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The story behind the camera...

...Canon F1

For once, I leave the familiar path of my photography. I would like to share this picture with you in a personal story that happened to me a long time ago. It was in 1991, when I traveled with the motorbike to Egypt to experience the Middle East close up. I was young, easygoing and adventurous. It was the year when the first Gulf War took place, just when I arrived in Egypt. First I drove from Alexandria to Cairo and from there into the Libyan desert. She was gorgeous and fascinated me, like nothing before. But in the first oasis, where I wanted to stay a few days, it happened. I was stolen by a tourist guide my entire camera equipment. This was a terrible event for me because I trusted this guide and I could not document my journey from this time on. When I returned to Cairo a few weeks later, I decided with my remaining money to buy another camera. Only, a new camera I could never afford. So what to do? I prayed to God for help. (I really did). There was not one hour, when I passed a shop window, where I could not believe my eyes. There was an old Canon camera for sale. I was amazed that she was offered for purchase in a normal coffee shop.(Probably she was also stolen from someone). But that was my last hope to get a camera at a price I could pay. It was written with 400 DM (German Mark !!!) and I could still lower it to 300 DM.

 

Since 1991, I am the proud owner of my first and real professional camera and I regretted the purchase of this piece of jewelry not a single day, because the camera made excellent pictures and it still works today! This fully mechanical analog camera can be operated even without a battery, which can not be said of today's modern digital cameras. (The F1 was the first professional Canon Camera and is now 47 years old.)

 

Somehow wistfully, I look back at these analogue times, because the photographing was still really a very different thing than today. I miss the mechanical and original element, but I do not want to do without the digital technology. So there are two hearts in my chest.

I hope you had some joy in my story and my picture here.

Kind regards

Erwin

 

P.S: I would like to thank my wife for her help by preparing the arrangement for this special shot.

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Uploaded on May 1, 2017
Taken on March 29, 2017