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Saturday, August 25, 2018

How To Shoot Better GoPro Videos of Fish Underwater

We've been getting some nice underwater footage lately from the clear lakes of northern Wisconsin, like this short clip of walleyes relating to sunken timber and rocks.

I'm often asked for advice on ways one can improve the quality of underwater fish videos shot with GoPro cameras in freshwater.  Here are my three best tips for aspiring underwater shooters. 1) Shoot in the clearest water you can find. Lakes or rivers that are cloudy or discolored will ruin image fidelity and definition. If the water isn't clear, nothing else really matters. 2) Use strobe lights to bring out colors and fill in dark shadows. 3) Don't chase the fish! Let them come right into the camera. This is a much more interesting view of them than the "tail shot" you'll always get if you chase them.  Fish are naturally curious and if you're patient, you'll find that they'll swim directly into your lens on their own.

Of course, there are many other tips, but in my mind, these are three things you can start doing today that will dramatically improve your underwater videos taken of freshwater fish.
 
To see more of our underwater fish videos, visit our YouTube Channel.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks, good tips. Getting a Gopro (upon your suggestion) soon for underwater filming. Didnt think about extra lighting that might be needed. My goal is video & pics of musky in some clear wis lakes next spring. Any specific stobe to get?

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  2. I think most of the underwater strobes on the market these days are pretty decent, although I confess, I haven't worked with very many. I use Big Blue strobes and a tray and handle set up that's similar to what they sell. https://bigbluedivelights.com/products.asp?country=us&ProductType=10

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