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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 to us from Deborah Slater who recently took a trip to Perth in Australia, and brought along some Impossible film…

Every year in February, whilst England is well and truly settled into its cold and dark winter, I fly off to Perth in Australia, to visit family and friends and recharge the batteries with a well-needed burst of Australian summer sunshine. I spent my school days growing up in Perth and have always equated February with long hot summer holidays – even after 20 years of living in England, I find it hard to spend this part of the year in “winter”.

I decided to take my SX-70 with me on this trip, for the first time, and stocked up with numerous packs of the Impossible Project’s Color Protection film before I left. I was unsure as to what kind of results I would get – I knew that the harsh Australian heat and sunshine (temperatures were reaching 35 degrees centigrade plus) could have had an adverse effect on my images. I’d never used my camera in these kind of temperatures before, but I was keen to give it a go. Perth is a perfectly laid back and relaxed kind of city and pretty much everything during their summer revolves around the beach and outdoor life.

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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 Derrick Tin who traveled to Christmas Island and brought along some Impossible film…

Born in Canada, grew up in Africa, educated in Europe, worked in the US and now living in Australia, I consider myself a true citizen of this world. Throw into that mix my Chinese heritage and you can perhaps understand my constant desire for travel and exploration.

From trekking the lost ruins of Machu Picchu, to lazying around the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, it never ceases to amaze me just how beautiful our planet is. Christmas Island, a volcanic island covered by tropical rain forrest just south of Indonesia, is a great example of untouched eco paradise waiting to be discovered.

Sir David Attenborough described the Christmas Island crab migration as one of the greatest moments of his career as a wildlife explorer and naturalist and, after coming across another article on this remote island in the Indian Ocean and their famed resident crabs, i decided to pack my cameras and go explore and experience this natural marvel.

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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

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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 Leonie Wise who traveled to Cornwall this past December and brought along some Impossible film…

We arrive just as the light is fading. It’s raining and all I can hear is the sea, hurling itself on the stones of the beach, the wind hurling itself around our little cabin and the furious drumming of rain on the roof. It’s cold and getting dark, but still, we lean ourselves out the window to get closer to the sounds and smells without getting wet. We are rewarded with the sight of two or three bats, darting around outside the window, feeding on whatever is out there in the gathering darkness.

We’ve got a week of holidaying on Cornwall’s shipwreck coast. It’s some of the best surfing in England. This coastline is the real 50 Shades of Grey.

Every morning, the first thing I do is raise the blinds and look out the window. The view always the same, yet always a new colour in the sky or the waves. Some mornings we are alone here, others the tide is low and the waves are right and there are from 1-15 surfers out in the surf at the south end of the bay.

The rock formations on this coast are magnificent: some jut out of the sea like the hulls of shipwrecks; some lie close to the shore, like the skeletal remains of some beached marine creature; others stick out of the roiling waters like needle-sharp teeth. Beautiful to look at, dangerous to navigate in a boat.

Some days the weather is so stormy that we stay inside all day, gazing out the windows at the foaming seas. Other days, we venture out… A walk on ‘our’ beach or one nearby, a churchyard, the coastal path. On this coast, the prevailing wind is so strong that all the trees grow sideways.

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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 Claire Oscuro who recently moved to Marseille and has documented the transition with Impossible film…

I moved from Paris to Marseille in January 2013 for a new job opportunity. As I had fallen in love with instant photography a few months before, I thought it could be a great occasion to create a polaroid photo series/collection about my new hometown and discoveries and to share it with others through a website and hopefully some exhibitions!

There was in fact another great opportunity that could help me promote such an idea: as some of you might know, Marseille has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2013, along with Košice (Slovakia). I thought that instant photography would be a great way to focus on the Marseille-Provence area and try to reveal its charms, so the MarseillePolaroid2013 project was born!

The European Capital of Culture is one of the most high-profile cultural events in Europe. The Capitals are selected on the basis of a cultural program that must have a European (and in this case Euro-Mediterranean) dimension, involve the public, be attractive at the European level and fit into the long-term development of the city. It is also a unique opportunity for the cities to change their image (and Marseille needs to!), put themselves on the world map, attract more tourists and rethink their own development through culture.

For Marseille-Provence 2013, the year as European Capital of Culture is split into three ‘episodes’:
Episode 1: “Marseille Provence welcomes the world”, from January to May 2013
Episode 2: “Marseille Provence under open skies”, from May to September 2013
Episode 3: “Marseille Provence – a Thousand Faces” from September to December 2013.

