The GoPro Story

 As early as two years ago I said, mostly to myself, that I'd never go Video.  And yet here we are.

Over the lockdown I became a fan of YouTube.  I went down many rabbit holes, losing up to 12 hours before thinking - maybe I should call it a day.  I learned about heavy vehicle recoveries in Sweden, ocean vessel recoveries all over the world, military aircraft get togethers called Tattoos and running low level flights in Star Wars Canyon and the Mach Loop.  I watched ATV riders in the US and Canada.  I learned neat tricks in Photoshop.  I watched World Cup Rally racing  all over Europe.  It's been wonderful.

Not that I'll ever make YouTube star status, but some elements of video look fun.  For now, I'm continuing on the still photography track.  But, if I can take take an action photo, and put it in context with a, say 5 second background video with sound if necessary, wouldn't that be somewhat 'cool'?  In my head, I see a F22 crossing in front of the crowd, pulling a multi-G nose up maneuver complete with vapor trails off the wing and I have a video of that 5 second move and in the middle I have one, two or three photographs of the moments that count.  And for a kicker, aircraft sound.  All that's missing is the heat on your face and the smell.

There is a lot to do to get here.  I know very little about videos.  I've made a few videos on ATV outings that are on YouTube.  Yes, I have a channel.  (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTaseYKoLNlodYmLqfEAlpA)

You could ask why I don't use the Nikons to shoot video.  Optical lenses vs digital lenses?  Not an argument worth bringing up.  I believe phones are phones, cameras in an emergency.  I believe cameras are cameras.  And as of now, the GP9 is a video device, not a camera.  Go with the strength.

I've had four video cameras, all relatively cheap, up to this point.  Strangely enough, I don't count my phone as a video device - and have not knowingly used the phone for that purpose.  I used some small unit, hand held unit that shot the Thunder on the Mountain videos.  I used a Panasonic unit attached to the front of my ATV for the first Drummond Island videos.  I used a Contour attached to my helmet for a number of ATV rides.  And the last iteration of the video adventure was a Sena Tube.

All were interesting for their time.  And over time the units had their own demise.  Time to move on.

I got the idea to marry video and still from others.  I've seen some awesome captures of low flying military aircraft through the Mach loop.  Google it.  Lottery bucket list.  There are some very creative YouTubers on that circuit.

The learning curve is not that bad.  The student however, another story.  YouTube has been a big help, with GP gurus offering their advice.  I have to be careful because most gurus want to talk to talk about becoming an influencer.  Not where I'm going.  But every video offered something to think about.

So I'm now experimenting with resolutions, frame rates and editing software.  I'm taking Monday off from the paying job, hopefully I'll be able to get out to the nature Refuge and work on my theories with some flying subjects.  At the end of the month I have some time off.  During that time is the Battle Creek Balloon fly in and Air Show.  Lots of airshow acts and....  The F22 Demo Team.  I'll be there at least one day.  And if my normal routine holds, I'll have to go back another day to fix my mistakes.

If any experimenting is worth posting about - it will be here.