Christmas 2017, I received a wrapped brick from my parents.
It’s a Canon AE-1 Program. Silver, heavy, smooth, but most of all heavy.
The weight took me by surprise. I’ve shot on film before in high school during Junior year, but had no memory of the weight.
I began to inspect my new film camera for any mechanical defects. Fiddled with what I can, almost stress testing its aging body.
Equipped with a 50mm f/1.8, I checked the focus accuracy. Smooth.
Brand new, but used with its aging “Certified” sticker proving genuine.
The gears, buttons, dials turned and functioned smoothly.
Let’s check the film advance. creeee-CHUNK
Check the shutter. Thlith-thluth
I slipped in batteries used for dog shock collars and assumed it came to life.
Unsure how to check, I loaded the first roll of black and white film - Kodak T Max 400 black and white.
Hazy drunken stupor mixed with THC
Barely 21 and weed became legal for rec use
Another weekly game night at the Asshole’s house that “lost” my first edition of Exploding Kittens: Party Pack my sister gifted to me on Christmas
Brought my AE-1 Program over to shoot the first roll of Kodak T-Max 400
Fueled by nothing else other than milk tea from Kung Fu Tea, we were in for a very long night
A near nightly ritual with Mikey after our shifts from work
I have no idea how much I spent or how many times Mikey graciously paid for my drinks every time
I always enjoyed our time getting boba just to have an excuse to hang out and get our sugary fix
Never knew Anaheim had a skate park
(unfortunately in a not so great neighborhood but they gave a facelift and more funding to the elementary school attached to the park)
Attempted nighttime film photography because why not take a risk before film becomes more expensive to buy and develop
The beginning of risk taking
Something I don’t entirely regret but definitely learned much, much more compared to what I would have known now
Be careful who you trust when you sink thousands of dollars from your pocket
A business idea is not a business plan
I was in the middle of a two-way crisscross because both these bozos still hadn't gotten their shit together
Obligatory picture of Peaches when she was a little over two years old. I’m pretty sure every new roll of film, I start off taking a photo of Peaches
Developed, scanned, printed by The Photo Lab in Costa Mesa, California