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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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

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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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Hello friends, and welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series chronicling interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This week we’re happy to bring you a look back at New York Fashion Week through the beautiful photos of Bryant Eslava…

New York Fashion Week is filled with glamour, celebrities, expensive clothing and much more. This season (Spring 2013) I decided to add to my digital/film gear by using Impossible Project film.

It was an interesting experience because when I’d approach anyone they would automatically give me their full attention and say “Woah, I haven’t seen one of those cameras in a long time” (I was shooting with a Polaroid SLR 680) and then I would ask them for a portrait.

It was also very competitive backstage…it’s filled with over 30 photographers whose lives depend on getting “that shot”. A couple times I would get yelled at or pushed out of the way by these photographers because they didn’t see me with a giant SLR and wouldn’t take me seriously but at least it got the attention of designers, celebrities and models when I brought out the camera.
Most of the time I would get asked “They still make Polaroid film?” and my response would be, “No, it’s Impossible Project film” then I would describe to them how the film worked and gave them a little bio of Impossible Project. Overall it was a great experience, I loved the analog feel instead of constantly looking at a screen and re-shooting an...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 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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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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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.

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Hello, instant film lovers, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular analog Q&A series. This week the star is our good friend, Dustin Yager…

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

I have a decent collection of Polaroid cameras but my main cameras are an SX-70 (whichever one is working at the time) and a modified 450 Land Camera. I am currently working on a new pack film mod that i am looking forward to.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Everyone who sees me shoot instant film asks me this question and I never have a standard answer for it. I love the uniqueness and individuality of every shot. I love that it’s not easily replicated and that your instant shot is a capture of that moment in time, whatever it may be. I love that there is an unknown element with every instant photography shot and there are no “do overs.” Digital photography just feels cold and too perfect to me sometimes and I love the softness and dreamlike quality that instant film has. I also feel that since i have been shooting instant film, it has made me a better photographer and made me think of the shot more before and during the process.

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our blog series that focuses on interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This entry, we’re happy to bring you Brooklyn-based visual artist Kimi Selfridge…

I’m embarking on a journey to capture the world from my wonderstruck point of view. Working exclusively with analog film formats, I style my photo shoots and otherwise progress with little to no plan. Entering an uncontrolled environment, I’m able to react with a discerning eye to splice subject and setting, which lends itself to my commitment of never altering the photographs, allowing the work to remain honest and original.

All of my current public works are part of an ongoing personal project entitled “This Is Our Youth”.

To see more of Kimi’s photography, please visit her Flickr photostream

Photo by Penny Felts

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, a wonderful feature in which we share 5 solid photos taken with Impossible film that have stood out to us over the course of each week.

This week’s edition leans toward the Y chromosome; it’s all about dudes. These Impossible photos capture the essence of man in an instant.

Photos come from Penny Felts, Justin Molina, Ann McGarry, David Dalglish and Nicolas SP, on the following film types: PX 70 Opacification test film Version 4B, PX 70 Opacification test film Version 4C, PX 600 UV+ and PZ 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!

Photo by Micaela Go

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Hi friends, and welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch. Each week, we’ll be posting 5 tasty photos that caught our eye over the past week.

This week, we present you with a special Portrait Edition of Sunday Brunch, featuring photos by Micaela Go, Meredith Wilson, Andrea Buia, Erdal Kahraman and Troy Bradford

Images were taken with the following film types: PX 100 Cool, PX 70 Nigo Edition, PX 680 Gold Edition and PX 70 Cool

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series! This week, we bring you polaroid portrait wizard Luciano Noble…

Q1) What kind of Polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: I use two Polaroid cameras, a Polaroid SLR 680 and an SX-70. I’ve got loads in my apartment, but they’re decorative more than anything else. I’ve gone through my packfilm period, my simple Polaroid period, used a Big Shot for a bit. But there’s just nothing like the SX-70 and its kin that fits me better, the amount of control I like, the quality I require, the form factor, hell, even the little noises the motors make in the SLR 680, that there is music to my ears.

Q2) Why do you like instant photography?

A: I love it because it’s utterly unique. Unique in the pictures that are created, in the interactions using such strange cameras creates between you and your subject, unique in the palette, in the creation of a physical artifact. I’ve been using Polaroid since 1996, it’s been with me for, well, for the majority of my life. Polaroid is responsible for my love of photography.

And it’s not really about film, it’s about Instant film. It’s about having it immediately, about creating this little piece of work that you made mere moments ago, and having it in your hands, showing the person you photographed what you saw, that this picture right here is how I see you.

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Hello, 8 Exposures fans! This week, the star of 8 Exposures is Bay Area Dog Portrait Aficionado Jesse Freidin…

1) Q: What kind of polaroid camera(s) do you use?

A: This is a dangerous question, because I am a collector. I own about 30 Polaroid cameras, all salvaged for around $5 from various yard sales over the past 10 years. Most of them are retired, littered throughout my apartment in some sort of display. But many of them work perfectly. My two favorites are the Spectra Image (which I now shoot exclusively with Impossible Film), and the Land Camera 103. They smell good, they feel good, they are like extensions of my body. If my house were burning down, I’d be the jerk with singed hair and 30 instant cameras around my neck.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Instant photography was my first love, and I fell hard. There is something so powerful about making the images in your head exist in the real world, and instant photography has always articulated my personal vision perfectly. As a photographer dedicated to analog means, I will never let go of the physical interaction I have with my cameras and film.

(More after the jump!)

“Photographing dogs is all about the perfect magical moment, celebrating the unknown, and controlling the unexpected. Which is what The Impossible Project’s new instant films are all about, as well.”