4-Mile to Mitchells Downwinder with the GoPro Headband

Thursday June 28, 2012 - In an effort to re-create some of the nearly perfect POV downwind videos that Jeremy Riggs is creating, I purchased a GoPro headband and used it for the first time today on the 4-Mile to Mitchells run. The run was fun in good wind with a lot of small short duration runners, many of which linked up for longer rides on multiple bumps. The weather was drop dead perfect. And we have a solid group of people in our nascent and growing downwind paddlers community. We are all blessed to be in this place, at this time, with each other.

The video results with the GoPro set at N (for "Narrow" field of vision (FOV) were mixed. I don't think I captured the reality of catching and riding the runners from the riders perspective. The FOV was too narrow and the viewer just can't see enough. Next time I'll set the FOV to "Medium" which should provide a better look. The narrow setting on the camera was good though for looking at others.

But if I'm going to get good shots of other folks riding it will have to be a coordinated effort. Rider and photographer will have to stay together and work together to maintain position and camera angle and distance to subject. Two cameras would be better, with one mounted on the tail of the photographers board. I don't have two cameras but John just won a GP Hero2 at the Jay so I might be able to use his. Tail mounted camera FOV and angle will need to be explored, as will changing FOV settings on the fly and then remounting the headband so that it's secure and isn't pointing askew.

Any new venture needs pre-event research and in-water application to get it right. The adventure begins.