Blog

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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 focuses on a project from our friend Alison Turner called “Reflected Identities”…

When I look in the mirror, what I see reflecting back at me is usually not how I feel inside. Under the superficial layer of skin, hair and eye color, I am much more complex than my reflection reveals. My internal struggles and search for self-identity has given me plenty of bricks to build the wall high, while holding down an internal mix of intense feelings of anger, loss, jealousy, vulnerability, love, sadness and confusion.

They say that you are a direct reflection of your friends and the people you choose to surround yourself with. If this holds true, all of my friends in this series are a collective self portrait of who I am. “Reflected Identities” has allowed me to see and understand these feelings by looking closer at the faces and bodies of the people who are closest to me who are also learning to accept who they are right now.

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This entry focuses on Wisconsin photographer Jon Syverson…

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

The most used in my collection would have to be the Polaroid Spectra SE and the Polaroid Land Camera 150.

*2) Why do you like instant photography???

It sometimes resembles a far away place, or another time, something other than the sterility of other forms of imaging.

Instant photography is of course one of the last truly magical things, I believe. I am still captivated and left in awe, quite frankly, of all of the different types and ages of instant films that are available for use to this day. I wish some of the oldest of the Polaroid films were still available, or that I could time travel, whatever.

I also really like instant photography because it requires you to have greater knowledge of film scanning, which was something I used to do for years on the job. Although, come to think of it, I had never attempted taping a Polaroid to a drum scanner.

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The Ad Council’s 2013 Washington Conference kicked off recently in Washington DC. AOL contacted us prior to the event about including camera kits, complete with Impossible film, in gift bags for the guests. During the night, guests enjoyed snapping instant photos with their new Sun 660 cameras and PX 680 Color Protection film!

The Ad Council’s Board, which consists of the nation’s top media, advertising and corporate executives, visited Washington DC to carry on the tradition of the historic Conference, which has spanned 13 Presidents and seven decades. The tradition of the conference began in 1944 when President Franklin Roosevelt invited the then War Advertising Council to spend a day in Washington for a briefing on the events of World War II.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Nicholas Misciagna who traveled to Ethiopia last summer and brought along some Impossible film…

This past summer I had the chance to travel back to Ethiopia. I went with an organization called EFFORT Africa that sponsors children through a local church in Debre Zeyit. My team and I worked with the children and their families in the program teaching them English, math, and the Bible. When we weren’t teaching, we were visiting the homes of the families in the program. I went on a similar trip in the summer of 2009. This time, however, I brought my Polaroid SLR 680 and some Impossible Project PX 680 COOL film with me.

I was in Ethiopia during their winter, yet it was still pretty hot. I was able to properly store my film in a fridge to ensure its longevity. Throughout my trip, I was ready with my SLR 680 and dark slide to capture moments and quickly cover the developing image from the sun to avoid overexposure. I was new to COOL film. I had to figure out how my camera would respond to it. I followed the recommendations on the Impossible website for the light/dark wheel as a starting point. I had to adjust slightly to the harsh sun in Ethiopia and I was set to go. I didn’t need to warm the images as I have done with other versions to improve the colors. Developing them in my bag was a perfect temperature.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we’re happy to bring you British writer and photographer Hilary Clarke…

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

The first camera I bought was a 600, which I still love as it’s so easy to use and takes fantastic images. I’ve also got a Spectra and a folding SX-70 sonar which is fast becoming my favourite. I seem to be building up quite a collection as I’ve just bought a Land 1000, the type of Polaroid I remember best from childhood.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I’m quite shy about approaching strangers to take their photographs, but carrying a Polaroid camera means that people are intrigued and very often will ask me to take their photo! It’s easy to get chatting to people, and they always have memories of Polaroid cameras themselves which they like to share.

I love the variety and depth of the images that can be produced; they sometimes have a lovely dark smokiness that can be quite hypnotic and at other times, the sharpness takes my breath away.

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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 week, we bring you photos of Psych Fest, as seen through the eyes of our good friend and excellent photographer James Joiner…

I knew from the moment I de-planed in Austin and felt warm, dry Texas air envelop me (at nine PM) that this was going to be a good weekend.

I was back in Texas for Psych Fest, an annual celebration of Psychedelic music hosted by locals The Black Angels. I say back because I had just been here a few weeks ago for the absolute madness that was South By Southwest, seven days of bourbon for breakfast and sleep being something that happened only when your face splashed forward into an empty tray of nachos while one of over ten thousand bands serenaded you at five in the morning.

No matter what happened, Psych Fest was going to be a vacation in comparison. This time around I was on assignment for a trifecta of magazines, paired with two different writers and armed with a backpack of Impossible film (thanks, Annie at Impossible!), my trusty SLR 680 and its digital counterpart.

After what would be my last good night of sleep for the duration and possibly more breakfast tacos than is technically healthy, Thursday was a mellow day spent prepping and bouncing between festival pre-parties, with the highlight being a wine tasting with rock n’ roll winemaker Charles Smith, who heartily drank beer and regaled us with stories of his wilder days. I should note that anyone who believes those “wilder days” are in the past is sadly mistaken, the man is nothing short of a force of nature.

Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s camera resource manager Frank Love provides helpful hints and advice on how to get the absolute best out of your Polaroid camera and Impossible film. This week… 8×10 film: To peel, or not to peel?

Whether ‘tis nobler to peel your film, or to let it cure on its own, this is for each of you to decide.

There is a lot of talk about whether or not you should peel your 8×10 Impossible film, specifically the Silver Shade. This may not seem surprising to many at first, as you may think “hasn’t 8×10 always been peel apart?”, but herein lies the confusion. To be clear, Impossible 8×10 Film is an integral film format, just like SX-70, 600, and Spectra film. The only difference aside from size is that the film comes to you as a separate negative and ‘positive’ sheet, while with the smaller formats, these pieces are already one piece put together.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Steph Parke who traveled to Idaho with some friends last summer and brought along some Impossible film…

They drove east from Portland. We drove northwest from Salt Lake City. They brought the beer. We brought the kayaks. It was a road trip destined for greatness. It didn’t disappoint.

Vanessa Morrow and I met up late last August at Redfish Lake in central Idaho, a breathtaking gem nestled on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area just south of a little town called Stanley. We camped one night at Redfish Lake, and three more on Little Redfish Lake at the world’s best campsite. It sat right on the shore of the small, clear lake. We kayaked from our site at sunrise, all day, at dusk, and when the moon rose in the blackness. We talked over cameras and campfires. We stargazed in a brilliant sky. We boated and swam in the icy water. We breathed crisp mountain air and summer wildfire smoke.

Between the two of us, we had probably 15 cameras and at least 50 rolls and packs of film. We photographed everything, from the rugged Sawtooths and the kayaks on the shore, to the billowing smoke from the Halstead Fire and a tin can “pay phone” in Stanley. The trip was beyond memorable. It was something we’ll never forget. And we’ve got hundreds of images to always remind us of the fun we had.

Photo by Polabeard

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our friend and excellent photographer Lisa Toboz came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Lisa!

“Standing at the Creek” by Polabeard

This is a time capsule that could have been taken yesterday or thirty years ago. I love the confidence that the young woman exudes, and the sunshine just on the top of her hair. Stumbling across this photo reminds me of opening an old family album and finding one of a relative you thought you knew, discovering something wonderful and unexpected about her.

“Moreré” by Paula Palleres

I have a soft spot for mirror shots and I love the unusual location for this one. Did the photographer find this mirror while walking in the woods? It’s mysterious and tells a story.

“Sitting on a Dock” by Crystal Benoit

This photo captures the kind of solitude people relish when they don’t often have it. I like how the woman’s bag is resting behind her on the dock, suggesting a pause in a long journey.

“The Great Escape” by Tiffany Vecchietti

This is simply a gorgeously composed photo reminiscent of fairytales.

“Perfect” by Mandy

I love the clean composition here: the focus on the hands, the shallow depth of field. The peek of stark wrist tattoo contrasting with the...Read All

Photo by Dave Bias

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Analog enthuasiasts all around the planet are celebrating Record Store Day today recognizing all the stores that have been selling vinyl since its invention. Without their steady resistance against the digitalization of the music industry we would not be able to listen to the distinctive sound of records today.

Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally.

Today is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for this day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on. Join the celebration by taking your Polaroid camera to your local record store and capture this analogue experience in truly analog fashion!

Find out more about Record Store Day: http://www.recordstoreday.com.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This entry focuses on UK photographer Andrew Bartram…

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

Mainly SX-70 Originals, I have two of those but one has recently stopped working; an SLR 680, and 250 and 103 Automatic Land Cameras.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I can’t draw, paint or play a musical instrument so, along with my passion for the darkroom, instant photography allows me an accessible creative release from the day job.

Although I have been a film user and printer for 25 years I have only been into instant photography for the last year since I bought my first 600 box camera on Ebay, shortly followed by my first SX-70. I love the sheer unpredictable nature of the Impossible films, even the fabulous Color Protection film behaves in different ways depending on light, heat and the variables associated with your camera. So it’s that unpredictability, the uniqueness of each image combined with those wonderful Polaroid Cameras that I love about instant photography.

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesteding projects people are working on using Impossible film. This week, we are happy to bring you a glimpse into this year’s South By Southwest via the eye of our friend Jarrod Renaud…

So the infamous SXSW that I’ve always wanted to travel to. The door finally opened through the band A Boy and His Kite who I’ve photographed recently. I went on what was a short weeklong tour through Texas…first stop was Austin. It’s very easy to cast expectations on such an event; I built it up in my head and found out quickly how unprepared I was, haha. It was chaos. So much going on, so many bands, so many people…and very little time. With a less than a day and a half I had some boxes of Impossible film that I was itching to use…and it was a stretch to shoot what I had as I default to a slow and picky process when I’m shooting instant film.

