a higher setting, the shutter speed also increases. It would allow lesser light to enter and prevent your photo from being overexposed. Remember that your camera is smaller than usual. It has a smaller lens that can collect less light. It would be best if you consider your lighting when taking a photo. The best time to take your photos is during the daytime.

#3 Go underwater.

Maybe one of the reasons you purchase an action camera is because you wanted to film and take pictures underwater. Taking it underwater is perhaps a little tricky. The only source of light when you go underwater is the sun. You need to be conscious of your lighting. Make sure that your pictures are not against the light by keeping the sun at your back. 

When taking photos underwater, you need to keep your hands firm. Images that are taken underwater are prone to being blurry. It is also not ideal to have close-up shots because the results will not be as sharp. The subject will be much more precise if you take it at least 2 meters away.

#4 Use some filters.

Just like social media, action cameras also use filters. However, these filters are very different from each other. Social media filters add elements to your photo to look cute and beautiful, while for action cameras filters, they remove the unnecessary elements to fix your image.

Some of the filters that you can use are neutral density (ND) filter, polarizing filter, and red or magenta filter. Neutral density (ND) filter shades your camera from overly bright conditions. While the polarizing filter minimizes the reflections brought by glass or water. Lastly, red or magenta filters balance the blue tints when you go deeper underwater.

#5 Use the remote control.

When purchasing your action camera, consider buying those who have WLAN connectivity. Aside from transferring your files to your smartphone in a much easier way, you can also use this to connect your smartphone as a remote control. Connecting your camera to a smartphone will enable you to view the camera on a bigger screen. A more detailed view will help you compose your picture nicely. 

#6 Take some selfies.

While being on the run, you do not need to take out your smartphone to get a selfie. Your action camera is capable of taking those photos for you. Since the camera has a wide-angle lens, parts of the picture will be distorted and uneven in proportion. 

To prevent distortion while taking your selfie, keep yourself at the center of the frame. The center of the frame has less distortion. You also need to keep your distance. The one-arm length will be enough to take a good picture of you.  You can also use selfie sticks to maximize the beautiful scenery at your back. 

Taking photos is different from recording videos. But it would be nice if you know about doing both. No matter where you go on your next trip, there will be circumstances you do not know when you will encounter again. There will be scenes you do not know when you will see it also. It would be great if you will be able to document this with your action camera, either in videos or photos.