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Hello again and welcome back to Viewfinder, our ongoing series in which we chronicle interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. For this entry, we are happy to bring you photo collages by Jim Finlayson…

My work with instant photo collage began while shooting SX-70 cover art for textbooks and novels. With collages constructed from vintage art auction catalogs, magazines and postcards, I could combine different subject matter and environments in one cohesive statement. After building a large portfolio of altered, painterly instant prints, I wanted to take the concept of painting in a more sleek photographic direction.

The great thing about shooting instant film is the absence of digital effects to enhance an image. This in addition to having a limited number of prints per film pack forces a photographer to have a strong sense of immediacy with light, weather and location. For my first shooting project with PX 70 Cool film, I wanted control over light and location and felt collage would be a perfect fit.

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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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 Claire Penn, who recently visited Venice and brought along some Impossible film…

At the end of November I had the chance to go to Venice with a group of 30 female photographers from all over the world. We all met via social media and have our own little group where we discuss all things photography. I packed up my most recently acquired Polaroid, a beautiful SX-70 in pristine condition and 3 packs of PX 70 Color Protection. I’d taken one test shot at home which I loved instantly (no pun intended) and decided to save the rest for Venice as I couldn’t think of a better place to practice.

We spent 3 days wading through Venice’s streets and courtyards, shooting anything and everything, drinking coffee, eating delicious food and soaking it all up, literally. The PX 70 results were beyond my expectations especially as it was my first time using the camera. There were a few duds for sure where I’d messed up the exposure when dealing with strong sunlight/shadows but I’m more than happy with the ones I got. More practice is needed with the camera/film and temperatures eg. how they affect the results…but that’s the joy of it. The girls travelling with me were as excited as I was and many of them are now shopping around for their first Polaroid. It’s infectious.

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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.

Photo by J. James Joiner

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

J. James Joiner

This photo really stood out to me. It looks so timeless and joyful! I loved the matching reds, so bright and happy.

Christoph Holtmann

I was really drawn to the composition in this photo. I love the texture of the wall behind the car, the colors, and the reflections. I’m a big fan of the colors the COOL! films produced, subdued and dreamy.

Andrew Millar

Sparklers are so fun. I thought Andrew caught this one perfectly! Look how sharp and defined the lines are with perfect little stars on the end! Magic!!

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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.

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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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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 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.

Photo by Bruno Haas

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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 Sol Allen came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these savory photos selected by Sol!

Photos come to us from Bruno Haas, Jerome Cimolai, David Sankey, Flore de Sermet and Lisa Duran, and were taken with the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection, PX 100 UV+, PX 680 Gold Frame and PX 600 Black Frame film.

Here are Sol’s thoughts about each photo…

Bruno Haas

I’m a complete sucker for reflections. Love the blue to yellow to blue shift as well. That red lil’ car? C’mon, too perfect! :)

Jerome Cimolai

A super creative, and well displayed triptych. Feel super bad for them about the accident, though!

David Sankey

I think this is perfect. The slight wonkiness, the couple of birds and of course, the delicious creams of the PX 100. Decadent.

Flore de Sermet

Charming, secret and inviting. So lush, I can only hope there are more photos from this.

Lisa Duran

Love vistas. I have found myself searching for wide open views for the last couple of years. Whenever there is a beautiful landscape in front of me, I instantly get drawn in.

Thanks so much to Sol for taking time to assemble this tasty bunch! Keep shooting, and be sure to submit...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 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!

Photo by Alexandre Bouchon

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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 Andrew Millar came up with the menu for this week’s “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these savory photos selected by Andrew!

Photos come to us from Alexandre Bouchon, Penny Felts, Landry, Lambis Stratoudakis and Hugo Goudswaard, and were taken with the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection, PX 70 Cool, PX 680 Cool and PX 680 First Flush.

Thanks so much to Andrew for taking time to assemble this tasty bunch! Keep shooting, 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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Hello, friends. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you long-time Impossible supporter and wonderful photographer, Italy’s own Andrea Palei…

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

I started shooting instant film with the “Polaroid 1000 red button” of my dad. I am passionate and I bought an original SX-70 (my favourite camera), from there I became insane, and I started collecting as many instant cameras as possible. I often use original SX-70 and SLR 680. And sometimes the Spectra and Colorpack II.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

It’s magical. The thing I love most about the instant photography is the unpredictability of the outcome, and the possibility to “touch” the photo and see it “born” slowly under my eyes. Those are things that fascinate me again like the first time.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

The very first memory: I was a child and my father was taking polaroids at the beach and birthday parties.

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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…

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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.

Photo by Ben Innocent

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. From now until the end of the year, we will be mixing up the brunch menu by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

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

Photos come to us from Ben Innocent, Mazzy Chi, David Gugushvili, Stephanie Lakos and Ghee Dondlinger, and were taken using the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection, PX 680 Color Protection and PX 600 Cool.

