Growing up in central Florida, Josh Palma didn’t have to travel very far for water.
It all started at a young age for the 29-year-old, who spent much of his early years tubing and kneeboarding with his older brothers – but eventually, graduated to wakeboarding. After that, he never looked back. Today, while he might not be a household name, Palma has accomplished a lot during his career, winning contests and earning sponsorships from the sport’s biggest companies.
But even as a recognizable name in wakeboarding, Palma continues to push it to the limits, in the hopes of taking the sport to a new whole new level – and he’s done so, thanks to his filmmaking.
Last month, Palma, along with several other wakeboarders, released “How To” videos for Wakeboarding Magazine, which served as trick tutorials for novices like us. However, he knows it doesn’t take a camera crew to shoot quality video. It simply takes one small device, the GoPro camera, as well as some necessary accessories. The GoPro isn’t some big secret; in fact, it’s among the most popular filming tools for action athletes, allowing the user to capture great first person point of views and more. But for Palma, it’s what is attached to the camera that is helping him step up his game.
“To date, the most difficult tricks I’ve captured [on film] are a switch 900 and a Nosegrab Fat Chance,” Palma admitted. “I’ve been playing around with different POV shots.”
Grasping the GoPro is often a challenge, even just for everyday use, so imagine how much more difficult it must be going 20 mph in water, while trying to pull off some kind of insane trick. That’s why Palma’s got something to make certain he doesn’t lose it, while ensuring he scores the perfect shot.
“GoPole products can drastically improve the footage people capture on the water,” Palma added. “They make products that float, so enthusiasts can get creative and try more difficult shots while having the peace of mind that their GoPro is safe. I’ve had countless occasions where I’ve either dropped my GoPro or knocked it out of a filmer’s hand trying to get a tight shot or a specific angle.”
The New Jersey based company recently released a line of accessories that allows users to take their GoPro filming to the next level, the biggest of which, for Palma, is the GoPole Bobber. The Bobber is an easily visible, bright yellow hand grip that attaches to the bottom of the camera and offers a solid grip as well as easy access to the LCD screen during filming. It’s made of lightweight materials – and since it floats sticking out of the water, the fear of losing your camera is gone.
“GoPro makes a great camera and consumers love to document themselves in the moment,” GoPole Vice President of Brand, Ryan Vosburg said. “The Bobber is a first of its kind product conceived and developed exclusively – it’s perfect for any adventure involving water.”
Palma often films with some of his cohorts, on days when he’s trying to nail the most technical of tricks. They’ll sit either in front, or behind, him on an inner tube with the arm extension kit and get some great shots of the wakeboarder. It’s no wonder why they cannot afford to lose the camera.
But Palma films a lot more than just the sport he loves, in fact, he films another love – his two-year-old dog, Fin. While his four-legged friend sometimes swims for hours on end, Palma admits that the filming mostly takes place on the shore, so it seems unnecessary to use the Bobber on land. That’s where GoPole’s Grenade Grip, an essential for his filming on land, comes in handy.
“I’ve gotten some pretty incredible shots of [Fin] playing on the lake-shore and snagging frisbees out of mid-air,” Palma said. “Her newest hobby is trying to catch fish, no luck yet but the footage is hilarious!”
Ed Miller is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports and a movie quote extraordinaire. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of GoPole