Bringing along the latest PX 70 Color Protection and a very beat-up SX-70, I looked for moments and people that made sense to photograph. Taking photos is such a relational thing that although there were a ton of very interesting people that would have looked awesome on film I ended up holding out on shooting till I made real connections with people. It’s been a while since I’ve shot Impossible film so I was pleasantly surprised...Read All

Photo by Nicolas Darphin

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and excellent photographer Meghan Davidson came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Meghan!

Nicolas Darphin

The expression on this little girl’s face is priceless and appreciate the styling of the oversized glasses and typewriter. It seems like such a fun moment that instant film captured perfectly.

Marco Christian Krenn

When I saw this photo in the Impossible Gallery, I thought 2 things : (1) WOW, that shot is incredible, and (2) DAMN, I wish I had a large format camera so I could shoot 8×10 instant.

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Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s camera resource manager Frank Love provides you with insight that allows you to get the best out of your Polaroid camera and Impossible film. This week: Shooting in Warm Weather…

It’s warming up again and even though we’ve touched on this topic before, it’s worth revisiting, for as the seasons have changed, so have our films.

Now everyone is surely familiar with our previous generation of COOL Films, but it’s possible that some haven’t yet shot our Color Protection films on those hot balmy summer days.

Just to start, whether it’s the COOL film or Color Protection film, the film is meant to be stored cool for best results. But, once you’re taking it out to shoot, you don’t need to keep the film at a refrigerated temperature. That said, if you’re going out on hot days, and plan to be outside for awhile, you will likely want to take some precaution so that the heat won’t affect the film.

There is one key difference to note between what you may be used to shooting (COOL color films and prior film generations), and the new Color Protection formula films. That being, COOL films when actually processing, would benefit from some extra warmth, giving the film a little boost in contrast and saturation. However, the new Color Protection formula does NOT react in the same way. The CPF films process best in those room temp/just below room temp conditions....Read All

Photo by Andrea C. Jenkins

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our friend and excellent photographer Michaela Hoo came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Michaela!

Andrea C. Jenkins

I love the variety of cameras strewn about the floor and the light and shadows on the lower right hand corner of the frame.

Nicolas Darphin

The juxtaposition of the big glasses and the little girl is so cute. It looks like it could be an ad for Crewcuts by J. Crew

Ann McGarry

This photo captures life and love at its best. How can that baby NOT put a smile on your face?

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we turn the spotlight on Chris Mettraux…

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

J’ai la chance d’avoir une grande collection de Polaroids. J’utilise un Polaroid SLR 690, sx70, Polaroid 110 modifié pack 100, et un Polaroid 600 SE modifié par mes soins avec un dos 600 et sx70 qui me permet de régler diaphragme et vitesse…

I am very happy because I have a big collection of Polaroids. I work with several cameras, for example the Polaroid SLR 690, the SX-70, the Polaroid 110 modified for Type 100 pack film and the 600 SE modified by myself with a 600/SX70 back which allows me to set the aperture and the speed.

Je suis photographe et ne travaille qu’avec des appareils argentiques ou des procédés anciens “cyanotype, Vandyke, ziatype et wetplate” donc le Polaroid et venu à moi comme une evidence. Je suis également modérateur sur un forum de Polaroid at www.polaroid-passion.com

I am a photographer and I only work with analog cameras or old processes like Cyanotype, Vandyke, Ziatype and Wetplate. So the instant photography came to me like evidence. I am also a moderator of a polaroid forum at www.polaroid-passion.com.

Crusade for Collecting is pleased to announce its inaugural national tour to begin late March 2013. A passion project of Jennifer Schwartz of Jennifer Schwartz Gallery, The Crusade is a revivalist movement meant to encourage further public engagement with art and empower a new generation of collectors. Spontaneous pop-up galleries in cities across the USA will bring grassroots art appreciation to the streets, moving outside the traditional boundaries of the art world, and engaging those not inclined to seek out an art experience.

The photography on display will be given away to those who connect with it, an act giving many their first opportunity to own original art and meant to turn on new audiences to art collecting. The Crusade provides a platform to discuss the importance of buying original art and supporting the artists who are creating it.

The campaign will be undertaken in “Lady Blue,” a 1977 VW bus funded through Kickstarter, who will serve as mascot, transportation and exhibition space. At each destination city, the bus will park in a busy public space and open for “business.” Meant to attract not only fans of the project, who can follow the tour and find locations through a variety of social media outlets, but also unknowing passers by. This guerrilla style exhibition is meant to reach the core of the nation’s public, allowing for spontaneous and genuine reactions to the available work and engaging people outside the normal art world audience.

Art available will include work from Chloe Aftel,...Read All

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Kyle Vaughn who traveled to India this past summer and brought along some Impossible film…

In July and August 2012, I had the fortune of spending five weeks in Kolkata, India, teaching in an Indian school with the American Coucils for International Education and volunteering at and doing a photo project for Urmi Basu’s New Light organization that cares for the neglected children of sex workers and the outcast children of the Kalighat district. I took three 2-gallon ziplocks full of Impossible Project film (all sorts: PX, PZ, Nigo, black frame, silver shade, you name it), 35mm film, and a few packs of last-run Polaroid Image Spectra as well as seven cameras, including a Polaroid One-Step 600, an SX-70, an Image Spectra, a Diana, and a Diana Mini. Being there five weeks, I knew I wanted to be prepared to document as many stories on film as possible. I had no idea how much Kolkata would invite me to be a part of those stories.

Photo by Jade Sheldon

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and excellent photographer Gregory Geiger came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Gregory!

For my contribution to Sunday Brunch I wanted to feature Impossible photos that I find myself looking at over and over again, studying them for inspiration. These photos are what I aspire to in my own work. I would love to spend an afternoon with the photographers (Jade Sheldon, Penny Felts, Zia Khan, Marco Ragana, & Richard Kacprowski), picking their brains on how they are pulling off these amazing shots.

These photos are compelling not only for the content, tone, and contrast, but also the clarity of the image as well as the breath-taking color saturation levels.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we are happy to present you with the dreamy photography of Carine Wallauer…

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

I have a Polaroid 1000. When I was a teenager my literature teacher gave it to me. It was a gift from her grandma when she was eight years old, but she never used it. It was still in the box, untouched.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the atmosphere. I love the way things appear just like I saw them in my imagination. I love the colors. I love the square format. I love to have it inside my shirt and close to my heart when I hide it from the light until the magic happens.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

When I was a kid my uncle had a polaroid and used it to take pics of our family lunches. It was so magical to me! I still have one of them. (:

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

I love both Color and Silver Shade.

Photo by Rich Burroughs

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Budding photographer Evan Cerda came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Evan!

Rich Burroughs

I liked Rich’s photo because it made an emotional and physical statement. The emotion in the girl’s face, and the physical emotion in low saturation colors made a strong impact. The photo also proved how a Polaroid can look good with just a simple background.

Jenna Gersbach-King

Jenna Gerbach-King’s photo was bold because it told a story. Not every picture can express a theme like this one. It inspires others to focus on what the photo is really of and not only the way it’s taken.

James McManus

I love the analog spirit to James Mcmanus’s photo taken at Photoville. With its perfect colors, the Brooklyn personality is captured. It’s a two-in-one because not only do you see the crowd along with the containers but also the city in the back which truly made this photo.

Julian Bernhardt

I like this picture because it’s a good example how a photo in black & white can often show much more character and attitude. A photo in color could distract from the vibe and attitude of it. It’s got great contrast and a crisp look provided by the film.

Marco Ragana

This is one...Read All

Photo by Griet VanHumbeeck

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and wonderful photographer Stephen Barrett came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Stephen!

I’ve juried shows before and they were usually pretty straight forward choices, this was a completely new experience not only because of the shear volume of imagery but the overall quality and imagination shown. Very humbling and stimulating at the same time.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we’re happy to bring you Agafia Polynchuk…

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

My one and only beloved is my SX-70. It’s a little crazy, like me. It loves to mess with me – sometimes it starts shooting dozens of pictures without my permission! It always plays tricks on me when I’m trying to decide to turn the L / D control to the darker or lighter side, if the room is dark. It doesn’t have a name, but I love it.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Simply because it is magic.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

There are a lot of polaroid pictures taken by my parents on in my photo album. I was about 4, I remember that I was putting ripe apricots into a blue bucket, standing on the roof of the shed surrounded by thousands of wasps. I wasn’t too interested in photography at that time.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

My absolute favorite was PX 600 + Black Frame. Daylight, black, white, and of course, grey – in my opinion, these guys make a great combination. If I decide I want all the colours of the rainbow, I’ll paint them in myself. This film is perfect for it. Some water, paper, aquarelle, PX 600 Lift … and voilà!

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Hello friends, and welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesting projects you are working on that incorporate Impossible film. This entry focuses on “A Snapshot Of A Campus” by Gregory Geiger…

I was approached by Jane Androski, a curator working with the Higgins School of Humanities at Clark University to develop a collaborative photo project for their symposium on Diversity & Inclusion. The idea, in its nascent form, was to capture an aspect of our community and to reflect it back through an exhibit—which would serve as a backdrop for their events later that semester. She was familiar with my Farewell Series portraits and wondered whether we could take a similar approach.

At the time, I was reading Christopher Bonanos book, Instant: The Story of Polaroid and a particular quote from Edwin Land surfaced immediately in response to her idea (paraphrased):

A new kind of relationship is brought into being when members of a group are photographing and being photographed and sharing photographs. It turns out that buried within all of us, there is a latent interest in each other; there is tenderness, curiosity, excitement, affection, and companionability; a good-humored delight in each other.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Blanca Lanaspa who recently visited Nicaragua and brought along some Impossible film…

Nicaragua is a country that has reinvented itself many times. With such a dramatic recent history, it is a surprise to find it peaceful, welcoming and friendly. Nicaraguans are passionate and proud people. Proud of their country, their past, their character, and even more, of the future to come. Poetry, art and music is so spread among the population that forms part of the collective mindset, wherever you go. Considered to be one of the poorest countries in the region, it is also one of the safest. Volcanoes, lakes, colonial cities, beaches and villages make wonderful landscapes and nature.