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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.

Photo by Anthony De Lucci

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Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, our series in which we share lovely photos taken with Impossible film. This week, we have a special treat for you. From now until the end of the year, we will be mixing up the brunch menu by inviting Impossible friends and photographers to guest curate our Sunday Brunch selections.

Our good friend and spectacular photographer Chloe Aftel came up with the menu for our first “Guest Chef” entry. Please enjoy these savory photos selected by Chloe!

Photos come to us from Antonio De Lucci, Bernard Arce, Carine Wallauer, Marcin Jastrzebski and Samuel Blenkin and were taken using the following film types: PX 70 Color Protection, PX 680 Color Protection, PX 100 UV+, PX 70 Cool and PX 680 Cool.

Thanks so much to Chloe for taking time to assemble this tasty bunch! Keep shooting, 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 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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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!

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!

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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!

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 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!

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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?

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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.

Photo by Thomas Preyer

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

It’s time for an instant toy story. Get your out your dolls and action figures and enjoy these playful Impossible photos from Thomas Preyer, Spyros Bourdoukis, April W, Scott St. Pierre and Jill Auville, which were taken with the following film types: PX 70 Nigo film, PX 70 Opacification test film and PX 680 Opacification test film.

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 Dr. Love’s Tips, where Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with helpful advice on how to get the best out of your Polaroid cameras and Impossible film. This issue: Decoding the numbers on the back of the photo!

What do those numbers on the back of my images mean?

Those numbers are the ‘Frame Code. This code is how you can decipher which film this frame is, and when it was manufactured.

This 10 digit code breaks down into 5 pieces, which each set of 2 digits giving you a specific piece of information. Please refer to our picture for a detailed breakdown.

Effectively, the first 4 digits are not unlike a date (08/11=Aug. ‘11, etc.). The machine number is more for internal records and doesn’t really tell you the shooter anything about the film. The film type code is probably one of the more useful ones, as this will help you with whether this is a PX100 shot or PX 600 shot. Lastly the last two digits are simply the day of the month of the production batch.

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Greetings, instant film lovers. Welcome back to Viewfinder, our series that chronicles interesting projects that incorporate Impossible film. This week, we are happy to bring you Anielika Sykes…

My fascination with water and light are at the heart of this series of diptychs in which self-portraits are paired with still life photographs. My Polaroid SX-70 Sonar camera, Impossible Project PX 70 film, water – first boiled, then cold – and hot press water colour paper are the tools that have allowed me to manipulate physical images. The process of being submersed in water has resulted in loose transfers to assume new life beyond the surface.

Each set of diptychs aims to relate the notion of memory: one, a self portrait in which I look out from a familiar place associated with childhood; and the other, a still life meant to capture treasured objects associated with someone the child holds dear. The self-portraits are for the most part, shot in the High Park area in Toronto.

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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.

Photo by Jessica Hibbard

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Happy Sunday, all you morning people! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 hot and fresh images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This week’s issue is dedicated to the coffee-connoisseur and mocha-minded alike. Please enjoy these java-themed Impossible pictures.

Photos come to us from Jessica Hibbard Elenstar, Ben Syverson, Rabbitier, Toby Hancock and Thomas Boesgaard and were taken with the following film types: PX 100 UV+, PX 680 Gold Frame, PX 70 V4B test film and PX 680 V4C test film.

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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Hello, friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we present to you South Carolina photographer Brian Green…

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

What I usually have on me at a basic shoot are two Mamiya RB67s with Polaroid pack film backs: one with a 180mm lens and one a 90mm, a Polaroid Colorpack, and an SX-70 Sonar. I have around 30 cameras in my collection but those are my main ones that get used daily.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The instant aspect of course; I am a person who likes to put work out as it’s created so waiting on developing film would slow that down a little. Also in my opinion nothing comes close to the colors and feel the instant film gives.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My mom has always been artistic, from painting, to wood work to photography so she introduced me to it at an early age and it has always had a soft spot in my heart some of the only photos I have of my father are on Polaroid 600 film.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we are happy to bring you DC-based photographer Rachel Carrier…

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

Almost always I am using an original model SX-70 that I picked up years ago at a thrift store. I also use an SX-70 model 2 from time to time and the Impulse camera for indoor/party shots where I’m not as worried about composing. I also have worked a lot on double exposures with my Spectra camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I fell in love with Time Zero film a few years before it went out of production. I love the color contrast and saturation of the film and the fact that it often gave me unexpected results. I love Impossible film for the same reason. The colors are gorgeous and I actually love the light sensitivity of the film, it gives each shot its own aura.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Probably looking at photos in our family albums when I was a kid, so many of them were instant photos.

