Shoot with GoPro like a Pro: Tips and Tricks from Donald Miralle
Marathon runners push through the high heat and humidity during the 2013 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. @donaldmiralle
Still wondering how to capture professional grade photographs with a GoPro camera? To give you some of the best advice we interviewed Donald Miralle, recipient of over 40 international awards, one of the most innovative sport photographers in the industry, and overall an incredible person. The December/January Issue of LAVA magazine featured a 9-page photo gallery, and included a variety of Miralle's photography from the Ironman World Championships from Kona. He is a GoPro expert and was willing to break down some secrets of how to best utilize the camera as a tool to take print-worthy photos, especially within endurance sports.
What are the benefits of having GoPro in your tool/camera kit?
For all my shoots, whether it be commercial or editorial content, I bring GoPros in my camera bag with me. Over the years, I've found that having a GoPro with me was always a good supplement for productions. I would usually set up a GoPro on a tripod when we started a shoot, and just let it run forgetting it was there, and be surprised what it would capture later on. Sometimes clients wanted these behind the scenes shots and I have actually seen the footage I have captured out of them as one of the main images as part of a campaign. Ive started to think about specific angles specifically for the GoPro where I couldnt place 35mm gear, or also have them shooting attached to my 35mm gear as backup. There have been times when my 35mm camera missed a moment but the GoPro did not! Its really amazing what these little cameras are capable of now!
These competitors dash from the swim portion to jump onto their bikes; this transition is an extremely vital part of the race separating the winners from the rest. @donaldmiralle
How did you capture the GoPro shots that were printed in LAVA?
The GoPro images that were specifically used in LAVA magazine from the Kona Ironman World Championships have been captured in various ways over the years. In 2014, a camera that I placed on top of the finish line/start tower caught not only the moment the swimmers jumped into the water at the start, but then was repositioned to also capture the exact moment that Sebastien Kienle broke the tape crossed the finish line as the new world champion. Both of these were set on a multi-shot mode where I captured an image every half second; therefore, I was able to use as a time lapse video of both the start and the finish in addition to pulling out single frames for print. Last year, I connected it to my underwater 35mm housing, and it ended up getting an amazing image from the mass start from 30 feet below the swimmers, which was better than the image my 35mm captured. I also mounted a camera underneath the entry stairs for the water, which created a very abstract and original angle of the swimmers exiting the water. I couple years back when I wasnt in the NBC helicopter, I flew a small drone at a couple safe locations during the swim, bike and run, and was rewarded with some very interesting angles. Outside of the images printed in LAVA, I have used the GoPro's for video footage during the race, which has been a supplement to my coverage of the Ironman.
Over a hundred gather in preparation for the 2.4-mile swim, which is the most emotionally charged leg of the IRONMAN Race. @donaldmiralle
What are your favorite modes and techniques to get a GoPro shot?
If I am setting up a GoPro somewhere getting a static shot, I usually use the timelapse mode, varying the shots from every .5 second to 5 seconds depending on the duration of the activity I am shooting. For example, for the swim start since it spans a fairly short time from pre-sunrise at 6:30ish to 7:30 when the last swimmer enters the water, I have it on very short half-second intervals. Something spanning for several hours like setup and break down of the finish line I will make sure I have a power supply to plug the GoPro into and run longer intervals like every 5 seconds or so. Ive found the using the video + photo mode very helpful when I need mostly video from a scene but also need a couple decent jpeg general views as well. I often use a pole cam to get a slightly elevated view of a scene and to clean up a background, and every now and then for the selfie too! And if I really want a more extreme elevated angle and safety and time permits, Im also a big proponent of aerial and drone photography. I usually fly a DJI Phantom I or II, with a Zenmuse Gimbal, and a live-view screen attached to the remote control so I can keep a line of site with the quadcopter. With the heightened safety precautions and FAA rules with aerial/drone photography, I never fly unless I have full satellite coverage and homing GPS enabled. Also, I won't fly in bad weather conditions, highly populated areas or near airports. I will always make sure to only shoot under canopies at low elevations. When used safely and correctly, you can capture some amazing aerial views from a GoPro and Quadcopter that wouldnt be possible otherwise.
Photo from deep below the swimmers as they fiercely paddle to be the first one out of the crowded waters. @donaldmiralle
If you had only one go-to setting in the water, what mode would you use?
In the water, whether I am using it attached to my larger camera or a GoPro mount, I have it on the burst mode (30 frames per second). More times than not I have noticed that most things happen in the water very quickly and pass by you very quickly. Ive had the most success in burst mode whether its shooting a wave barreling over a reef or 2000 triathletes splashing on the surface of the water. The cool thing is there are pretty significant but slight nuances that
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Shoot with GoPro like a Pro: Tips and Tricks from Donald Miralle 
