50 years ago, I was in the middle of my career as a photographer. I was still living in L.A., with my wife and baby daughter. Not knowing yet that we’d soon be moving to the Netherlands, where my wife was from, and we’d have another baby girl.

50 years ago seems like a different lifetime. But if I look at this list of albums turning 50 years old this year, I can clearly hear the music playing in my mind.

• Hotel California by the Eagles. I photographed them several times. Big fan of their music (we come from the same canyon in L.A.) and them as people. Did I ever tell you the story of Glenn Frey holding my baby while my wife offered to mend his jeans? According to Don Henley, the Eagles will stop in 2026. But yeah, he’s said that before.
• Destroyer by Kiss. I was at their first press appearance in L.A. back in 1976. I didn’t quite know what to make of them. I still don’t.
• Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy. I photographed them playing a live concert somewhere in the mid-‘70s. They must have been playing songs off this album!
• A Day at the Races by Queen. Freddy Mercury was always a joy to photograph.
• Blue Moves by Elton John. He dropped a pin, I picked it up, and still have it.
• Arrival by ABBA. Although not a huge fan of their music, I was a fan of Agnetha.
• Rocks by Aerosmith, who’s concert I shot as one of the first after I moved to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Again, they must have been playing songs off this album!
• Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder. Another iconic album by an amazing artist that I had the good fortune of photographing.
• Also Steve Miller, The Ramones and Frampton’s historic double LP Genesis & Bowie.

Gosh, I’m lucky. There must be more albums turning 50 this year, but I just haven’t photographed them, like AC/DC.

What’s your favorite 50-year-old album?