Photo by Andrea Jenkins

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Hello instanteers and welcome back to Sunday Brunch, where we share spectacular photos taken with Impossible film that have caught our eye over the course of the week.

This week’s issue is very special. We invited you to keep Polaroid Week 2012 alive for an extra week by submitting your favorite Impossible photos to our Roid Week Gallery. Our intention was to select our 5 favorite photos, with the winners receiving a special Impossible film package. Well, with so many fantastic submissions, we had a hard time deciding on just 5, so we chose 9!

Winning photos come from Andrea Jenkins, Linda Nielsen, Juli Werner, Nicholas Misciagna, Moko Chen, Heather Champ, Frank Zierenberg, Cromwell Schubarth and Matt Dicke using the following Impossible film types: PX 70 Cool, PX 680 Cool, PZ 680 Cool, PZ 600 UV+ Black Frame and PX 600 UV+ Grey Frame.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all of the wonderfully talented Impossible photographers out there who took part!

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you Texas photog Troy Bradford…

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

I have three working SX-70s, one 250 pack film camera, one modified 250 pack film camera with a Rodenstock 127mm lens added, one 100 pack film camera, two Spectra cameras, one 600 One Step Closeup and a 104 pack film camera converted to a pinhole camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

As most people will say, I like the fact that you get to hold the image immediately. In addition to that, I also like the fact that you get to watch the image come to life. The thrill of this process takes me back to my days in high school when I had my own darkroom and was able to watch film images develop before my eyes in the chemical bath. So that takes care of touch and sight, but I also like the smell of the peel-apart films. It is not like the smell is a pleasant one, it is just the fact that you can relate this smell to a developing picture…Now if you separate out just Impossible film and ask the same question, I would say that holding an Impossible image is like instantly holding a small piece of artwork.

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, kiddies. This week, our instant film Q&A series focuses on Fernanda Montoro…

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

The camera I love and use the most is the Polaroid SX-70. That’s the dream camera for me, the camera that has become the extension of my eyes. I often use a Polaroid 600 SE and Polaroid Spectra too. My little Polaroid camera collection also includes an SLR 680, a Mio, a couple of Miniportraits. And, of course, many SX-70s! I like to have them handy and to play with them from time to time, depending on the mood.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I like absolutely everything about it!: Being able to watch the past become picture, in front of my eyes. Those whirring mechanical sounds that instant cameras make. Its distinctive painterly qualities, texture, saturation, ‘imperfections’. I even enjoy the limitation of having a limited number of shots! (Makes me respect the medium, compose more carefully, try my best in every frame). Also, thanks to instant photography I started to look at photography in a more serious way.

Photo by Annie Donovan

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Greetings, feathered friends! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 images that caught our eye over the course of the week. This week’s issue is “for the birds.” Take flight with these beautiful Impossible photos of our neighbors in the sky…

Photos come to us from Annie Donovan, Amalia Sieber, The Kodachromer, Paula Roy and Joep Gottemaker with the following film types: PX 680 Cool, PX 70 Cool, PZ 600 Black Frame and our new 8×10 test film!

Keep shooting, instanteers! 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 instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you German wonder Thomas Böttcher…

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

I have got three SX-70s (all without autofocus), a Spectra, several 600 cameras, two Landcameras: 320 and 330, and one 4×5 Polaback for my Sinar F 2. My favorite camera however is my SX-70 because it allows more room for creative work. I especially appreciate the aspect of the selective focus and the vintage charm of these cameras.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Most people like instant photography because each photo is unique and can be looked at in a relatively short time. These are certainly also important aspects of instant photography for me, but I value even more the unique charm of the instant photography. It lives partly through its technical deficiency, its not being one hundred per cent perfect. A lot of photos today are defined exclusively through their technical perfection, so that the message of a picture often recedes into the background.

Photo by David Dalglish

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With the Olympics in full-swing, a few people have recently shot Olympics-inspired photos using Impossible film. We wanted to share some of the Gold-Medal winners with you!

Photos were taken by David Dalglish, Caleb Jenkins and Meredith Wilson with PX 70 film.

The Summer Games end next week and won’t be back for four years, so be sure to get your fill now. Keep the Olympic spirit alive!

