Earhart on her plane (Photo: Screenshot of ”Amelia Earhart’s Last Photo Shoot”)

In May—or maybe it was March—of 1937, Amelia Earhart invited photographer Al Bresnik to photograph her and her plane as she prepared to fly around the world. John Bresnik, Al’s brother, tagged along to the airport that day, too, and for years afterwards a 16 mm film of Earhart sat on shelf in his office. 

That film, found by his son and now being released publicly for the first time, is some of the last footage taken of the pilot before she disappeared.



Bresnik’s son recently handed the film over to a publisher, which is releasing it as “Amelia Earhart’s Last Photo Shoot.” It’s incredible and haunting to see the famous aviator standing there, smiling, posing, walking on the wing of her plane—especially knowing she’s about to disappear forever.

Bonus finds: Glass on Mars, a copy of an early Star Wars script, a meat-eating Welsh dinosaur

Every day, we highlight one newly lost or found object, curiosity or wonder. Discover something unusual or amazing? Tell us about it! Send your finds to sarah.laskow@atlasobscura.com.