As Silvio —with whom I have shared my life for years— is a Nicaraguan himself, we visit the country once a year. And every single time it feels like the most exciting new adventure. There is always a place to discover, people to meet, a story to hear, a detail you have not noticed before.

Last year, we spent Christmas and New Year’s over there. Ever since Thomas Boesgaard gave me my first Polaroid camera, traveling with my Polaroids has become a must. For that trip I brought the plastic 600, my favorite SX-70, and half a suitcase of Impossible film.

Photo by Francesco Moscato

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Greetings, friends!

As you know, we at Impossible have reinvented instant film, giving you new materials to take beautiful photos with the classic white frame. However, in the past year, we’ve also introduced several Impossible special edition films such as the Nigo, American Woods and Pigeonhole editions with a variety of frame designs.

We asked you to show us the perfect blend of a photo scene and a special edition film frame. We got over 400 submissions to our gallery! It was difficult to choose winners but in the end we selected these 3 photos from Francesco Moscato, Katia and John Carleton.

Congratulations to the winners! Each will be receiving a special edition prize. Thank you to all those who submitted as well, we loved your photos. Keep shooting!

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series! This week, our star is Oklahoman Dylan Boyd…

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

I have a large shelf dedicated specifically toward displaying my vast Polaroid and instant camera collection, but I primarily use my SLR 680, SX-70 Sonar, Original SX-70, Spectra Onyx, Macro 5, and for packfilm I use a 250 Land Camera and a Holgaroid from time to time.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

There are so many reasons to love instant photography, for me it’s not only the nostalgic feeling it gives me, but also the tangibility and the time it gives me to escape this always growing digital world. I suffer from high anxiety and it gives me a chance to slow down, breathe, and be at one with myself and my art. I appreciate that I can compose a photo, snap the shutter and then have the image spit straight out of the camera. After that I love that I can watch all of these beautiful chemicals create an image right before my eyes. It’s an actual creation, not just a bunch of 0’s and 1’s on a hard drive. I consider it real magic.

Photo by Jarrod Renaud

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and wonderful photographer Tyler Tyndell came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Tyler!

For this Sunday Brunch I wanted to feature images that I could envision myself taking the time to capture. There is nothing more true than for an individual to lay eyes upon an image and connect with it because they feel that they understand another artists motivation and achievement behind the photo.

Jarrod Renaud

This is an image I am familiar with and have seen other images from Jarrod of his friend and fellow photographer Luca Venter. The pensive expression on the subject’s face just makes this a great portrait. I get a sense of introspection. Portraits are supposed to make you feel. I wonder what great thoughts are upon him. The extra effort that went into glaring the window light onto the side of his face is what separates this from other portraits.

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Hello, Impossibles! We are very happy to present you with a special Viewfinder. Our friend Nina Westervelt recently spent some time at New York Fashion Week with a Polaroid camera and a stash of Impossible film. Please enjoy Nina’s brilliant photos…

The Fall 2013 collections marked my 16th season attending NYFW. When I started working in fashion, my plastic Holga never left my side so it was a joy to get back to my film roots this season by shooting with Impossible Project.

My passion for covering fashion week stems from the pure chaos! Dozens of photographers battle for a model’s attention, so the challenge for me is to find that special moment amidst all the madness, to make an image where it seems like I’m the only photographer present. Which is why shooting with Impossible film is such a great experience, Polaroid cameras get any and everyone’s attention!

The agency I work with covers 250+ shows total during NYFW, so the days are long and the shooting conditions can be complicated when it comes to lighting, access and time constraints. Having my Polaroid in hand reminds me to keep calm and just enjoy myself, make a memory.

Extraordinary moments from the FW ’13 collections included meeting Chan Marshall of Cat Power, Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and the legendary Debbie Harry.

Special thanks to Nina for sharing her beautiful photos with us! To see more of her work, please visit her Tumblr.

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Taking you from the woods to the city, Tretorn celebrates a lifestyle lived largely outdoors with stylishly understated footwear and outdoor accessories.

Tretorn teamed up with photographer James Joiner to make a cross-country road trip from Manhattan to Salt Lake City and document it on Impossible film…

It’s so cold all you can feel is the dull ache in your extremities, a dull ache that soon segues into stinging, burning pain which belies the wind-driven, sub-zero temperatures. Eventually even the hot throbbing passes, giving way to a dexterity-stripping numbness, making camera operation a clumsy, fumbling affair. Even though you’ve only been out of the warm truck for a few minutes, and will soon be headed back, you now realize you probably should have remembered gloves. Ahead a faint purple crack fissures the pre-dawn horizon, its glow slowly spreading and reflecting off towering walls of rock surrounding you, theatrically unveiling their soaring and often precarious arrangements.

The violet light steadily, gradually, increases, almost imperceptibly transforming the landscape from pitch darkness to alien moonscape, each degree of visibility more face-melting than the last.

Deadened fingers fire off a few rounds from an aging Polaroid camera, each protruding frame hastily stuffed – wrinkles and creases be damned – into pockets that offer little in the way of much-needed development-friendly warmth. No matter… When the sun finally cracks the craggy horizon, driving bold shafts of color through rising mist and eerily red rocks, it’s an explosion the likes of which no film or sensor could truly, adequately...Read All

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Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Miami-based photographer Phillip Pessar…

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

I have over 40 Polaroid cameras that I have found at the thrift store but I find myself going back to the same four over and over again: A Polaroid Pronto!, a Colorpack II for pack film, a Spectra 2 and the first Polaroid I ever bought at the thrift store in December 2009, a 636 Close-Up.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the surreal look, especially with The Impossible Project films, and of course, I love that I get immediate results. I used to shoot a lot of 35mm film and although the results weren’t immediate I would have them in an hour after finishing the roll. Unfortunately, as fewer people shoot film local drugstores and big box stores are discontinuing processing and the few that still do process film do so little of it that the results are horrible. It now takes about 2 weeks to get 35mm back from a place that does decent work and I’m much too impatient to wait so long to see my photos. With instant film I have my photographs right away and not in two weeks and I love the results.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series! This week we’re happy to bring you Gorilla VS Bear Creative Director and photographer David Bartholow…

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

Polaroid Spectra System, Polaroid 600 OneStep, Polaroid SX-70 Pronto! B, Holgaroid, Polaroid One 600.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Instant photography is responsible for consistently amazing work by countless photographers and individuals, and the mere existence of the medium is one of mankind’s many great achievements.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Having my portrait taken at tennis camp in the summer of 1983.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

Tough call. The new PX 680 Color Protection film, last year’s PX 680 beta, and/or the PX 600 Silver Shade UV + Gold Frame.

5) What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

Musicians, travels, walls, my cat + girlfriend’s dog.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Kirstin McKee, who recently visited Crete and brought along some Impossible film…

Ever since I first read the legend of Theseus the Minotaur, when I was seven years old, I have wanted to visit Crete. I was captivated by the setting of the labyrinth and the tragic love story. And having passed on my obsession with Ancient Greece to our children and my daughter’s best friend, we have made several trips to Greece in recent years. This year we decided to visit Crete, a plan hatched during a road trip around mainland Greece two years ago.

I took four cameras: a Polaroid Sun 660, a Nikon D800, a Contax 645 and an iPhone 5, but the Polaroid images were my favourite from the trip. I love to create instant Polaroid memories as we travel around, laying them out each evening as a mosaic that expands and evolves over the course of the holiday. As we spent a week touring the island’s ancient Minoan, Greek and Roman sites, we fell in love with the food, the friendly people, the cats and the dramatic, craggy landscape. The weather was not as hot as we had anticipated (which was no bad thing, given the long hours spent in the car), but it was still warm enough to swim in the sea, especially on the southern coast with its North African climate. Highlights of the trip included exploring the labyrinth-like palace at Knossos, wandering around the much quieter ruins at Zakros on the desolate eastern coast, and swimming in the Libyan Sea at sunset.

Photo by Ben Innocent

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Hello, friends! We are happy to announce the winners from the November-December round of our ongoing photo contest in collaboration with SNAP! Magazine. The theme for November/December was “Plastic.”

Winning images come from Ben Innocent, Thomas Preyer, Giacomo Inches, Sarah Seene, Nicholas Misciagna, Alan Marcheselli, April W., Toby Hancock, Christopher Myers and Ben Lormore.

The 10 finalists will receive $5 off their next purchase with Impossible.

Congrats to Ben Innocent for his Grand prize winning image! Ben will receive a pack of Impossible Film and a mystery prize from Team SNAP!

The next theme is Winter! Please upload all of your wintry photos to our SNAP! x Impossible Flickr Group here: http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/gallery/.

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Hi friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Maryland photographer Ashley Saldana…

1) What kind of Polaroid Camera do you use?

I use a variety of Polaroid cameras. The majority of the time I use my grandparents’ Supercolor 635 CL Polaroid camera. Lately I have been shooting with my SX-70 Model 3 and my Spectra camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like the fact that every photo you take is completely different, even if you take the same shot twice. I love the minimal control I have of how the photo will develop – that’s what makes instant film so mysterious to me! You just never know exactly how your photo will end up. I also love how the anticipation builds up to watch something right in front of me develop in my hands. It’s like I’m capturing different bits and pieces of the world and taking them with me wherever I go.

Photo by Moko Chen

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and fantastic photographer Jessica Hibbard came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these tasty photos selected by Jess!

