Sport picture taking is n’t shot from the pursuit anymore , it ’s made by athlete as they do their thing . But before they can do that , they have to determine to fool away like a pro . We went inside the camp where they ’re trained .
The GoPro jock camp I attend was geared specifically towards the company ’s adventure athletes : rock climbers , kayakers , endure - up paddleboarders ( SUP ) , human flight , and a free stolon .
Though chance for adventure at the coterie were never in curt supply , participate in the activities was only part of the fun . What the five day political program really concentrate on was instruction on content creation , and all of the skills that go into it .
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Banff provide the athletes with divers , stunning environments where they could do their thing while enamour every epic moment — and GoPro ’s breeding , merchandise development , and sensitive production squad ensured that each jock was learning the tools and knowledge to create the best possible content . As an adventurer and storyteller myself , I fleece up all the noesis I could — while deliver the maximum possible fun .
Full disclosure : GoPro wing me up to Alberta for the hebdomad , put us up in a hotel , and put some food in our bellies — while ensuring that there were plenty of opportunities for adventure .
That ’s one way to make an entrance .
I had make it in Canmore a few days ahead of time to go heli - camping withJimmy Chin(more on that later ) . On the last day of the tripper , our helicopter got socked - in by the conditions ; the touch - and - go flight out ended up being more like a “ mite - down , wait , attempt to take off , land again , take a nap , then take - off ” flight , which resulted in me being fashionably later to the Athlete Camp ’s predilection dinner .
There was still plenty of elbow room at the cool kids ’ table though , because every mesa was full of them . To my left wasEric Jackson — world champion and Olympic freestyle kayaker and the founder ofJackson Kayak . In front of me was his sonDane , and Word - in - law , Nick Troutman — both noted kayakers in their own rights . Sitting at the board in front of us was GoPro ’s human flight team ( including penis of theBomb Squad ) — each of whom has expanded the realm of what ’s potential while catapulting through the air .
At the next table over wasChuck Patterson , an accomplished multi - sport athlete who has professionally vie in most every dining table variation imaginable — and his protege , fifteen yr - sure-enough SUP championIzzi Gomez . Sitting next to them wasLiu Yong Bang , aka “ Abond ” — one of China ’s top mounter who has been pioneer new 5.14 route in his homeland . These masses be only a fraction of the talent present at the pack .
One might be fain to suppose that with so many hotshots present , the camp would be unable to function at all thanks to an overpowering confluence of ego . However , that sentiment could not have been further from the the true . Instead , the coterie was more like a reunification of friend . Competitive friends no doubt , but friends who were there to have a good clock time ; and more significantly , who were eager to ascertain . Fittingly so , because encyclopedism took a central purpose for the duration of the event .
On the first morning we all gathered in the hotel ’s primary conference room for a introduction from GoPro ’s breeding and media yield teams . The stress for the next few days would be storytelling ; their presentation was a big launching of the topic — cover both conceptual and technical ideas about what makes a good story and tying that into the entire production process as it relate to GoPro . A few hours by and by , they sent us out into the wild , equip with an arming of cameras and every mount imaginable .
I tagged along with the watersport athlete . Before establish into the turquoise river , we got a firsthand face at how the they collaborated with GoPro ’s media output squad . The kayakers in particular have innovated a short ton of new mounts for their gravity - defy waterborne vessel ; the GoPro work party ensured that they would be set up to get orca angle on every speedy .
The paddle pirates launched — fully fain to shred foamy whitewater on their kayak and SUPs ; we followed behind splashing our way down the river in an inflatable raft . Later that nighttime , the athlete and GoPro crew cope with in the league way once again , but this time for an edit session .
They had two primary deliverables due by the end of the camp : five sea wolf still shots , posted on social media for the design of an engagement contest — and one short instructional video that would attend to teach their community some GoPro - relate attainment while at the same time make each person as not just a pro - jock , but as an authoritative message creator as well .
In parliamentary procedure to finish on time they would have to work all Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ( shooting ) and into each night ( concepting and redaction ) .
pic byNeil Amonson
The next morning we hitch a shuttle flight toEdmonton Skydive ’s jump zona , where we ’d get to do a tandem with members from the Bomb Squad . Neil Amonsonand I have a gravitational pull towards each other and paired up to make red - beard baby at 12,000 ’ — probably the world ’s first .
While Neil and I were freefalling , JT Holmesdropped by for high fives and fist bumps ; a few minutes laterMarshall Millerdid a flyby with F-22 - like precision and speed in his wingsuit — simple meters from our canopy .
Afterwards , a few of us squeezed in a sunset swallow academic term at Two Jack Lake — providing another chance to create some beautiful pic . And afterward that night ? More editing .
On the last full day , we headed out to Lake Louise . You ’ve plausibly seen a hundred Instagram delineation of someone stand in front of it while have on a bright colored rain jacket . The realness of that view is that they just ill-treat outside of the lakefront chateau to take it . The real magic is experience at the back of the lake , where a concealed crag column above its chalky turquoise water .
pic by Abond .
I managed to get a couple of route in , including my first 5.10a ( one called “ Public Enemy ” that featured a small roof for the crux ) , but it was even more exciting to check Abond and his girlfriendTing Xiaosend 5.12 overhang like it was their problem . Which I guess it is . The GoPro crew was on - site , helping them typeset up their cameras to get the best potential shots .
Back at Banff , the total grouping rallied at a western cattle ranch for some of the best damn BBQ I ’ve ever had — and accept turns seeking eight second base of fame on a mechanical Irish bull . The highlight of the nighttime , however , was watch the windup of seventeen inspiring , originative , passionate athletes ’ knockout work .
So what do you and I get out of all this ?
Well look at the photograph and videos you’re able to see in this floor . They ’re not displace shoots where a lensman is tell the jock what to do , they ’re authentic captures of cool people doing the poppycock they love to do , and sharing those moments with you . As observers , we ’re getting better photo and videos of the sports we lie with to watch . As amateur athletes endeavor to share our own adventure , we ’re getting the tools , intake and noesis necessary to do that better than ever before .
I take a few trick while I was there and I ’ll be portion out those with you mighty here on IndefinitelyWild , once I recover some high - speed net .
Top Shot : Neil Amonson
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