GoPro has established itself as the leading brand of personal video cameras. There are obviously other brands of action cams available, but GoPro is arguably to digital video cameras as Hoover is to vacuum cleaners and Biro is to ballpoint pens.
GoPro cameras are heavily associated with extreme sports and adventurous activities. This is, after all, the reason they were developed in the first place, with Nick Woodman deciding to create a camera system able to capture footage of his own surfing.
However, GoPro cameras can be used in plenty of ways other than shooting extreme sports, six of which we'll be exploring in this article.
Unusual Ideas For GoPro Pros
As mentioned above, GoPro is a brand closely associated with extreme sports. Whether you're cycling down a rocky ravine, skiing off-piste, skateboarding on a public road (please don't do this), or windsurfing in choppy waters, GoPro cameras will be able to shoot the action.
But we've seen enough extreme sports videos to last a lifetime, or at least until someone ups the ante yet again. It's time for GoPro fans to explore other uses for these amazing gadgets. Uses such as those briefly explored below.
Use a GoPro to Record Dangerous Driving
http://youtu.be/F57EA_2FhTg
More people than ever are installing cameras in their cars. A GoPro can easily be used as a dashcam to record any dangerous driving you may witness, thus proving a useful tool should video evidence of any wrongdoing ever be required. Which we obviously hope it isn't.
Use a GoPro to Demonstrate Musical Skills
http://youtu.be/EvnAqFWhfos
You may be the best musician in the world, but what is the best way of showing off your talents to the wider world? You could play gigs at a local bar, or you could strap a GoPro to your instrument and get amazing video footage of your skills filmed from a unique perspective.
Use a GoPro to Understand Your Pet
http://youtu.be/rxBS1E0KZQU
Anyone who owns a pet would be interested to see the world through their eyes, if only for a few hours. A GoPro would allow you to do just that. By attaching the camera to your animal of choice (perhaps excluding goldfish) you could see what your pet sees during a typical day.
Use a GoPro to Shoot A Short Film
http://youtu.be/OBVGevTO2uQ
Some of us aspire to be novelists, and some of us aspire to be filmmakers. Those in the latter group could use a GoPro to shoot a short film. The advantages being the low costs involved and the range of shots at your disposal. You could even tie your GoPro to a drone for aerial shots.
Use a GoPro to Record Frivolous Fun
http://youtu.be/qjKHLq_YNVA
While extreme sports are fun for some people, many of us would rather do anything else other than jump off a cliff with a thin piece of fabric tied to our backs. Why not use a GoPro to capture those frivolously fun moments shared between you and your friends?
Use a GoPro to Be a Citizen Journalist
http://youtu.be/ySEIK-I8I-Q
You may be unfortunate enough to live in a warzone, or be caught up in another newsworthy event. While the situation itself may be absolutely terrible, using a GoPro camera to capture the events unfolding before your eyes would allow you to become a citizen journalist, and allow the world to share in the awfulness of it all.
Continue The Conversation
These are just a handful of suggestions for alternative ways of using a GoPro camera. There are sure to be plenty more, and we would love you to carry on the conversation in the comments section below.
Simply tell us how you would personally use a GoPro. It can be anything other than shooting extreme sports, which has already been done to death by every adrenaline junkie in the world. And we mean every single one. EVERY ONE!
A Debt Of Gratitude
In order to compile this list of unusual ideas for GoPro videos, we received a lot of great comments from the MakeUseOf readership. As ever, they proved to be an invaluable part of the site you're reading right now.
These readers took the time to answer the question, What Would You Film Using A GoPro Camera?, and their responses helped us compile this article. Noteworthy comments include those from Macdillon, Katie F, Abdu Mad, and Dominic C.
Image Credit: David Kerwood via Flickr