It’s that time of year when the dreary winter days seem to drag on … I thought it might be nice to share some photos of flowers, so we can daydream about springtime together.

Juli Werner

I really believe that emotion and personality is conveyed through photographs. Juli is a beautiful person who loves flowers, and it really shows in photos like this.

Vanessa Morrow

I tend to gravitate toward color, but there really is nothing like the glow of silver shade film. I love how the flowers and the jars have that ethereal glimmer you can only get with instant film.

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Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ever-popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are pleased to bring you California photographer Patrick J. Clarke…

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

I was lucky and bought some Polaroids before the prices started going up….and I’m a bit of a camera nut, so I have more than a few.

My first Polaroid camera was actually my son’s One 600. It’s the camera that got me back into using instant film and then discovering The Impossible Project.

I have an SX-70 Sonar that’s been with me since First Flush came out, and then recently got my Uncle Larry’s SX-70 Alpha 1 Model 2 with the split-viewfinder. It’s been dubbed “The Uncle Larry” for obvious reasons. I love the Sonar, but I’ve been shooting with the Model 2 a lot more since it’s smaller than the Sonar, beat up looking and I love the split viewfinder in it.

I had a Spectra, but it started smelling like it was on fire every time I used it, so I replaced it with a black and red Spectra 2 with a close-up lens and the copy stand. I haven’t had a chance to play with it much, but love the Spectra format and will be using it more soon.

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Hello and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series! This week, we turn our lens on Celina Wyss…

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

I’m always scouting sales and thrift shops for more but currently I shoot with a few different SX-70s, 3 Spectras and have just started playing with a Colorpack IV. My vintage camera collection extends far beyond those however and my closet is full of various 600 models and more. I’m pretty certain I’m going to need a new system for storing them soon.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love that what you see is what you get. There is no digital doctoring after the fact and for me that actually feels freeing. I love the imperfection that comes with instant photography. You are free to let the photo be what it is, flaws and all. Instant photography is truly about being in the moment. You stop, just for a moment and witness the world around you. You notice the temperature, the light, the shadows all in a moments time. You take a breath in and then you click. Then waiting for the shot to develop is the icing on the cake. It’s like magic!

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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 Kamila Woynarska, who recently visited Mongolia and brought along some Impossible film…

Mongolia has always been on my top 10 list of places to visit. I did not want to have any expectations before I went but part of me hoped I would find a country still unspoiled, with abundant wildlife and vast landscapes. My first two weeks in Mongolia were a bit of a disappointment though – the capital city turned out to be a very crowded and touristy place full of internet cafes, French bakeries and pricey restaurants. Fortunately, as soon as I left Ulan Bator and decided to continue my journey on the back of a horse, I discovered a true face of this magnificent country – very invigorating and exhilarating.

In the next two months, I was lucky enough to meet very hospitable nomad families living in traditional gear, see one of the most beautiful lakes in the world and swim in it naked (Lake Hobsghol) and sleep under the blue sky with nobody around within 100 miles.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are very happy to bring you German photographer Ghee Dondlinger…

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

I own two SX-70 models, one of which is a sonar, which is the model I prefer as at allows me to use auto focus; and I also own a Supercolor 635 CL model which I use primarily in low-light conditions.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like lo-fi photography in general for its unpredictability and the way the images turn out less than perfect. Instant film in particular I enjoy because they add their own specific sense of ‘unreal’ to the resulting image, a somewhat painterly quality. And for the challenge to make every exposure count. Also, in this digital age, it’s nice that there still are a few things which you can actually touch and hold.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I think my first conscious exposure to instant film was a book published in 1984 by singer/songwriter David Sylvian. Entitled ‘Perspectives’, it featured collages made from Polaroid photographs. My first hands-on experience with instant film was when I moved to Berlin and one of my flatmates owned a Polaroid camera, which was much used by everyone living in or visiting the flat.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Frank Zierenberg, who recently visited Morocco and brought along some Impossible film…

I shot a lot of polas in Essaouira, Morocco at the end of October 2012. All photos were taken with PX 680 Color Protection film and an SLR 680.

It was particulary interesting to take pictures in a culture so different from our western culture – especially with a deep skepticism regarding photography. The old myth that a part of your soul is stolen when a picture is taken seems to be somewhat still present. Therefore the whole experience of taking pictures there was a journey that confronted me with some of the deeply rooted paradigms of photography: Respect for the depicted and his/her culture & the respect for privacy.

Using instant photography totaly changed everything. I quickly developed the method of “one for you, one for me”. This was a perfect ice-breaker and something that somehow seemed to overcome the skepticism regarding being photographed. I very often had crowds around me wanting to get their picture taken, even offering money of gifts from their shops in return. And I did not have a bad conscience for taking their pictures, as I left something for them.

Thanks to Frank for taking part in Analog Travelog! To see more of his photography, please visit http://www.brainbackup.de/

If...Read All

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you California photographer Erin McGuire…

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

The types of Polaroid cameras that I have are an SX-70, Spectra, and a few OneStep 600 box type camera. I also have a few Polaroid backs for large format and pinhole cameras that I like to use, and one Holgaroid.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

There are a lot of reasons why I like instant photography but what it all really boils down to is the quality of the images taken on any kind of instant film. They have their own special look and personality, especially Impossible Project film. No matter what you do with an Impossible Project image, whether it be an emulsion lift, drawing on it, or manipulating it in the digital darkroom, you can tell it’s an IP image because of its distinct characteristics.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I was born in ’65 and it seems like instant film was always around, but my own personal experiences with the film came when a coworker gave me her old Spectra camera and I took pictures of my boy when he was just a toddler. I still have some of those pictures and the very first IP picture I ever took was with that same Spectra camera.

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Hello dear friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are very happy to bring you Greg Brophy…

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

I own one of just about all of the major Polaroid cameras. I use the SX-70 Sonar for color, an SLR 680 for black and white and a Spectra AF for both. I also love my Automatic 250 Land Camera for Chocolate film. I have a modified 110B, but the rangefinder is very sensitive to motion so I only use it in the studio.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love it I think for the same reasons most other people do. You can take a photo and have something in your hand that develops without the need for a darkroom. The fact that you have a physical object. I love the vintage-style colors and the way it looks without having to do anything to it in the computer. I used to spend a lot of time on the computer to get my images to look the way that Impossible films look. Now I can spend more time taking photos and developing my ideas.

The happy accidents I get when I shoot with it, the unpredictability of it. When I shoot digital, I know exactly what it will look like before I even shoot it. With Impossible film, there is still room for unexpected surprises.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from The Gentleman Amateur, who recently visited Greece and brought along some Impossible film…

1: We started our trip round Greece in Athens, in the Acropolis Museum.

2: When I think of Greece, I think of ancient times, classical civilisation; things that have survived for thousands of years, and still have the power to stop us in our tracks.

3: From the museum, you can look out the window, and see the Acropolis right there on top of the hill, up above the city that’s grown around it. And if you listen very carefully, maybe you can still hear the voices of the gods raining down from the sky.

4: But that’s not the experience of most people in Greece today. The news is all about the Eurozone crisis: about economic and political changes so severe they’re ripping people’s lives to pieces, about riots and flames and the end of the world as we know it.

Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips! This week, Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love discusses the SLR 680…

For any of you who happen to own an SLR 680, you know it is a beautifully well-crafted work of art of instant electronic machinery….it also tends to produce more ‘divots’ or [‘undeveloped patches’] than your friend’s SX-70 camera.

You may be wondering…why?

The simple answer here is the one thing in the ejection process that changes from the older SX-70 cameras to the SLR 680 and 690 model folding cameras, that is the rollers.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Nicholas Carn and his trip to Moscow on which he brought along some Impossible film…

Last Christmas and New Year I travelled to freezing Moscow to stay with my Russian friend; of course I brought along my SX-70. The bleak snowy landscape of Moscow is such a perfect subject for instant film. My friend always took a long time to get ready each day so I would usually go out exploring with my camera(s) and meet her later on. Only knowing a few words of Russian, this proved challenging on the underground, having to remember station names visually.

One of my favourite Impossible shots from the trip, called “last night” was of remains of fireworks from New Years eve, the empty and burnt cases lonely on a frozen lake. Also a shot of fishermen sitting on their fold-up chairs, fishing through holes drilled in the ice, a power station in the distance behind. They look great blown up large where you can see the texture of the film. Also “Cosmos” my shot of the Russian cosmonaut memorial. There was a beautiful forest at the edge of the lake by my friends house which I went to explore, it was near here that as I was taking a shot of a power station chimney I was chased off by two Russian hounds…

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Hello again, Instapals! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you our good friend, Dallas photographer Justin Goode…

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

A Mamiya RB67 w/ an instant back, Polaroid Automatic 100, Spectra AF, Sonar SX-70 and a SLR 680.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The whole process is special. You expose a frame, which is then pushed through rollers, smearing developer goop across a negative. A chemical reaction takes place and voila, an image materializes. That is tangibility at its finest. Within minutes you have a work of art in your hands. I like that, because of its analog nature, outside variables can shape the final outcome of the image. Another bonus of instant photography is the connection people have with the film. It’s incredibly nostalgic. Most, if not every person I’ve shot using instant film, smile & exclaim something about how neat, cool, awesome, amazing, unique it is. I couldn’t agree more. It’s all of that and then some.

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Greetings Impossible friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our very popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you UK photographer Amy Siân Green…

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

My SX-70 gets used the most and is my most beloved. I also have two 600 Onestep cameras, one of which used to belong to my dad. They take turns on breaking, usually because I keep getting sand inside them by accident. And who could forget my poor little I-Zone that hasn’t been used since I was ten years old…

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like that I’m using the same medium that my grandfather used to use. I like that I can hold a Polaroid taken in the late seventies next to a Polaroid taken forty years later and the difference is miniscule.