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Allo, Guvna! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This entry turns the spotlight on our friend from across the pond, Ian Fleming…

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

I have rather too many. The SX-70 is my favourite. I have a SX-70 Sonar, a 645 CL and a Polaroid 1000 ‘red button’. For pack film, I have a lovely 180, a Big Swinger, a Square Shooter (which I have 3 packs of Viva for), plus my Big Shot, an underestimated camera.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The instant gratification. I think Dr Land new this; it’s highly addictive, having a real picture that has an ‘artistic’ feel to it. Oh, and it’s great fun.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

We used Polaroids all the time in the Film and TV business for ID, Pack Shots, reference shots, etc. But I always found all the film and camera types very confusing; I’m not sure it helped Polaroid in the long term.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

Well, I have shot a ton of PX 680 First Flush in my SX-70 and got great results, but now it has to be PX 70 COOL, closely followed by PX 70 Nigo edition. For B&W I love PX 600 Black Frame, I bought a load of the Poor Pod film from last year; it’s a really easy film to use.

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Hello, old friends. Welcome back to Viewfinder, our series chronicling interesting and exciting projects people are working on that incorporate Impossible film. This entry has a musical bent, with images of musicians and bands by Jeff Mather, founder of Indiana music venue Jurassic Park…

Jurassic Park was an idea I conceived early on in college at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. The music scene there for a long time was lacking of a small music space for bands to play, for both local and touring bands. When I wanted to see bands I liked, I found myself driving to Chicago or Bloomington, IN for shows, and I thought why not try to get those bands through West Lafayette? So I moved into a house with the full intent of turning the basement into a music space, and I built a stage, installed lights, bought a sound system, and started booking bands for every weekend.

In the beginning, most of the shows were either local bands or out-of-town bands with a local presence, but the buzz started early and Jurassic Park grew with each show. Every weekend, more people were showing up to the new and somewhat only music venue in town. As attendance was growing, so were the caliber of acts, including Reading Rainbow (Philly), coming off a tour with the Dodos, and Cast Spells (Dave Davison from Maps & Atlases).

Photo by Ashley Saldana

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Greetings, friends! Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 Impossible images that made a splash with us over the course of the week.

This week, we’re having a pool party! These cool, refreshing images come to us from Ashley Saldana, Jenny Jo Patton, Dan Meade, Abigail Thompson and Kim Oberski using the following film types: PX 680 Cool and PX 70 Cool.

Keep shooting, friends. And be sure to submit to the Impossible Sample 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 8 Exposures Land! It’s good to see you again! This week in our instant film Q&A series, we spoke with Balthazar Simões…

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

My favorite Polaroid cameras are my SX-70 (of course) and a Polaroid 350. I have a Spectra, too and a Polaroid Studio Express 484 that has 4 lenses and is quite fun.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Because it’s an experience of true magic. Because it’s an instant tangible artifact. Because each image is one-of-a-kind and can’t be reproduced.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

My Grandpa was always the one with the cameras when I was growing up. I can still remember the feeling of watching a polaroid develop when we went to visit my grandparents for Christmas. Most things become less magical as we grow older, but it persists with my experience of instant film. My Grandpa passed away two summers ago and I was recently given all of his cameras. Sadly, he no longer had his Polaroid cameras, but he had quite a few film cameras that I now cherish. One of the cameras still had some film in it, and I just had it developed last week. All the photos were of this vase of tulips.

Photo by Emilie Lefellic

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Hello again, Impossible fanatics. Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 tasty images that caught our eye over the course of the week.

This week’s images were taken by Emilie Lefellic, Vitalis Neufeld, Miguel Wan, Rommel Pecson and Ann Suckow McGarry…

…using the following film types: PX 70 Cool, PX 100 UV+ and PX 600 Black Frame

Keep shooting, friends! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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In the late 1970s, Polaroid began to manufacture plastic-bodied non-folding cameras for their SX-70 film, as an alternative to the more expensive folding SX-70s. Numerous iterations of these “OneSteps” appeared through the early 80s, with slight design variations and features. “The Button” is one of those iterations.

Like the other rigid plastic SX-70 OneStep models, The Button had a single-element plastic lens, fixed focus, electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash attachments. What makes The Button unique is its two-toned grey coloring and stylized “The Button” typeface.

The Button works with any of Impossible’s SX-70 films which can be purchased HERE

To see a user manual for SX-70 box-type cameras like The Button, click HERE and HERE

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Greetings, instamaniacs. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This entry brings you Michigan photographer and good Impossible friend Kim Oberski…

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

I primarily use a Polaroid SX-70 original but have recently added a modified Polaroid 110a with integral and pack film backs. Also on the camera shelf: Mamiya RB67 with integral film back, Polaroid rainbow onestep (which was my Grandmother’s), Polaroid 210 (what my mom used 40-some years ago), a Spectra, and a variety of Polaroid 600s.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love how instant film has taught me to let go of trying to make an image “perfect.” Sure a divot shows up, one of the chemical pods streaks, or the image is slightly out of focus; it doesn’t matter because those can be the very imperfections which make the image perfect.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I don’t have an exact memory of when I first remember instant film, it seems instant film/cameras have always been around me somehow. Growing up, every time I looked in the coat closet, I remember seeing…

Photo by Hannah Bryant

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Hello again, Impossible fanatics. Welcome back to Impossible’s Sunday Brunch, our weekly series in which we showcase 5 tasty images that caught our eye over the course of the week.

