Within the last couple of days, I have taken quite a few trips down memory lane by watching many of the old VHS tapes we have laying around the house. They've been collecting dust since about 2003 when my dad invested in a Sony DV Camcorder. At first I just wanted to watch them, but I got to thinking that it was as good a time as any to translate them to a digital format. I struggled for two hours trying to configure all of the crap the other night. The sad thing is, I consider myself to be pretty savvy when it comes to computers and technology. I finally gave in and consulted my good old friend, Google. Of course, once I found out how simple it really was, I immediately felt like an idiot. So, minutes later, I was importing my first VHS tape into my computer.
I spent the rest of the night playing through half a dozen tapes. It was the first time in years that I had seen most of them. Still photos are amazing and they rank highest on my most prized possessions list, but for me, seeing a video of something makes for a totally different experience. Within the first minute of watching one of my orchestra concerts from 7th grade, I instantly began to experience some of the same emotions I felt on that night. It was absolutely crazy, and I am beginning to understand where my passion for videography may come from. I don't like to "live in the past" so to speak, but once I popped that first VHS into the VCR, I literally couldn't stop myself from watching "just one more". Before I knew it, I was looking at the clock and thinking "3:00 a.m.?! It can't possibly be 3:00 a.m.!!"
Watching these tapes has made me realize so many things, but the most important is that I have amazing parents. My dad lugged around a 10 pound video camera to 95% of my brother and I's concerts and ceremonies, and held it steady during those events for at least an hour each (with a bad back). My mom took on the role of a photographer, always making sure to grab her camera no matter how late we were running. I can't help but wonder if they even got the chance to enjoy what they were capturing, but I am extremely grateful nonetheless. It is because of them that I will (hopefully) get to look back on those times for the rest of my life. Those videos will be there to show to my children when they're older, and are the very things that I wish I could see and have from my own parents' childhoods. The connections I feel watching these videos are incredible.
What makes you feel most connected to your past? Feel free to share your thoughts!
No comments:
Post a Comment