When my dad was a kid, my grandfather took lots of home videos. They’re great family memories, and I recently converted them to digital files and DVDs. One problem: out of the hours of footage, my grandfather is in only a couple quick scenes…because he was BEHIND the camera almost all the time!
This has been an issue with home videos since video cameras started to become common in households. Enter Nick Woodman. He was a surfer who wanted video of himself surfing. So he created GoPro cameras (for more, check out this amazing 60 Minutes story.
GoPros are pocket-size cameras with a huge variety of attachments that allow them to be put in all kinds of places: bicycle handlebars, hats, surfboards, cars, etc. (See the little camera in the photo at the top? Click the picture for a larger image.) Plus they come with in a plastic case that makes them waterproof and pretty much indestructible.
That combination allows them to be used to capture moments that would otherwise be nearly impossible to record. For example:
And here’s something I want to record with my dog if/when I get a GoPro:
GoPros are now the best-selling camera, and they have become relatively affordable (starting around $200).
Now I know a lot of you readers don’t foresee yourself surfing in the near future. I’m with you. But there are lots of other situations when it might be great to capture yourself doing something: playing softball, throwing a surprise party, sharing Thanksgiving dinner with the family, hanging next to your bird feeder, seeing what your dog/cat does while you’re away from home. The possibilities seem endless.
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Paul B. Brown | Video Producer 