This week’s selections provide a burst of color to get your Sunday started right. Images were taken by Hannah Bryant, Jodie Hurt, Ralf-Jürgen Stilz, Drew Hoffman and Marion Lanciaux.

…using the following film types: PX 70 Cool, PX 70 12/11 batch and PX 680

Keep shooting, friends! Your Impossible moment may end up in a future edition of Sunday Brunch!

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As many consumers had difficulty focusing with their original SX-70s, Polaroid released an autofocus model of their folding SX-70 in 1978. The SX-70 Time Zero Auto-Focus utilized a new and very advanced sonar technology. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, a series of ultrasonic chirps is emitted from an electrostatic transducer located under a plate over the lens. These chirps travel to the subject and bounce back to the camera’s receiver, alerting the camera to the subject’s distance, and the lens is turned on a motor to focus accordingly.

The Polaroid SX-70 Time Zero Auto-Focus features a 4-element 116mm glass lens, manual or autofocus capabilities, with a minimum focal length of 10.4 inches, electronic shutter…

Photo by Nick Tonkin

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Happy Sunday, Impossibles! Welcome back to Sunday Brunch, where we share with you 5 tasty photos that caught our eye over the past week.

This week’s images come to you from Nick Tonkin, Azuree Wiitala, Rudy Ramos, Emanuela De Toffani and Kumiko Sekiguchi.

Photos were taken using the following film types: PX70 Cool, PX 70 Nigo, PX 680 Cool and PX 680 Gold Edition.

Get out there and snap away! We may spy one of YOUR Impossible gems and want to use it in a future Sunday Brunch!

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q&A series. This week, we bring you California-based Laura Alice Watt…

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

A: The workhorse is my trusty SLR 680, looking a bit worse for wear these days as it’s usually my travel Polaroid. It’s kept company by a tan SX-70 (such an elegant creation!), a Spectra and an Automatic 250, plus packfilm camera backs for the Hasselblad and, most recently, Crown Graphic. Plenty of fine cams to choose from!

Q2) Why do you like instant photography?

A: There’s of course the relatively-instant gratification (compared to regular film, not digital) of seeing them develop, and the sheer tangibility of a pola, that it’s both an image and an object; for me, the biggest allure is the way these cameras and films “see.” Light glows differently through instant film than through any other kind, there’s just nothing else like it—all those Pola-Droid apps are sad, sad imitations at best—real instant film provides a unique and characteristic view of the world, a way of seeing the subject that directly enhances and contributes to its beauty or intrigue. And I like that sense of interaction, not only between photographer and subject but also through the distinctive medium of the film—and of course the serendipity.

Q3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I’m perhaps a bit unusual among instant photographers, in that I don’t have any nostalgic memories of polaroids from the past; both of...Read All

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Hello again, 8 Exposures fans. This week, we are happy to bring you Canadian photographer Pierre Manning…

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

SX-70

2) Why do you like instant photography?

The suprise , the tones , the richness of colors.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

I remember my mother gave me my first Polaroid and it was a revelation for me to see my images developing in front of my eyes.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

PX-70. I also liked Polaroid’s Fade To Black that Impossible sold.

5) What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

Photo by Melanie Rodriguez

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We are happy to announce the Grand Prize Winner, 1st Runner-Up and 2nd Runner-Up for the HOLDEN X IMPOSSIBLE Timeless In An Instant photo contest!

Final winners were selected by the team at Holden Outerwear

And the winners are…

Photo by Hannes Caspar

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

This week, we’re delivering extra flavor, with 9 scrumptious Impossible images, from Hannes Caspar, Amanda Raney, Barbara Stellmach, Chris Stapledon, Ben Lormore, Dan O’Connor, Claudia Toloni, Timothy Logan and Jessica Reinhardt

All images were taken with the following film types: PX 70 12/11 film, PX 680 Gold Frame film, PX 70 NIGO film and PX 600 Black Frame film

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Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we turn our lens on Texas teacher and photographer Tyler Tyndell…

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

The truth is that by the time this interview runs, it will have changed. Realizing the potential for all Polaroid camera models to be useful, I acquire them readily. Of course, my SX-70 is with me at all times as well as two 250 Land Cameras. Being as it is, when my SX-70 needs troubleshooting, my father-in-law is kind enough to lend me one of his. Other cameras that are usually with me are an SX-70 Pronto and a Polaroid Spectra.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

Can I give a dissertation? In all seriousness, instant photography breathes creativity. For me it provides an avenue for creativity that I would have never been exposed to otherwise. I believe the addictive quality induced from instant photography is best explained by truly understanding the magnitude of what happens the moment you press the shutter. It could be everything or nothing that you imagined. The 35-year-old camera could false shoot and you may end up transferring the pack to another camera, just to harvest the image.