Funnily enough it’s the slowing down that I prefer when it comes to instant photography. There is a tendency to shoot digital at speed and in multitudes, but with film you have to take your time. And even once the photograph has shot out of the camera, you can sit and wait for the picture to develop in your hands.

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Jill Auville, who recently visited Stockholm and brought along some Impossible film…

In the month of May 2012, I traveled to Stockholm, Sweden to visit my family there. I brought my Spectra SE and SX-70 with me, and I had a 680 SLR waiting for me in Stockholm (purchased on a Swedish auction site through my brother ).

I had 2 large ziplock bags jam packed with instant film, 80% of it from The Impossible Project (PX 70 COOL, PX 680 COOL, PX 680 Beta film, PX 600 UV+ Black Frame, PZ 600 UV+ Black Frame and PZ 680 ColorShade) (I had been stocking up forever for this trip).

I spent about 10 days in and around Stockholm and Uppsala, and these are some of the images captured on Impossible film.

About Jill

I live in northern California with my husband, 3 dogs, 2 cats and a parrot. I am an amateur photographer and I also collect cameras, I have around 100 as of right now (all film).

Thanks to Jill for taking part in Analog Travelog! To see more of her photography, please visit jillauville.deviantart.com/.

If you’ve recently taken a trip on which you shot some Impossible photos or plan on taking one soon, please shoot us an email at usa@theimpossibleproject.com

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Andrew Twyman…

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

For now I just own a Polaroid SLR 680

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Instant film is pure and it’s honest. It tells you everything happening in the moment. You are given a real gift to hold onto and share in that moment that you are experiencing and that will carry with you for the rest of your life.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

4 or 5 years ago or so I remember I was just about to get into it and Polaroid stopped production. when I found it came back, I bought a camera as soon as I could.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

So far the best film I have used is the PIGEONHOLE PX 680 Color Protection, the new PX 680 COLOR PROTECTION, and Holden PX 680 COOL film.

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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 Andrew Rose, who recently visited Yellowstone National Park and brought along some Impossible film…

My girlfriend and I made our first road trip from California to Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2010. It was my first time ever visiting the park, and I was amazed by the beauty and incredible power of the natural features. I got caught up with capturing the entirety of the park’s landscape, and I often missed out on just experiencing the park and its features. It was an easy mistake to make with a DSLR in hand, allowing for the capture of hundreds of images in a day. Although I came away with some great images and memories, I couldn’t help but feel like I had not experienced all there was to offer.

In the spring of 2011, I discovered The Impossible Project after my stash of original Polaroid 600 film began to run out. After experiencing the magical qualities of this new film, I soon became addicted and I knew our next road trip would have to be documented on Impossible film for its unique characteristics. We decided to make another trip to Yellowstone in July of 2012.

My girlfriend and I decided to spend a week camping in Yellowstone, exploring all that the park had to offer. With our experience from our previous trip to the park, we felt prepared to take it on as a whole. We wanted to make an expedition out of our vacation: discovering locations we missed before, and delving deeper into sites and features we planned to revisit. We explored all of the geyser basins, the wildlife filled Hayden and Lamar valleys, learned about the history of the park, and went on hikes to brinks of waterfalls and other wonderful places.

Photo by Claudia Toloni

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and fantastic photographer Patrick J. Clarke came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these savory photos selected by Patrick!

Negative space is something that is very compelling in all art, but the uniqueness of Impossible film is that even in the negative spaces there is texture, content and soul. The images I chose for this Sunday Brunch blew me away with their beauty and textural negative space from all over the world.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Georgia photographer Lee Summers…

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

My first love, the SX-70 original. An SLR 680 SE that saved me in the dark days of Time Zero discontinuation. And the beautiful, translucent Spectra Onyx for when I want to roll wide.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

It’s like the difference between a tamagotchi and a real pet. It’s one of a kind and unpredictable. Tangible. It’s a conversation starter. It’s been said so often before but this is real magic right here and we need more of that in this world. Plus, when my hard drive eventually dies and I lose all of my digital photos, I’ll still have my Polaroids. And someday, someone else will have them and wonder why I’ve kept so many blurry photos.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

For some reason, I can’t recall ever growing up with a Polaroid camera in the family, though my parents have albums of them that run counter to my memory. The turning point in my adult life was when I was given a donated original SX-70 by a manager at a thrift store I used to work at in the early 2000s. I fell in love with the mechanics and design and since Time Zero was still readily available at the time, I was instantly hooked.

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Hi friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film interview series. This week, we are very happy to present you with French photographer and filmmaker Sarah Seené…

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

Since I began to work with instant film, I use a Polaroid 636 Close-up camera from 1992, which my dear aunt gave me. When I was a child, I used this device to photograph my grandmother’s animals…

2) Why do you like instant photography?

What interests me in the instant photography is its spontaneity, suspense and surprise. I prepare my instant photos a lot… During one hour or two, I set up costumes, sets and make-up which are going to give sense to the central characters of the photo. It is the contrast between the direction and the speed of the development that interests me and, of course, the magic grain of the instant photo, inimitable.

When the photo comes out, my heart is beating at top speed ! For me, instant photography is synonymous with emotion and sensation!

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A few weeks ago, my mother offered me her first photo of me when I was an infant, and it was a polaroid. Obviously I didn’t remember taking this picture… But I do remember very well the very first Polaroid I made: when I was 7, the day of Christmas with my Grandma, we had just decorated the Christmas tree, I was so happy to decorate it with her,...Read All

Welcome back to Dr. Love Tips where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides insight and advice on how to get the best out of your Polaroid cameras and Impossible film. This week: SX-70 Troubleshooting Guide!

After some requests, and many general inquiries, we have created a comprehensive online troubleshooting guide for your SX-70. Simply bookmark the link, and you can always access the guide from anywhere you have an internet connection. You can also download as a PDF, or print it out.

Read through the guide in its entirety before you begin troubleshooting, but as any problem pops up, you will become more familiar with issues that may arise and how you can resolve them.

The goal here is first and foremost to keep everyone shooting with their cameras, and right after that, it’s to prevent people from wasting their precious film to an inexplicable problem that may be easily remedied.

So with that said, here is the SX-70 Troubleshooting Guide. Please feel free to submit questions and feedback on things that may be added or clarified.

As always, Keep your rollers clean,

-f

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Welcome back to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelog! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Abe Bingham, who just visited Morocco and brought along some Impossible film…

In October, my partner and I spent a couple weeks in Morocco, traveling from Tangier to Casablanca and Marrakech by train. We didn’t know a lot about the country except for what we’d read: but we were interested in the dry, hypnotic beauty of the desert, and the feeling of being in a completely new place. In Tangier, we visited the sites of beat and literary history, staying in the same, surprisingly unfussy room that Jack Kerouac did when he visited fifty years prior. Casablanca was full of friendly locals and pickpockets and beautiful architecture. And Marrakech? Well, let’s say it was a little too touristy for our taste, but we did see some remarkable and beautiful sites.

In my previous trip abroad, I hadn’t brought my SX-70, and this time I decided that I wanted to. The camera itself travels remarkably well. I found a snap-locking tupperware that fit my camera perfectly to protect it from bumps and water. The film took up more room in my bag than the camera, and took some explaining at customs in Tangier! Beyond practical logistics, though, the SX-70 is a wonderful camera to travel with. I found myself taking fewer “tourist” shots with it (smiling head in front of whatever famous or beautiful landmark) and more “souvenir” shots. By that I mean close-up photos of small details that can really transport me back there.

With its rigid white and black plastic body and its iconic rainbow stripe, the classic SX-70 OneStep is one of the most recognizable cameras Polaroid ever produced. It was first released in 1977 as a more affordable alternative to the folding SX-70s and has been a fan favorite ever since.

The SX-70 OneStep has a single-element plastic lens with fixed aperture (103mm, f14.6), 4 ft minimum focus distance, an exposure dial and a socket for flashbars. The OneStep can be used with the Impossible Flashbar by Mint or disposable flash bars, and works with any of our film for SX-70s, which can be found HERE.

Just in time for the holidays, we have a very limited quantity of SX-70 OneSteps available in our special White Christmas Rainbow SX-70 Kit. Act now and make your holiday merry and bright!

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Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series! This week, we’re happy to bring you London photographer Cyrus Mahboubian…

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

I’ve collected an unhealthy number of Polaroid cameras in my time and I’ve used most of them, apart from the very early models. My favourite is the original SX-70, but the one I use most often is an SLR 690. It was made in the 80s, based on the SX-70 design and it’s a wonderful camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like it instinctively, I’ve been hooked since I shot my first Polaroid and watched as the image appeared. Whenever I try to explain it in words, it always comes back to two things: the tangible nature of the prints and their singularity. For those reasons the photographs are more than just photographs, they’re objects. I also like the integrity of instant photography; once you’ve shot the image, there’s nothing more, you can’t edit it – actually that will make you a better photographer. Today everything is digital, but it’s hard to connect with digital images – the vast majority exist only on computer drives and will never be printed. It’s sad. Instant photography is the remedy.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series! This week, we are happy to bring you California photographer Bria Morrison…

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

My folding SX-70 is the love of my life and my very first “real” (as in not automatic everything) Polaroid camera. I found her on eBay in early 2009 and she’s still one of my greatest treasures. Since then I have fallen for my Spectra which is perfect for quicker shooting at weddings or other on-the-go occasions. And, not to forget my latest acquisition, my beloved Polaroid 180 Land Camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I really love everything about instant photography but the one thing I love above all others are the images themselves. They’re soft and clear all at once. Painterly. You can blow them up HUGE and they remain some of the most beautiful photographs I’ve ever seen. There is no equivalent in the digital or standard film worlds.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Even though instant film was in my life for many years before this, the first time I can honestly say I remember what it was like to be photographed on instant film was on Grandparent’s day when I was in elementary school. My grandma, mom and I all posed for a picture & held up this little paper bunny I had made for Easter.

