I bought my first video camera in May 1982. It was a "state of the art" unit which I paid $2,400.
However, it was also a unit which could be portable and operated by battery.
My main reason for purchasing this toy was to be able to go out and video tape some of the "old folks in the family", so years later, the younger generation would be able to see and hear their ancestors. I tried to do intervues, and shot a lot at the few family reunions.
The other night on Facebook, one of my "much younger" third cousins (who now lives in Pittsburgh) mentioned "her Poppy"(which was her grandfather...and my first cousin who passed away around 1984). I asked if she remembered seeing the video I shot at their house back in 1982 when she was about 5 years old. She said that she didn't remember it.
Well, she is in for a very pleasant surprise this evening when she gets her e-mail and finds a 10 minute You Tube copy of this event. In it she'll see her "Poppy" and her "Daddy" (who just passed away last year) along with her two grandmothers, her Mom, (who are still living here in KY) and her younger sister who was about 2 years old.
I would urge EVERYONE to go through any and all of your old family photos with "the older folks" to identify them, and write the names on the back along with other data. Then, copy them to a disk!
Oh, Dave, this was GREAT! She's going to love this more than anything she's ever had.
ReplyDeleteWhew, that was some chunk of change back in '82, almost a third of a whole car, lol. Well, you know what I mean, it was a LOT of money, but so well worth it.
A few yrs ago, I went over to Mom's and was looking for some particular photos of people in the family and she said she'd thrown them all out. I went ballistic and asked her why??!! She said they were taking up room and there wasn't anyone left in the family anyway. What was I? Chopped liver? So here I am now, seriously the last one left, and no pics. It still matters to me. All of those things gone and daggone it, they HAD all the names and dates and places on the backs. Geez.