Photo by Sara Robinson

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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.

Now that the weather is improving we’ll enjoy this brunch on a picnic table. We’re loving all the great outdoor shots people are taking!

This week’s photos were taken by Sara Robinson, Emily Hunt, Cristina Corduneanu, Inger Margrete and win†erwald using the following film types: PX 70 12/11 film, PX 680 Cool and PZ 680

Photo by Worth Goddard

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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.

On the menu today, photos taken by Worth Goddard, Santi Navarro Benavente, Scott Southall, Matt Widmann and Mark von Minden.

The photos were taken with following film types: PX 70 12/11 and PX 70 Nigo

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This past weekend, the Impossible US team traveled to Massachusetts, the birthplace of Polaroid, for the premiere of Grant Hamilton’s documentary Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid Film.

The film debuted as part of the Independent Film Festival Boston at the famous Somerville Theatre. On hand were Mr. Grant Hamilton himself and some of the cast and crew, including Tod Brilliant, Sean Tubridy, Dan Weissman, Jackie Neal Chadwick, our own Dave Bias and Polaroid legend Paul Giambarba.

Please enjoy these photos, taken with PX 70 film, PX 600 Cool film and Instagram.

To watch the trailer for Time Zero, click HERE

As many consumers had difficulty focusing with their original SX-70s, Polaroid released an autofocus model of their folding SX-70 in 1978. The SX-70 Sonar OneStep utilized a new and very advanced sonar technology. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, a series of ultrasonic chirps is emitted from an electrostatic transducer located under a plate over the lens. These chirps travel to the subject and bounce back to the camera’s receiver, alerting the camera to the subject’s distance, and the lens is turned on a motor to focus accordingly.

The Polaroid SX-70 Sonar OneStep features a 4-element 116mm glass lens, manual or autofocus capabilities, with a minimum focal length of 10.4 inches, electronic shutter, programmed automatic exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flashes. Another nice feature is a socket for an electrically-actuated remote shutter release.

(More after the jump!)

Photo by Andrew Millar

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Cycle 3 of the Holden x Impossible Timeless In An Instant photo contest has ended.

The winners of round three were chosen by American photographer Brandon Long. A man of few words, Brandon visually communicates his manifesto through his unending work exclusively on instant film: The Only Magic Left is Art and Nothing on Earth Can Hold it as Prisoner.

And the winner is…

Much like Polaroid’s “The Button”, the OneStep SE is identical in features to the original non-folding SX-70 “Rainbow” OneStep. The only difference is the color scheme. Instead of a white body, the OneStep SE is a shiny black, and the shutter release button is sky blue.

The OneStep SE’s rigid plastic body and fixed focus single element 103mm f/14.6 plastic lens made it a more affordable option than the folding SX-70 models.

The OneStep SE features an electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units.

The OneStep SE works with any of the Impossible Project SX-70 films, including PX 70 Color Shade film and PX 100 Silver Shade UV+ film

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Hi there. Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film Q & A series! This week, we bring to you Parisian photog Emilie Lefellic…

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

Mainly my 180 and my SX70 model 2, which are my two favorite cameras.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

What I love about instant photography is its completely unpredictable character, the whimsical suprises it creates whenever you click the button. I also love the fact that development takes place before your eyes and you can even influence it once you know the film. As the awesome 101 Impossible Ways Project shows, instant photography leaves infinite room for experimentation and creativity – before, while and after the picture is taken : you can decide to double-expose, use special filters, put your picture in the fridge, in the oven, write, draw, paint, stick stuff on it, create artifacts with it – I actually feel a bit like a craftswoman when I fiddle with my pictures, which is a great source of joy. But what I love above all in instant photography is the instant film itself : its colour, depth, painterly texture, its retro feel – it alters reality in a way that is surreal, dreamy and poetical to me. Somehow, it’s perfect in its many imperfections.

(More after the jump!)

Welcome back, instant friends. This very special entry in the Viewfinder series chronicles one man’s epic journey through the music video production process. Our favorite Actor/Musician/Photog Adam Goldberg created a beautiful music video for Agnes Obel’s song, “Brother Sparrow” using only film. Here are his words:

“I was approached in late summer ’11 to submit a proposal for singer/songwriter Agnes Obel’s video. We shared the same record label (though her Platinum selling album eeks out slightly more revenue than my concurrently released Copper seller). Up until this point the only music videos I had directed were for my own songs. In fact I had wanted to do something like this—a video comprised solely or primarily of still photos—for my (Goldberg Sisters) “Skin of the Patriot” but once I heard Agnes’ song I was moved to throw my own music under the bus. Plus frankly I knew more people would see hers (or at least that’s what I thought at the time*).

