I have a couple of Canon AE-1 cameras – ok, I have 4. That I have acquired over the years. They just seem to show up. I will be taking pictures with another film camera and a friend or acquaintance will have an AE-1 and ask if I want it. The answer is “yes” as I am always looking for a camera battery door or new lens or attachment.

I recently had another drop in my lap and as I was putting it away with it brothers, I found that one of the others had a roll of film in it… I opened it up (after making sure it was rewound!) and the was some Fujichrome Velvia 50 ASA/ISO slide film in it! I haven’t shot slide film in an AE-1 in YEARS!

It was a mystery, so I dropped it by my local camera shop in Eugene, OR (Dot Dotson’s) and was blown away by what came back! There was a whole roll of film that I took of my wife in 2007 or 2008 in Hamburg, Germany and the Planten am Blomen park, near the Damtor train station.

She was and is my muse, but I had forgotten about this sort of impromptu phot session right up until the very instant that I saw the contact sheet. She looked stunning, and it got my level just right to capture her inn the falling light. The film aged beautifully and love the effect it gave the negatives and prints! I am really happy to have found this roll of film!

It was such a gift to “find” these and for them to still be viable after 16+ years. This was early in out marriage and life was a huge adventure filled with food and travel and possibilities.

I have a couple of 8×12 prints up at the house and these are going in my portfolio!