R.I.P. Polaroid
By Marc Aguilera
Polaroid has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time since 2005. I believe this marks the real end of Polaroid as we all know it. Fraud charges have also been filed against the Petters Group Worldwide, the company that has owned Polaroid since 2005.
Polaroid "instant photography" technology was a huge leap forward when it was first brought to market in 1948 with the introduction of the Polaroid Model 95 camera and Type 40 film. For the next several decades Polaroid technology became an indispensable tool for many photographers and hobbyists. Along with millions of other devotees, I will miss Polaroid in so many ways. Not only have I have been a long-time Polaroid user, but at one time I was also a Creative Uses Consultant and taught classes on manipulation and emulsion transfer techniques. I have a complete set of Daylab Equipment, several Polaroid Cameras, and even lots of expired film, including some 8 x 10 type 809. In college I used Polaroid materials as one of my final projects in Advanced Photography.
One holiday I made over 15 individual Polaroid image emulsion lifts onto individual tiles roughly the same size as the image. This was an exercise in extreme patience. The results were remarkable and those who received them as gifts still talk about them to this day. My favorite is the image of the crow in bottom right of the picture.
Many photographers continue to have a certain love affair with the look and feel of Polaroids. One of my favorite cameras is my 600 SE (below), given to me by a local Polaroid Sales Manager in 1995. The camera has a Mamiya lens and uses 669 film, which is now hard to find. I still have a few packs left, but the film has been expired for 8 years. The color has shifted but I still like the look. I recently shot some images of a holiday party we had here at the studio. In addition to the few packs of expired 669 film, I have a box of 8 *10 film – my SX-70 film is all gone.
The good news is that it's still possible to get some film through polapremium.com, although at the time of writing this several types were out of stock. If you're a Polaroid fan like me, you can also check out savepolaroid.com, a site run by devotees of Polaroid. Hats off to the volunteers who operate the site! My advice is to get film while you still can and enjoy what's left of a technology that was once a major player in contemporary photography.
There are certain moments in the life of a photographer when one feels the effects of technological change very profoundly. For example, most of us can vividly recall how we felt when we made the transition to digital photography. (For me, that leap occurred when I purchased a Canon G2 4.0 MP point-and- shoot digital camera to take family snapshots of my soon-too-be-born son Lucas).
The demise of Polaroid is another one of those pivotal moments in the evolution of photography. It is striking me to the core.
Rest in Peace Polaroid, You will be greatly missed.
Polaroid has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time since 2005. I believe this marks the real end of Polaroid as we all know it. Fraud charges have also been filed against the Petters Group Worldwide, the company that has owned Polaroid since 2005. Polaroid "instant photography" technology was a huge leap forward when it was first brought to market in 1948 with the introduction of the Polaroid Model 95 camera and Type 40 film. For the next several decades Polaroid technology became an indispensable tool for many photographers and hobbyists. Along with millions of other devotees, I will miss Polaroid in so many ways. Not only have I have been a long-time Polaroid user, but at one time I was also a Creative Uses Consultant and taught classes on manipulation and emulsion transfer techniques. I have a complete set of Daylab Equipment, several Polaroid Cameras, and even lots of expired film, including some 8 x 10 type 809. In college I used Polaroid materials as one of my final projects in Advanced Photography.
One holiday I made over 15 individual Polaroid image emulsion lifts onto individual tiles roughly the same size as the image. This was an exercise in extreme patience. The results were remarkable and those who received them as gifts still talk about them to this day. My favorite is the image of the crow in bottom right of the picture.
Many photographers continue to have a certain love affair with the look and feel of Polaroids. One of my favorite cameras is my 600 SE (below), given to me by a local Polaroid Sales Manager in 1995. The camera has a Mamiya lens and uses 669 film, which is now hard to find. I still have a few packs left, but the film has been expired for 8 years. The color has shifted but I still like the look. I recently shot some images of a holiday party we had here at the studio. In addition to the few packs of expired 669 film, I have a box of 8 *10 film – my SX-70 film is all gone.
The good news is that it's still possible to get some film through polapremium.com, although at the time of writing this several types were out of stock. If you're a Polaroid fan like me, you can also check out savepolaroid.com, a site run by devotees of Polaroid. Hats off to the volunteers who operate the site! My advice is to get film while you still can and enjoy what's left of a technology that was once a major player in contemporary photography.
There are certain moments in the life of a photographer when one feels the effects of technological change very profoundly. For example, most of us can vividly recall how we felt when we made the transition to digital photography. (For me, that leap occurred when I purchased a Canon G2 4.0 MP point-and- shoot digital camera to take family snapshots of my soon-too-be-born son Lucas). The demise of Polaroid is another one of those pivotal moments in the evolution of photography. It is striking me to the core.
Rest in Peace Polaroid, You will be greatly missed.
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