Story courtesy:
In our Febraury 2017 issue, born-and-raised Pemberton skier/flyer/adventurer Austin Ross discussed the sport of Speed Riding (a sort of blend of paragliding and skiing) and the importance of getting creative with your POV camera angles. Check out Austin’s “8 Tricks for POV Success” below. For more insight into the life and times of Austin, check his Instagram: @austinross88
At first skier/adventurer Austin Ross couldn’t figure out the angle for this POV article, but then he realised it was right in front of him the whole time…
POV cameras are a great way to relive the best moments of your day and share your epic lines (or nasty crashes) with family and friends. But with every Todd, Rachael and Jerry capturing glorious pow runs, high-speed groomers and late-night hijinks with their helmet cams, how do you stand out?
After a number of years utilising these nifty units, I’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks that can help take your POV game to the next level. Let’s hit record… “Is it on?”
1. Be Prepared
The old photographer’s motto says “the best camera you have is the one that’s with you” couldn’t be more true. You won’t get any good footy if your camera is back home on the kitchen table or your extra battery is on the back seat of your truck. I’ve added camera duties to my nightly routine — when I get home from the hill, I dry my gear, charge my batteries, log my footy and clear my cards so that I’m ready to get back to the goods in the morning.
2. Experiment
There are millions of hours of standard, forward-facing POV clips already out there, so dream up some interesting new angles and try out different mounts. Variety will keep things fresh and set your shots apart, and after some trial and error, you’ll discover which ones work best for different scenarios. Remember the dude who put his GoPro on a string and whipped it around over his head like a lasso while he skied? So does everyone else. Be like that guy, only different.
3. Let It Roll
I can’t tell you how many times my best shots happened when I wasn’t expecting to get anything useable. So long as I have an extra battery and memory card, I let it run. I’ve learned that the funny banter between friends or self-narrative can be really good behind the scenes stuff which makes it easier to tell a story and adds colour to your edit.
4. Learn the Settings
GoPros have a tonne of options that work well for different environments, conditions, sports, etc. so try them all out and see what best suits your style and your specific objectives. Try to remember what is good for what, and if not, write notes.
5. Go Into the Light
Sunrise, sunsets and sunny days in general, are where most of your best shots will come from. Storm days can work well too, but you’ll need to be in places with good contrast, like in the trees or near rock walls.
6. Be Flexible, Be Smart, Be Safe
Pay attention to conditions, your body and instincts. Staying alive is always more important than getting the shot. If the snowpack is questionable or you aren’t feeling it, then remember that tomorrow is another day. Wait if you have to, trust me the payoff is always worth it.
7. Short and Sweet
Very few people have the patience to watch five minutes of POV skiing or riding. The truth is, telling your story in one minute (think Instagram) is almost always better than spending forever on something that’s too long and will inevitably get lost in cyberspace. Less is more.
8. Submit
There are a ton of giveaways and contests that revolve around personal POV edits, especially in ski towns. Submit your edits and watch other peoples’ clips for inspiration. You never know what kinds of doors will open if you create something unique and it’s obvious that you had fun. Having fun should always be the number one objective.
