CamDo customer Ahmad Allahgholi shared with us his initial stages of filming an 8 month time lapse with a GoPro underwater camera setup. As the founder and director of coralive.org, Ahmad is interested in filming the growth of corals on an artificial reef, which he built to help them grow stronger and faster.
Following his passion for underwater photography, Ahmad chose to use the Blink and GoPro HERO4. The setup will be attached to the artificial reef where he will be able to document the long process of coral growth through the coming months.
Ahmad notes some of the hurdles he went through prior to shooting, as filming underwater comes with its own struggles:
“Well, I already destroyed 2 prototypes, as the GoPro housing broke and leaked. So bringing electricity 100m far and keeping the whole thing dry for 6-8 months. Oh, and the algae off the front lens.“
These are just a few of problems one might encounter when shooting below the surface. Having the right setup is key to working around those obstacles. And as a tip for aspiring underwater photographers:
“Use extra amount of marine epoxy clay.“
The project is set to start in May. We hope to see more from coralive.org and update on the footage once it's complete by the end of the year.
If you’re interested in more GoPro underwater camera projects, we recommend checking this river snorkeling footage made possible with a WiFi underwater extension cable.
Ahmad Allahgholi has been in marine conservation since 2011, having served as a project manager for a Philippine NGO on coral reef restoration, MPA Management and alternative livelihood. He has a master’s degree in “Sustainable Natural Resource Management” with a thesis in “Coral Reef Restoration” from the United Nation’s mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. The website is www.coralive.org.
