Last Normal Photos with the Olympus OM-1

There was a trend recently of people posting the last normal photo they had taken before the pandemic started changing their lives.

The Saturday before we self-isolated (March 14), we went for a walk along the Schuylkill Banks, and I brought along my Olympus OM-1 and shot part of a roll of Lomography Color Negative 400. So my “last normal picture” is actually 22 pictures.

I really enjoy shooting with the OM-1, but one issue that I had at the time was that I only owned a 28mm f/2.8 lens and a 135 f/3.5 lens. I also have a 28-80mm f/3.5-4.5, but I prefer prime lenses so have only shot with that once. The issue is that I had a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens and nothing in-between. I have since corrected that by buying a 50mm f/1.4 lens.

I felt the limitations of these extremes on this last walk during normal times, although it didn’t feel that normal since there were already recommendations for social distancing at that time.

I used the 28mm lens on the walk to the Schuylkill Banks and for the first part of our walk along the river.

Partway through our walk, I switched to the 135mm lens. By that time, the day had turned overcast.

A few days later, braving the new world, we walked to Rittenhouse Square. Some of the local florists had donated flowers that would have otherwise gone to waste due to lost sales.

Out of curiosity, I looked for the last normal photo on my phone, and it was actually an accidental screenshot. Prior to that, my last real photo was of The Drake Apartments with a daytime moon from the prior week.

I have taken a roll of film with the Olympus OM-1 with my new lens but have’t gotten it developed yet. Looking forward to seeing how those turned out and looking forward to the “next normal photo” I take.