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Welcome to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelogue! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. This entry comes from Matt Smith, who just visited Spain and brought along some Impossible film…

Back in 1999, a group of 8 or 9 of us travelled from our shared university house in Wales, UK to a friend’s parents’ villa near Denia on the East coast of Spain for a sunny holiday that happened to also be my 21st birthday. You can imagine the 10 days that followed.

This September, a group consisting of mainly the same people met in another villa near Denia, to attend the wedding of our friend who owned the villa from the previous holiday, where the wedding was to be held. Friends travelled from the USA, Oman and other far flung places for the wedding. This was also a reunion of lifelong friends, impossible to believe 13 years had passed since the last trip. A week of good times, parties, relaxing, swimming and ping pong followed, as well as a beautiful wedding, where we were still in the pool at 5am.

Luckily for me I had a few packs of the new PX 70 Color Protection test film and some PX 600UV+ with me, along with my trusted SX-70. This was the point I feel that Impossible film has really made it. Great colours, no shielding, no hassle, just shoot it! The weather was 35 degrees...Read All

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Hello, instanteers. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we happily bring you wonderful California photographer Francisco Chavira…

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

Like most photographers, I get GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome; It’s incredibly easy to get! There are Polaroid cameras everywhere at my place. However, I was challenged by a fellow photographer to stick to one camera and one film, to learn everything about that one camera and that one film. So, I shoot almost exclusively with an SX-70 Sonar. I’ve learned that the sonar doesn’t work most of the time, so I manually focus all the time. Sticking with this one camera, I’ve grown very comfortable with it and shooting it has become very natural. It’s truly an amazing camera, the depth of field and the sharpness of the SX-70 is stunning.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

As a film photographer, having an instant photo at your disposal is incredibly rad. Not only do you get the satisfaction of seeing how your images will look right away, but your subject gets the feeling of accomplishment as well. All the effort your subject put into makeup, hair, posing ect. is worth it. Instant film is powerful, because it has a unique ability to alter someones mood. To think how this one tiny square image, can uplift and excite is amazing. Having that power to instantly uplift your subject on a portrait shoot is powerful.

Photo by Katy Maziarz

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. We decided to mix up the brunch menu a bit by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and fantastic photographer Toby Hancock came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these savory photos selected by Toby!

Photos come to us from Katy Maziarz, Kevin Scott Koepke, Ghee Dondlinger, Troy Bradford and Kim Oberski and were taken with the following film types: PX 680 Color Protection, PX 70 Cool, PX 600 Cool and PX 600 UV+ Black Frame.

Toby’s thoughts on each photo…

Deck your cards with words so jolly!

It’s always nice to receive personal messages during the holiday season. A little nicety goes a long way to making the recipient feel warm and fuzzy. Send us a holiday card via snail mail and in return we will send you a Happy New Year card! Your card can be something you illustrated, an Impossible Postcard featuring one of your instant shots, or simply an Impossible photo itself dropped in the mail with a note written on the back!

Please get your card to us by December 31st and come January, you’ll get a card from us! Happy Holidays from Impossible!

Greetings, friends, and welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with advice and insight on how to get the best out of your Polaroid cameras and Impossible film. This entry: Push it! Push it Real Good…

Taking some cues from our Flickr thread, we’ve had some people write in asking about how to shoot SX-70 or 100 speed film in their 600 cameras. Whatever your reasons, be it you’re in a pinch and SX-70 is what’s available, or you want to bring one less camera with you, or you’re going for a different look than your SX-70 gets you, there is always something you can do to trick your camera to think how you want it to…or at least close to it.

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Welcome to our newest addition to the Impossible Blog: Impossible’s Analog Travelogue! In this series, we’ll be showcasing fantastic Impossible photos taken on voyages the world over. Our first entry comes from Ashley Moore, who just visited Rome and brought along some Impossible film…

The first time I visited Rome was in 2008 as part of a month long trip to Italy. At that time I was just starting to rediscover photography and I hadn’t yet delved into the wonderful world of film, specifically instant photography. Since I started shooting instant film and Impossible Project film, I’ve often wished I could go back and re-shoot Rome. This past October of 2012 I was very lucky to be able to do just that.

My husband and I decided to stay in Rome for the whole 2 weeks of our vacation. Even though we had been before, it felt as though we had only scratched the surface and there were so many places still to see. Besides, this time we didn’t want to spend every day run off our feet, this time we wanted to sit and really soak up the city. But Rome is a city of so many layers. With 2500 or so years of history, numerous forms of government, modern urban conveniences, and daily life (past and present) jumbled up into one glorious mess through which it is difficult for someone there for only a short period to truly absorb.

I found that shooting with my SX-70 made me slow down, and look longer at things while I focused, adjusted the composition, re-focused, etc. Something about that square viewfinder view shows me things in such a different way than how my eyes see.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you Tennessee photographer and new mom Ashley Jae Fly…

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

I use several different Polaroid cameras, but the three I use the most are a Spectra System, an SX-70 Sonar & a Sun 660 I’ve pretty much retired the rest of them.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I’m in love with instant photography because of its permanence, magic, and the nostalgia I feel when I shoot with it. It’s imperfect, which in my eyes makes it that much cooler. I love the static of it, and the fact that what you see is what you get. We don’t scan our instant photographs and then edit them in photoshop. It is what it is.

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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 week, we are happy to bring you “Growth,” a series by Caleb Jenkins…

Last spring on April 1st I set out on a journey to document the process of growing a garden through a project titled “Growth.” That journey evolved into something much more special, something that taught me an abundance of skills dealing with both gardening and photography alike. When I began I had a plan, but quickly abandoned it when I realized that in order to document something so raw and unpredictable I had to go into the project as if I had no idea of the desired content, but only the outcome and meaning of the project.

I decided to document this particular garden because it is the garden my parents have had since I was a child. I felt it was something the Impossible community hadn’t exactly seen before, and I wanted to expose everyone to the art of gardening and how important it may be for families in the current economic struggles.

As I began to see the project truly take wind, I noticed major similarities between shooting my entire project with Impossible film and the art of gardening. Both mediums can be very unpredictable, and much like I found with instant photography, there were times I had no control of either the garden or the outcome of my photos. A photo could contain a divot in a crucial part of the subject or the weather could leave the garden in ruin. However, I embraced the unpredictability of using Impossible film. I found that I truly love the realness of shooting instant film. There’s no editing or photoshopping, so everyone knows that the image they see is exactly what the photographer captured.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ever-popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re very happy to bring you the photography of Carla Triolo…

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

My favorite camera is my folding SX-70 Sonar. I take it with me everywhere. If not for the fear that I would roll over and crush it, rendering it useless and reducing me to a blubbering incoherent heap on the floor…I would snuggle with it in bed every night. It was the first Polaroid camera I was truly successful with. Out of all the cameras I have, I find it the most portable and it has always yielded great results. I also use a Spectra SE, a Polaroid Land Model 250 and my grandfather’s Polaroid Land Model 350.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the unpredictability of instant photography. No matter how I picture an image turning out I am never 100% on point. You never know exactly what will happen. Also, I appreciate the fact that unlike digital photography, I can’t just delete and retake as I please. This makes me focus a lot more on what I want to photograph and how. I think the extra care and thought really shows through in the pictures. You can tell how much love was put into it.

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Hello, friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Rhode Island artist and photographer Gregory Geiger…

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

Other than a few button pushes when I was very young, I started my own instant film aventure with a Polaroid Joy Cam. I got frustrated with the strange form-factor, even though I loved the ease of multiple exposures. After that my constant companion, for about two years, was an i-Zone camera. I loved the ease of use and the size of the camera, but when I got frustrated with the ultra tiny images, I transitioned to a Polaroid One. I used that grey box cam until I ran out of the original Polaroid film. I finally gave that camera away, which was a sad day indeed.

When Impossible Project started making film, I was a little bit hesitant. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be the real thing or how long it was going to last, so I picked up a Green One Step Express from the NYC store. I fell in love with the First Flush film, fell in love with the Impossible Project itself, and three months later got the SX-70 Alpha One that I am madly in love with and literally carry with me everywhere.

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesting projects that incorporate instant film. This week, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, we have a very special post to share with you from New Jersey native Christine Zona…

The Jersey Shore is a very special place to me. My summers as a kid were spent with my grandparents and cousins at the boardwalk in Pt. Pleasant. I would eat orange vanilla swirl ice-cream until my brain froze and I played boardwalk games until my fingers cramped. As a teenager my friends and I would cruise down to Seaside Heights were we would get into all sorts of crazy shenanigans. In my older years I would spend time with my parents in Atlantic City playing penny slots and enjoying strolls along the water. Not to mention those awesome buffets.

A couple of years ago I started a photography project about the Jersey Shore. I did it to restore the innocence of it to the masses. I wanted people to view it as I did as a kid. I thought this project would go on for years. So much so that I bought an entire case of expired Polaroid film to dedicate to this project. Little did I know that the shore would be taken from me.

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to present to you Italian photographer Giacomo Inches…

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

I feel very comfortable with the SX-70 and Image cameras. If I have enough space, I definitely put them both in my bag. But I like to test and experiment with different cameras as well. I recently acquired an SLR 680 and I also like a Land Camera 340 that was given to me as a present. I also turned an Image camera with broken shutter into an Image pinhole camera that returns wonderful b/w images. Sometimes I play with a 630 LightMixer or a 1000 camera. At the end of the day, my wife is always complaining about all the cameras I have around (too many).

