GoPro Snorkeling: 7 Mistakes Made in Underwater Videography
- Andre Serrano
- Mar 27
- 5 min read
If you're new to underwater videography with a GoPro, snorkeling can be both exciting and challenging. Many beginners make common mistakes that affect their footage and even put their cameras at risk. Here are the top seven mistakes and how to fix them to capture stunning underwater shots.
If you don't want to read this blog post, you can watch the video covering these Mistakes:
Mistake #1: Thinking Your GoPro Is Safe 🎥😅
Do you think your GoPro is secure while snorkeling? Think again.
There’s a whole Facebook group of heartbroken adventurers begging for their lost GoPros back. I know… because I was one of them.
It happened in Bali. Mesmerized by the underwater beauty, I drifted over deep water without realizing it. Then—ZOOM—a fish darted past me. I flinched, let go of my brand-new GoPro… and watched it vanish into the abyss. 😭
To avoid that you only need to
Have a floaty. But not just any floaty. Some are useless when it comes to actually finding your camera. Imagine a shark zips by—you panic, drop the camera, and bolt for the boat. By the time you remember your GoPro, it’s just a tiny yellow dot drifting somewhere in the ocean.
Tour guides won’t spend their day searching for it. But if you use a bright orange floaty with a large surface area, spotting your GoPro becomes way easier.
Trust me—your future self (and your underwater videography dreams) will thank you. 🎥🐠🌊
Mistake #2: The Silent GoPro Killer 💀📸💦
Good news: If this happens, you might recover your footage. Bad news? Your GoPro? Gone forever.
This never happened to me (thank Poseidon), but my friend Camila? Twice. Another close friend? Same story. Brand-new GoPros, different models—didn’t matter. And when they complained to GoPro?
"User error. Not our problem." Bye-bye, warranty. Bye-bye, camera.
So what happened?
Camila was snorkeling, happily filming her underwater videography masterpiece, when—poof—her GoPro shut off. Back on the boat, she opened the battery compartment… and found Atlantis inside her camera. 💦⚡
Turns out, in the rush to swap batteries that morning, she hadn’t fully closed the battery door. Five minutes in the water was all it took to fry her GoPro beyond repair.
Moral of the story? Your camera is waterproof, but that battery door? It’s its Achilles' heel.
The fix is simple
Always triple-check that it’s sealed tight before jumping in.
Five seconds of caution = years of GoPro adventures saved. 🎥🐠🔥
Mistake #3: Your Underwater Videography is a Seasickness Simulator 🤢📽️🌊
I hate to break it to you, but your underwater videography might be making people literally nauseous.
Ever wonder why your friends aren’t exactly hypnotized by your snorkeling videos? Well… one of mine straight-up told me: "Man, I’m happy for your holiday and all, but your videos make me seasick." 🤣
Harsh? Yes. True? Also yes.
The problem? Constant movement. The second we hit the water, we turn into hyperactive kids with a new toy—flailing, tilting, swimming, changing angles non-stop. It’s like watching a GoPro strapped to a caffeinated dolphin. 🐬💨
I give a lot more in depth information about this on our Underwater Videography Course.
Here’s the fix: Slow down. Breathe.
Hold the camera steady. Record one angle at a time. Let the shot settle before moving.
Your future viewers (and their stomachs) will thank you. 🎥🐠
Mistake #4: Your Footage is Endless (And Boring) 🎥😴🐢
Be honest—how long can you actually watch someone else’s snorkeling footage before your brain checks out? Even if it’s your best friend? Five seconds? Six, max? Then you’re just nodding politely, praying for it to end.
But when you show your holiday footage? You expect your friends to sit through all of it. Double standard much? 🤣
The truth? Your trip was amazing, but your underwater videography is boring—not because of what you filmed, but because of how you filmed it. Long, endless clips that drag on and on… Not only does this kill the vibe, but it also murders your GoPro battery before the tour is even halfway through. ⚰️🔋
The fix? Follow the 10-Second Rule. 🎯
Record in 10-second clips, then turn the camera off.
Want more shots? Record the same subject from a different angle (above, side, close-up).
Rinse and repeat.
Now, instead of a 5-minute snoozefest, you have snappy, engaging clips that actually hold people’s attention. 🎬🔥
Mistake #5: Wasting Money on Useless GoPro Accessories 💸📸
How many GoPro accessories have you already bought? Be honest. A protective case, snorkeling dome, floating handle, filters... the list never ends. And guess what? Most of them? Completely unnecessary.
GoPro is a business. Their goal? Sell you more stuff. And around them? Dozens of other companies trying to do the same.
One of the biggest scams? Snorkeling Filters. 🚨
They cost $60—but wait! You can’t even use them unless you also buy a $60 protective case. That’s $120 gone before you even hit the water. 💀
Do they work? Kinda. They slightly adjust the colors, but is it worth the money? Nope.
And the worst part? They ruin your above-water shots. 🌊📽️
Want to film your friends on the boat? Take the filter off.
Ready to film the fish? Put it back on.
Above water again? Take it off again. 🤦♂️
It’s a nightmare. But don’t worry—there’s a free and MUCH better way to fix your GoPro’s colors…
Mistake #6: The 5-Second Edit That Changes Everything 🎨🎥
Video editing is complex and time-consuming—but what if I told you one simple adjustment could instantly take your footage from meh to mind-blowing in just 5 seconds?
No fancy software needed. No expensive tools. Just a built-in feature on your phone. 📱✨
The problem? Underwater videos lose depth—blacks fade, shadows disappear, and everything looks flat and lifeless.
The fix? Super easy.
The fix:
Increase the Shadows/Black color back to your footage just using your phone.
I show you how to do that in this video:
If you're still reading this post, you might be interested in our Course
This isn’t just basics. You’ll learn:
✅ Advanced video editing tailored for snorkeling
✅ How to use AI tools to enhance your footage
✅ The best camera accessories (and the ones to avoid)
✅ How to shoot cinematic underwater shots effortlessly
Don’t let your footage go to waste—turn your snorkeling adventures into National Geographic-level videos. 🌍🐠
The One GoPro Setting That Changes EVERYTHING 🎥🐠
Bringing back colors in your underwater footage is great—but it only works if you have the right camera settings.
And out of the many, many settings on your GoPro, there’s one that matters the most for snorkeling.
⚡ FPS – Frames Per Second ⚡
Set it to 60 FPS.
Why?
✅ Drastically improves your video quality
✅ Fixes the sea sickness problem caused by shaky footage
✅ Lets you slow down your clips for a smooth, cinematic feel
I won’t bore you with technical details, but here’s the magic:
If you record all your footage at 60 FPS, you have the power to slow it down later—fixing any crazy, shaky clips that make people nauseous. 🤢➡️✨
🎬 TA-DA! Pure Magic. 🎬
The only catch? You’ll need to edit the footage afterward to apply the slow-motion effect. Not every phone has this built-in, but don’t worry—just use CapCut (it’s free and super easy).
Now, imagine combining this setting with proper color correction and cinematic angles…
Your snorkeling footage will go from random vacation clips to professional underwater cinematography. 🌊📸
And if you want to master ALL the secrets to incredible underwater videos, check out my full course—link in the description. 🚀
Yorumlar