Bill Smith's Photography

Compared to the older AE-1, the Canon AE-1 Program is a joy to use, and more intuitive than the A-1 which was the all bells and whistles prosumer camera in Canon's line up. Sometimes simpler is better. I really love the bright viewfinder and with the AE-1 Program, changing film speed is no longer an arthritis inducing exercise. As for shooting on a less than wonderful day in the fall, Kodak Portra 400 rocks. It has super wide latitude, personally I over expose at around 200 ISO to get the saturated look you see here. Camera: Canon AE-1 Program, FD lenses.  Film: Kodak Portra 400 

Back in mid October I went up to Elora with friends for the Fall Toronto Film Shooters meet up. We decided to head outside the GTA slightly for some fresh territory for some. I always like an excuse to head up to Elora for the day. For some shooting even if the weather was threatening rain. I also had a chance to try out a new camera. I was gifted a black Canon AE-1 Program courtesy my friend Joe Folino, a Toronto area film photographer who runs groups on Flickr, Meet Up and Facebook. The camera was in great shaped but needed some serious lubrication as it was squealing like a pig, once that was sorted out, it was  joy to use Camera: Canon AE-1 Program, FD lenses. Film: Kodak Portra 400

Elora is always fun, and their local brewery is highly recommended for lunch or dinner, as well as the beer. I loved shooting with the Minolta XE-7, I forgot how heavy it is and Rokkor glass, you can't go wrong. Camera: Minolta XE-7, MC Rokkor 50 f1.4 lens. Film: Bergger Panzre 400, HC110 B.

I love going up to Elora for an escape, this time out, I brought my friend Crystal up. The weather was a bit of a question mark with all the moisture rolling through but we got lucky. Tuesday was quiet, that's the way I like it.  This time out I brought my Minolta XE-7 up with me and shot with Bergger Pancro 400, my friend James Lee spotted me a roll six months ago and I wanted the right opportunity to try it out. This is a fabulous film for landscapes and portraiture and at some point, I'll order some more rolls to test further.  Camera: Minolta XE-7, MC Rokkor 50 f1.4 lens. Film: Bergger Pancro 400, HC110 B.

I went on a day trip up to Elora last weekend with friends, it was a nice escape for a little while. Elora is going to change over the next few years when "The Mill" reopens as a boutique hotel and the old furniture factory ruins become a new hotel, conference centre and wedding chapel. They already began construction on the south side of the Grand River. The end result will change the town but hopefully not wrecking its character. Camera: Asahi Pentax KX, SMC Pentax M 50 f1.7 lens. Film: Rollei RPX 400, HC110 B.