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love photography in general because it can capture a particular moment (that is already gone, due to the impossibility of stopping time) into a particular frame. Instant photography, however, is one step further: a second after you shot, that moment you fixed through the camera becomes ‘tangible’ in your hands. You can observe the picture becoming reality and finally seeing and remembering and feeling that moment you just lived & shot. Moreover, compared to the modern digital photography, the instant returns a unique picture: even if you scan it, it will never be the same as the single original one. I still find people getting surprised by the self-developmment of the picture and its appearing ‘like magic’

Photo by Sarah Kirkham

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Greetings from the land of Impossible, and welcome back to Sunday Brunch. Each Sunday, we share with you some Impossible photos that have caught our eye over the course of the week. Please enjoy these wonderful instant captures…

Photos in this issue come to us from Sarah Kirkham, Dustin Yager, Deirdre Malfatto, Penny Felts, and Maiga Doocy. Photos were taken using the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection and PX 70 Cool.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we are pleased to bring you UK photographer Leanne Surfleet…

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

I have a few different Polaroid cameras but the main 3 I use are my Spectra, 450 Land and non-folding SX-70.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Well, I never thought of myself as an impatient person but when it comes to photography I like to see the results instantly! Then I feel that I can move on with my shoot and change things up. I just find it exciting and feel that it’s a great skill to master, to have a certain control over your instant photographs. I’ve been shooting instant film for around 6 years now and I’m still completely amazed and confused by the whole process! Only having a certain amount of exposures makes me think about each one carefully before pressing the shutter, I’ve learnt over the years to not get too excited about a fresh pack of film and waste them. I cherish each and every one of my instant photographs.

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we present you with interesting projects people are working on that incorporate Impossible film. This week, we’re happy to bring you beautiful Autumn photos from Scott Achs…

I usually think of myself as a contrarian, but from time to time, for the sake of inspiration, I find it important to experience a cliche. With this in mind, I put on my mid-October tourist hat, and along with my POLAROID ONE 600 and several packs of PX 680 Color Shade film I took to the road.

As I ventured through the dirt roads of backwoods New Hampshire, it was lovely to see how the fallen leaves maintained their color and how the stereotype of New England was fulfilled by a large maple, a barn, and an American flag.

I really appreciate what the saturation of the PX film does to the autumn season. It makes all the leaves softly vivid adding to the amazement of what maple trees can do to your eyes naturally. Perhaps for my next project I will consider tapping into my contrarian nature and photograph non-renewable energy sources and my love for Uranium…on Color Protection film, of course.

Thanks to Scott for taking part in Viewfinder! To see more of his photography, please visit http://blog.scottachs.com.

Photo by Giulio Speranza

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Greetings from the land of Impossible, and welcome back to Sunday Brunch. Each Sunday, we share with you some vibrant Impossible photos that have caught our eye over the course of the week. For this entry we look to the changing colors of the leaves. Please enjoy these Fall foliage photos!

Credit goes to photographers Giulio Speranza, Jenna Gersbach, Amanda Raney, Juli Werner and Ryan Kemp. Photos were taken using the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection, PX 70 Cool, PX 680 Gold Frame and PZ 680 COOL.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, our ongoing series in which Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank love addresses common film and camera questions. This week: The Secret of the Ooze.

We’ve had some people write in recently saying they had a frame of film here and there occasionally with blue liquid ooze coming out of the back top of the frame.

This ooze is in fact the developer chemistry. It is stored in 3 ‘pods’ at the base of the film. It is this that actually gave instant integral film that fat border on the bottom, purely from a functional standpoint.

The reason the chemistry occasionally oozes out the top, is very similar to why you’ll get the ‘undeveloped patch’. You see, the chemistry is spread from the pods through the frame as the film passes through the rollers of the camera. Now the amount and thickness of this spread is taken to an exact science, however, there are always some variables that can affect this. If shooting in cooler or warmer temperatures, or from one camera’s set of looser rollers to another’s tighter set, this can affect the spreading thickness. Also, if rollers are dirty, this creates uneven spots of spreading on the frame, which lead to white spots on your photos, but can also unevenly distribute the rest of the chemistry.

Depending on the circumstances, you can either be left with insufficient coverage, and the ‘undeveloped patch’, OR you can end up on the opposite extreme,...Read All

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Hello friends, and welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we bring you interesting projects people are working on incorporating Impossible films. Many of you have jumped at the opportunity to share the photo-illustrations you’ve created using the new Impossible Photo Pen set in our Make Your Mark gallery. Our good friend Ben Innocent has gone especially pen-crazy, creating some beautiful pieces of photo art…

“My work with the Impossible Photo Pens started as a bit of fun on old Impossible images for me, but the more I used them the more they become another way by which you can connect with a photograph and express yourself with the Impossible films. It began with discarded images but now I find that I will shoot with the purpose of illustrating. Just looking in the Make Your Mark gallery there is a real variety of amazing designs that display a little bit more of the personalities that created them. For me, the pens help create a comic book feel and a slight detachment from reality of the image without totally losing the photograph itself. The pens are just so great and very effective on the Impossible films. A medium well-worth exploring for any that don’t have them yet.”

Thanks to Ben for sharing! To see more of his photo-illustrations, click HERE.

Have you picked up a pack of Impossible Photo Pens yet? Grab a set now and submit your creations to the Make Your...Read All

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series! This week, we are proud to present you with Florida photographer Ritchard Ton…

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

I have several sx-70s, an automatic 100, 195 land camera, numerous plastic One Steps, and a modified one shot into a pinhole.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

First, it was about watching the photo develop.
After that, it was about instantly having a photo to document the moment.
And then it was the ability to manipulate the photo.
And then it was the camera. The SX-70 is the best camera ever built. Yeah, I said ever.
And then it was the excitement of being a part of the creation of a new film and process of perfecting the film.
Now, it’s all of the above.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

As a child, my family had a Kodak Handle instant camera. To me, watching instant photos develop was amazing. Not having to take a roll of film to local photomat kiosk in the A&P parking lot and wait a week to see the photos was really something special.

Photo by Joep Gottemaker

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Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 spooky images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This issue: Pumpkins! We hope you enjoy these Halloweeny Impossible shots…

Photos come to us from Joep Gottemaker, Bettina Poenisch, Shawn Barker, J. James Joiner and Jenna Gersbach, using the following film types: PX 680 Color Protection, PX 70 Color Protection and PX 70 Cool.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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Hi Viewfinder fans! Welcome back to our ongoing series that chronicles interesting and exciting projects that incorporate Impossible films. This entry focuses on photographer Susan Sabo’s wonderful instant dog photographs…

My project, “As a Child I Dreamt of Dogs” combines photos with poetry and essays that together are about honoring, remembering and just experiencing our lives with dogs. Impossible Project film is the only film I could use for this project, because like our dogs, each shot is truly unique. When I shoot with my SX-70, there are often happy surprises and not-so-happy surprises, but each is beautiful and unique in its own way…just like my dogs.

A portion of all print and upcoming book sales will go to a variety of animal rescue & welfare organizations.

Thank you to Susan for sharing these fantastic photos with us! Please visit her website at susansabophotography.com.

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Hi friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This issue, we’re happy to bring you Oregon native Rich Burroughs…

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

The main one is an Image 1200i, it’s one of the Spectra cameras with an LCD. I’m really enjoying the Spectra aspect ratio lately, it feels very cinematic, so that one is getting most of the work. I have a bunch of others though. A couple of SX-70s, a 180, some 600 cameras, a Clincher, and backs for my Hasselblad and Holga.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

It’s that magic of seeing the images develop. I work a lot with models and they really enjoy seeing the images come to life, it gives them a lot of confidence when they see that we nailed a shot. And it’s nice to be looking at a finished print. When I shoot digital, there are images that look great on the LCD but don’t work when I see them on my monitor.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

We had Polaroids when I was a kid, my dad was into photography and they were so common. Polaroid and Kodak are the two brands that really dominated photography in my childhood.

Photo by Jessica Reinhardt

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Happy Sunday, friends, and welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 cool and calming images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This issue: Oceans & Lakes! We hope you enjoy these watery Impossible shots…

Photos come to us from Jessica Reinhardt, Andrew Jarman, Jon Duenas, Hilary Clarke and Carla Triolo, and were taken using the following film types: PX 680 Color Protection, PX 70 Color Protection and PX 70 Cool.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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Ciao, friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Italian photographer Alan Marcheselli…

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

I own more or less 200 Polaroid cameras, and depending on what I need, I choose the more useful, but my favourites are a silver One 600, an SX-70 Model 2 and a Spectra AF coming from a police CSI kit.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like it because of the size, the vintage/POP feelings, the different cameras and moreover I love the possibility to realize unrepeatable pictures.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I was three years old and my uncle shot some pictures of me with a Spirit 600 CL while on holiday. I fell in love with that system that gave the possibility to look immediately at the picture. Now, 37 years later, that pictures and that camera are still in my studio.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

AARRRGHH are you sure I have to choose only one?

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This entry focuses on Virginia photographer Caleb Jenkins…

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

As of now I have a single SX-70 Sears Special with the original skin, two 600 cameras, two Spectra cameras and one 420 Land Camera. Among those, my SX-70 is my favorite and most used. I love the history and pop culture behind the SX-70 camera and how vintage and iconic it is. I’m a big fan of the 70s, so my SX-70 is a perfect fit for me.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Seeing as this question has been answered many times before me it’s quite hard to sum up an answer that isn’t anywhere near cliche. I guess I’ll have to go ahead and conform to all other answers, because instant photography is simply magical. I love that with each image I take, it’s the only image that will ever look that way. It’s truly a single edition. One main reason that I’ve been pulled into instant photography is that I feel it brings me back to reality.

