Blog

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series chronicling interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This entry comes to us from Chris Garvi who wanted to show Marseille in a different light…

The idea came to my mind after I saw a photo exhibition on Marseille. Once more, the city was shown dirty and miserable. I’m used to seeing Marseille portrayed as filthy and deprived in each and every possible media, but I thought I’ve had enough! So, I decided there was a funny game to play: play at photographing Marseille from a naive angle. The Impossible challenge was then made possible: the only thing was to get a few Impossible films, blow the dust away from my SX-70 and just have fun. I focused on things I found pretty, and people I thought would embody my idea of Marseille. I found nice colors, and people whose generosity filled up my heart. I found joy, I found hope, I found the exact opposite of what people try to make us believe about Marseille. It depends on us to change our view on things cause things won’t change by themselves. Tell someone they’re pretty, they’ll feel pretty. But tell them they’re ugly…

Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips where Impossible USA’s camera resource manager Frank Love provides helpful advice in order to get the best out of your Polaroid camera and Impossible film. This week: Sudden + Unexpected Camera Kak or S.U.C.K….

Have you ever put a brand new pack of film into your camera just to have it shoot every single frame of that pack right back out at you? This SUCKs doesn’t it? I refer to this as S.U.C.K. or Sudden + Unexpected Camera Kak, kak being another word for vomit that begins with a ‘k’ so the acronym works.

Now while my acronym may be somewhat made up, the actual problem of S.U.C.K. is very real. It’s real because you feel the pain of your precious film that cost you precious money being spit back at you…

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Welcome back to IMPOSSIBLE’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we showcase fantastic IMPOSSIBLE photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Jenifer Monroe who took a trip to southern California and brought along some IMPOSSIBLE film…

I’ve lived in northern California since 1981, but haven’t spent much time in southern California. I had a chance to go to a conference in Laguna Niguel, and I knew it would be beautiful so I packed my SX-70 and a couple of film packs. After I arrived, I had to use the map app on my phone to figure out where, exactly, I was. Laguna Niguel is south of LA and north of San Diego and right in the middle of a bunch of gorgeous light mixed up with stunning beaches. I didn’t have a lot of time to take photos, and what I did get is awfully cliche. But who can blame me for taking all those sunset photos my first time in SoCal? I can’t wait to get back there when I have time to wander.

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Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy bring you Danish photographer Thomas Boesgaard…

1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

I end up using my SLR 680s and my Land Camera 340 quite a lot, because they are portable and quick to use. Apart from those two, I also use a 600 SE, a Land Camera 190, various SX-70s and a beautiful Polaroid 1000. Also, I use the Polaroid back for my Mamiya RZ67 quite a lot.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The whole process feels organic, more human. And you end up with a physical product. When on vacation, I just love to flip through my growing stack of polaroids every day.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Wanting one of the plastic 600-series cameras as a boy, and being reminded that I could never afford to buy film. So it was fast forward to 2006, when it all started, and I began with a Polaroid 635 CL, and then I learned about the existence of the SX-70, then the existence of the 600 SE…it never stops.

4) What’s your favorite IMPOSSIBLE film type?

PX 600 Black Frame, and PX 100. I have only tried four packs of the new Color Protection film. They are almost too perfect.

5) What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

I end up photographing my Sunday breakfast a lot. Next thing would be my girlfriend. And then all the subjects...Read All

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesting projects people are working on that incorporate IMPOSSIBLE film. This entry comes to us from California photographer Clay Lipsky…

I gravitate towards images that hint at larger stories, photos that allow the viewer to make their own interpretations. Additionally, I enjoy emotive pictures that express the spirit of a place rather than the documentation of it. This series entitled “Echoes” seeks to follow both those tenets while exploring a dark, foreboding vibe inspired by reverberations of the past. I see the resulting images as metaphors for feelings of nostalgia, loss, the burden of memories and the desire to escape. I have just begun to develop this project and look forward to seeing where it will take me.

These photos were recently created in an abandoned hospital using a SX-70 with IMPOSSIBLE Silver Shade film. It was a creepy setting and I noticed an immediate synergy between the subject matter and the black & white film. The lighting varied greatly so a tripod was a necessity to combat the darkness. At times I tried to include some additional off camera lighting but had mixed results. One benefit of shooting indoors was that I did not have to shield the prints as they were exposed. After my experience there I wasn’t going to be surprised if I found some real ghosts captured on film, but nevertheless I think there is still a supernatural spirit to them all.