Blissful Beach Camping

Beach camping in Hong Kong

Beach camping is one of those outdoorsy things that sounds like a great idea. Spend your day fishing, swimming, and soaking up the sun then drift off to sleep to the sound of the crashing waves after a glorious sunset.

Our imaginations tend to gloss over the not-so-nice realities of our daydreams. Just like dreaming of moving to Paris means you'll have to learn French and pay 5 euros for a coffee, camping at the beach comes with a few challenges that can make for a miserable time. Has one of your beach camping trips ended in disaster or misery?

Things that (usually) Suck about Beach Camping

• Sand gets EVERYWHERE, in EVERYTHING

  

  The worst line in any Star Wars movie? I think so.

• It's hot
• Sunscreen is sticky and gross
• There are bugs that bite
• Your tent blows away in the wind, or leaks when it rains

So while I can't magically make any of those things go away for you, I can share the tricks I've learned that make camping on a beach actually really wonderful.

Headache Free Vacation Photos- Document Your Adventure without the Hassle

My cousin is heading on a trip to Hawaii and asked me for info on what GoPro I'm using and what accessories I use most. I thought y'all might find the info useful too!

Balancing Experiencing with Documenting

I choose to be okay with using the best photo of the actual experience instead of impacting the experience to get the shot I want.  

Set it and forget it...
I am always sensitive to how documenting an experience can impact the experience itself. I'm sure you have all heard the horror stories of people so obsessed with getting 'the shot' that they ruin their honeymoons, or worse, fall off cliffs. The way I get most of my shots in the moment is by setting my GoPro on video at an angle I think will get me something good, and then focus on the experience. I think it is okay to spend a second or two adjusting the camera angle, but I try not to get too hung up on getting a specific shot. Instead, I set it on video, try to ignore it, and just pull whatever the best stills are later. I also sometimes shoot while I am teaching, in which case I cannot pay any attention to the camera. Sometimes when I am teaching, I end up not being able to use any of the footage, but that's ok, because teaching is the primary focus of that experience, and any photos I might get are just a bonus.

Guidelines for 'Set it and Forget it' success:

1. Use a wide angle lens or camera (like a GoPro)
2. Set the camera in a good location to capture the action- with a wide angle lens, a little closer to the action than you would a traditional camera
3. Set it on video and try to ignore it
4. Use either the camera software or use Video to Photo- Grab HD Frame  app to pull stills from the video after your adventure