Photo by Corbin Sharer

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Happy Sunday, friends, and welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 revved-up images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This issue: Cars! Take to the road with these stellar Impossible shots…

Photos come to us from Corbin Sharer, Russell Hamilton, Ester Helloo, Edouard Lambert and Lisa Toboz, and were taken using the following film types: PX 680 Color Protection Film, PX 680 Cool and PX 600 Black Frame.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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Warmest greetings to you, Impossible friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. Our star this week is Los Angeles-based photographer Claire Oring…

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

I use a regular Polaroid 600 One Step and a Polaroid Spectra. I also just got an old Land Camera I’m refurbishing.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love watching all the colors and textures bloom in the palm of my hand.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I started using instant film when I was 15 and my dad gave me his old camera. I have a box under my bed with hundreds of Polaroids I took in high school.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

I love the PX 680 Gold Frame color shade because it’s fancy.

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing blog feature chronicling interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This week, we bring you Maximilian Rivera…

My journey with Impossible Film started late last year when I made the decision to travel to NYC, LA & Miami to work with modeling agencies and the models they represent. I remember picking up a few Polaroid 600 cameras from local flea markets in Florida before going to Miami which is where I started my own trend of shooting one/two PX 680 Color Shade Cool photos of each model I work with and have them sign it. I love instant film for the feel it gives an image, plus you can hold onto it rather than digital. My goal at the end of this year is to frame my Impossible photos around my studio and start and end every year with one type of film.

To see more of Maximilian’s photos, please visit his Tumblr.

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Hello again, friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you marketing director and photographer Tim Logan…

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

Most of the time I use an SX-70 or SX-70 sonar. I have a variety of other Polaroid cameras and backs as well, though, and will often use one of those. It’s not uncommon to see me out with a Polaroid Spectra, Polaroid 250 or my Graflex Crown Graphic with a Polaroid 545 or 550 back. I enjoy shooting as many instant film formats as I can get my hands on so I tend to have a lot of different cameras with me at any given time.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

As strange as it may sound, one of the biggest reasons I enjoy instant photography is because of what it has taught me – Patience. Whether you are shooting with Impossible’s films or some the remaining expired Polaroid stock you really need to be much more mindful of how you work. It’s become very easy to shoot in excess because of digital technology, but, because I don’t want to waste a single frame of instant film I’ve really learned to slow down and take more into consideration before I release the shutter. Ultimately, I think that lesson has made me a better photographer regardless of the format I’m shooting.

Photo by Dave Knapik

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Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 warm and fuzzy images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This week, we are all about Neon! Please enjoy these luminous Impossible photos…

Photos come to us from Dave Knapik, Toby Hancock, Sean Caudill, Nick Leonard and Kumiko Sekiguchi, and were taken using the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection Film, PX 680 Cool and PZ 680 Cool.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

The Polaroid Business Edition camera was first released in the early 1990s. It was similar in body style to Polaroid’s Sun 600 series but has a more advanced flash system with automatic charging, and a built-in sliding close-up lens.

It was a sister camera to the Polaroid Job Pro camera, but aimed toward a different market, “Designed for extra durability and ruggedness.”

The Business Edition has a single-element 116mm plastic lens, fixed focus with a standard minimum focal length of 4 feet (2 feet when close-up lens is in place), electronic shutter, programmed auto-exposure system and a built-in flash.

The Business Edition works with all of Impossible’s 600 film, which can be found HERE

To purchase your own Business Edition Camera Kit, click HERE

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Welcome back to Dr. Love’s Tips, our ongoing series in which Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with valuable insight into the workings of instant film and cameras. This week: Why 8 Photos?

Many people have asked us…”Why only 8 frames instead of the traditional 10?”

The answer here is simple…yet complex. The simple answer is that there just isn’t room to put 10 frames of Impossible Film into a pack. Well then, how did Polaroid fit 10 frames into the same cartridge?

Here is where it gets a little more complex. Polaroid made nearly all their own materials, engineered collectively over 17 years; they were able to produce film that could eject out into direct sunlight moments after being exposed without harming the film, begin processing and stop all on its own…truly amazing. They had also done this with 10 frames of film to a cartridge.

In Impossible’s case, everything was there: cameras, cartridge size, and general functionality. The hard part here is that the old way of making the film was gone, no way back, everything for the film had to be re-engineered from scratch. So Impossible began a journey to create film that could function within these constraints, within this system of cartridges and cameras. There is very very little room for change in this system, but as the materials that go into the film HAD to change, it’s not surprising that the final product did vary a little from Polaroid’s.

The main difference is...Read All

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Hello, instant film lovers, and welcome back to Viewfinder, our series in which we chronicle interesting projects people are working on using Impossible film. This week, we’re happy to present to you “Ray of Summer,” a photo book by Japanese photographer Ken Hirama and singer/songwriter Ray.

The “Ray of Summer” photo book was made limited of 100 copies and was only available at Ray’s annual solo live performance. Due to the great feedback, I wanted to share some of the photos. The book is a collection of Ken’s portraits of Ray using a folding SX-70 and PX 70 Color Shade Cool film

A great portrait comes from the mutual trust between the photographer and the model, therefore having known Ray since our early teens, we were both comfortable with each other. Rather than planning each shot, I would let her play in the park or the beach to bring out her natural charm. My job was to capture her charm using this unique type of film and understanding that it always produces an unexpected image. The choices we had to make upon choosing the right photos and the film was also difficult but with the help and support from so many, we were able to finish this beautiful book.

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Last weekend, our friend Katy Maziarz went on a photo walk with her husband and friend in the Chicago area. She chronicled the day using new Impossible PX 70 Color Protection film…

It was a small group; there were just three of us in total: me, my husband CJ (a Pola newbie) and Justin Hunger. We went to the Chicago Botanic Garden on our walk. The Garden is 385 acres, with 25 distinct display garden areas, four “natural” areas, and several small lakes and waterfalls. So as you can imagine, there’s a lot to see and a lot to photograph, and it’s almost impossible to do the entire Garden in one trip.

We started off in the Heritage Garden, which is dedicated to the history of botanic gardens and has some very interesting fountains—and a statue of Carolus Linnaeus, known as the Father of Taxonomy. But we were more interested in the bountiful blossoms. Justin Hunger got some use out of his brand-new-to-him Macro 5 camera, as you can see in one of the photos posted!

From there, we moved through the Rose Garden and into one of my favorite gardens in the place, the English Walled Garden. Just as it sounds, this is a charming, quiet old-fashioned garden in which you can imagine young ladies strolling with their beaus, a stern-eyed chaperone somewhere behind. There’s a lovely bright blue bench which is our favorite place to sit.

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Hi there, friends. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you creative wizard and all-arounnd nice guy Patrick Winfield…

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

I currently am using the Macro 5 SLR, Spectra and the SX-70.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The “Thing-ness” of it. That the photo is a direct object of a memory – a tangible memory that can be held immediately and further manipulated as it develops or ‘lives on‘… that quality of being an instant artifact which can be further manipulated to play up the materiality of the medium is what attracts me to the film.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

It was a picture of a dead man. Then the film was sucked back into the camera and the whole time I took pictures of things with my polaroid and tattooed myself to help figure out what happened in my life since I had some sort of amnesia…or was that the plot of Memento?

Photo by James McManus

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Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 sharp images that caught our eye over the course of the week. Lately we’ve been singing the praises of our color film, so this week’s issue is dedicated to the beauty of our monochrome films. Please enjoy these stunning black and white Impossible photos…

Photos come to us from James McManus, Andreina Schoeberlein, Nicholas Misciagna, Laurene and Domink Werdoux and were taken with the following film types: PX 100 UV+, PX 100 Cool and PX 600 UV+ Black Frame.

Keep shooting, friends, and be sure to submit to the Impossible Gallery and the Impossible Flickr Group! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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Greetings from Impossible! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our ongoing instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Nebraska college professor and photographer Meghan Davidson…

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

Most often, I shoot with my SX-70. I love the depth of field that camera allows and the way you can really select the focus. I also love shooting with the Spectra for self-portraits and double exposures, and I have a Polaroid 250 that I need to spend more quality time with. And, I’m really hoping to get my hands on an SLR 680 some day.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I have a special affection for film, especially instant film. I love when I put a pack in my Polaroid and close the film door, that the camera immediately comes to life, clicking and whirring and shooting out the dark slide. Instant film feels so timeless, so classic to me. There’s simply a magical quality about shooting with it. Because of the limited number of frames, each click of the shutter is special.

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Greetings, friends, and welcome back to Viewfinder, our popular series in which we share interesting projects that people are working on using Impossible film. This week’s entry focuses on Italian photographer Matteo Rosso’s trip to Burma…

A year ago I decided to embark on a journey that would take me in a totally different direction from what I’m used to. I mean different landscapes, traditions, cuisine, way of living, people’s attitude…What better place than Burma? It was the best chance to combine my passion for instant photography with a trip to remember. So I stocked up on PX 70 film and I brought two SX-70 cameras with me (occupying a large part of my backpack). Before that moment I used to take very controlled and detailed photos with Impossible films, mostly with models in indoor or studio. So it turned out to be a very attractive challenge.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you Australian designer and photographer Amanda Mason…

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

I primarily use my folding SX-70 original and an SLR 680. If I was onboard a sinking ship and had to start throwing all my cameras overboard, I would go down with these two. I think they are design masterpieces capable of producing simply lovely images.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I adore the dreamlike nature of the film. All instant film creates a nostalgic, other-worldly, soft toned patina. It is a dreamy little world that I want to live in all the time. Everytime I shoot instant film I am drawn into another dimension straight away. Everytime I see an instant photograph I feel like I am looking at a memory. Of course having the photograph in your hands in a matter of minutes is quite nice too.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My earliest memory of instant film is my grandmothers Polaroid camera. As kids we were absolutely fascinated by integral film, the magic of it all. She used that camera as her everyday camera, we still have those Polaroids in our family album. I bought my first Polaroid camera when I was 16.