[leadin]Action cameras have given ordinary people the ability and freedom to capture their every adventure. But should they?[/leadin]
Owning an action camera does not automatically turn you into a rad, bad, action hero. More and more people are simply trying too hard to capture the ultimate moment. They’ve thrown discernment out the window while trying to get it all on film.
Thankfully, there is hope. Behold the acronym A.C.T.I.O.N. C.A.M., designed specifically as a filtering system that determines whether or not to bring an action cam on any adventure. Keep it close the next time you GoPro up and head outside.
A.C.T.I.O.N. C.A.M.
A – Accidents Likely. Do you anticipate wipeouts? If there is at least a 70% chance that crashes will occur, bring the cam. Wipeouts indicate that you’re pushing your limits and are more likely to capture sensational footage.
C – Crashes. Hate to be repetitive, but, again, we highly advise you bring the camera if you might crash. Or if anyone, anywhere near you, may crash. Bring it.
T – Trusty Witness. Let’s face it. Your friends don’t think you’re that gnarly. Raw footage will never deny your feats. If you’re alone and about to attempt something impressive, bring your action cam to prove it.
I – Illegal. If you have to duck a “No Trespassing” sign or outrun a park ranger, leave the camera behind. And by all means do not post your Midtown Manhattan BASE jump to YouTube!
O – Out Of Your League. If the attempt is too audacious, the fear possibly too crippling, forget about the camera. If footage of you backing out ever surfaces, you may never hear the end of it.
N – Newbie. Excited and want to show off your first time on the singletrack or terrain park with some POV footage… just don’t do it. Save the sharing for next year after you have some skill and lose some of the initial (annoying) newbie stoke.
C – Chance Of Skydiving? Flappy cheeks are comical. If you will be leaping out of a plane, bring the camera for the flapping lips alone.
A – Angle Variety. Multiple camera angles are a must. If you only have a selfie stick, don’t bring the cam. A five-minute highlight video of your facial expressions will impress no one.
M – Mature Content? Four-letter words, nude beaches or skinny dips, and, oh, so much more… all of this is off-limits, we would suggest. In an age where your antics might be live to the world on social media literally seconds after things happen… well, we suggest keeping your camera footage, for the most part, “family friendly.”
Deploy The GoPro
If you’ve made it this far in the acronym without a clear decision, go ahead and bring the cam. You did spend hundreds of dollars on it, so it’s best to err on the side that keeps it around.
You never know what could happen, like maybe encountering great white sharks while on a stand up paddleboard.
So there you have it, an unbiased decision-maker to the ever-present question of “to bring or not to bring” the action cam. Keep the acronym close by and it will be your guiding light of GoPro discernment.
