Looking at my increasingly dwindling supply of Polaroid film and feeling quite depressed at the thought of never being able to get my hands on any ever again, I turned to the internet and reminded myself of the The Impossible Project and their quest to reproduce Polaroid film by next year. This week the FT has run a very interesting piece about the Project and the people who are working on it.
This is the first piece I have read which actually brings the factory and the people who work there to life and is well worth a read.
I owe my love of instant film to Susannah Conway who writes the inspirational 'Ink on my fingers' blog and who showed me her SX-70 Land Camera and later taught me how to use mine! Since then I have worked my way through piles of film and spent a small fortune!
I have also amassed a small collection of cameras including 2 SX-70's , 2 Instant 100'0's and a groovy brown Instant 500! These have been adapted to use the 600 format film which is now unavailable except at inflated prices on Ebay where many sellers are exploiting the demise of this film.
I belong to many Polaroid groups on Flickr and find endless inspiration from the many incredibly talented photographers, not least, Ant Eye, Mmatsuba and many others.
The only surviving photograph which I own of me and my best friend from 1981 is a Polaroid. Sadly she died four years ago and I treasure this picture and hope to find someone who can restore it and somehow preserve it.
Polaroid has a magical ethereal quality to it, lending even the most mundane objects a dreamy vintage feel. Luckily for me it also works beautifully with garden photography. Polaroid is a perfect film for the summer too, adding warmth and depth and responding to sunlight.
Once you get bitten by the Polaroid bug you can never ever get over it. That is why I (and many others like me) are hoping and praying that the Impossible Project will come good with the new film by next year and not consign many lovely old cameras to the bin.
Lovely photos Emma, polas really are amazing and I'm really sad that I only discovered it in the past two years... I never got to experience the wonders of time zero - a tragic shame.
I haven't touched my polas for a year or so now, I'm unsure whether I should enjoy it whilst I can or continue to be very frugal with the film??
Posted by: Liz | August 18, 2009 at 06:14 PM
These photos are simply beautiful! I have boxes of photos of my friends, school dances, my children, and Christmases with family who have long since left this world. There was something slightly perfect about taking a photo and handing it to someone right away. You've prompted me to dig those boxes out -- I'm pleased to hear that someone is going to manufacture the film again as I have two Polaroid cameras. :)
Posted by: Nancy Bond | August 21, 2009 at 05:11 AM
I love these photos Emma!
While reading an article in the
TIMES about Polaroid, I found
their official site where you
can still purchase some of their
merchandise. The prices are not
as overly inflated like they are on
eBay, however, the shipping fee
SUCKS!! Go to:
http://www.polapremium.com
Posted by: .kat. | August 21, 2009 at 01:00 PM