After some back and forth with Agnes via the label she eventually chose my proposal—which was in essence to shoot the video entirely with instant films and a 16mm epilogue. I used Chris Marker’s film Le Jette, a film school favorite, as reference. It would be rather simple—an impressionistic piece featuring Agnes playing her protagonist wistfully biding her time by windows in her (our Brooklyn) apartment. There would be an underlying unease that would counterbalance the ostensible whimsy. By the time I was given the go-ahead,...Read All

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Hello, friends. Welcome back to Viewfinder, our blog feature that focuses on interesting projects people are working on using Impossible Project film. This week’s entry exhibits what you can accomplish when you embrace camera and film flaws and work with them to produce something new and unexpected. Please enjoy William Miller’s “Ruined Polaroids”…

“These pictures are taken with a camera that is, by most definitions, broken: an old Polaroid SX-70 camera that I rescued from a yard sale last year. I’ve always loved this camera. It is an ingeniously conceived, complicated bundle of gears and switches with dozens of moving parts packed in tight like a chrome and leather pistol.

With its first use I realized the camera wasn’t functioning properly. It sometimes spills out 2 pictures at a time and the film often gets stuck in the gears, exposing and mangling them in unpredictable ways. The image as it is exposed within the camera becomes pulled and stressed by these violent mechanisms, often to abstraction. Before long I was participating in its process, collaborating with it. I’ve figured out how to control and accentuate aspects of the camera’s flaws but the images themselves are always a surprise. Each one is determined by the idiosyncrasies of the film and the camera.

The Polaroid SX-70 Original camera is the holy grail of instant cameras, and in some respects, cameras in general. It was first introduced in 1972 after years of development and research, and was the very first camera designed for use with integral format film.

The SX-70 Original is a single-lens reflex camera, with chrome-plated plastic body and genuine tan leather accents. It collapses flat when shut, allowing for easy portability. The earliest SX-70 models do not have a focus scale, instead bearing only the notches surrounding the lens, as seen in the above photo. They also had a plain ground glass focusing screen with no split-image rangefinder as was common in later models.

The SX-70 sports a 4-element 116mm f/8 glass lens, electronic shutter and programmed automatic exposure, a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units and a port for a remote shutter release. One of the best things about the SX-70 is…

(More after the jump!)

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Just last night, we celebrated the opening reception of MOMENTUM at The Impossible Project NYC Space. To commemorate the event, we’re excited to begin a new series to the Impossible Blog, Artist in Residence! Every so often, we’ll feature an artist currently showcased in an exhibition in the NYC Space, delving deeper into their interpretation of the theme of the show and how they went about making the images included. This installment features the dreamy filter techniques of Clay Lipsky, who was kind enough to explain his techniques and experiences with the new PX70 Color Shade:

“When the Impossible Project invited me to shoot my interpretation of  “Momentum” I thought of a place full of life & movement…the beach. Having spent most of my life in Florida and California, beach culture is very close to my heart. I was inspired to capture the sunny spirit and frenetic energy set amongst the iconic palm trees and sea gulls. Additionally I wanted to do it in a style reminiscent of the classic poster art from “The Endless Summer.” The latest incarnation of Impossible’s PX 70 Color Shade was very stable and provided consistent exposures, so I decided to push it by utilizing colored filters to tint my exposures and make my images as graphic as possible…”

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Hello, Impossibles! We’re happy to bring you another entry in our ever-popular question and answer series, 8 Exposures. In this episode, the man of the hour is George Weiss III, a photographer based in Philadelphia, specializing in weddings and portraits, with a love for analog photography…

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

A: I have a bunch, I’m a bit of a hoarder, er, I mean collector, but I primarily use a couple SX-70 Sonars, an SLR 680, and I have a 250 for packfilm.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Hmph, where do I start? I think the biggest reason is the fact that it has a life and a soul that can’t be found in any other medium. I love the feeling of anticipation I get when I’ve taken a photo and I’m waiting for it to develop or to peel it. It’s magic.

3) Q: What is your earliest memory of instant film?

A: I have a lot of pictures of myself as a child (probably in the 3-year-old range) that were taken by my grandfather but I don’t actually remember them being taken. When I was a young child in the 80’s, Polaroid photos were so ubiquitous it was hard to avoid them.

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Greetings, Viewfinder fans. We are proud to present you with a shiny new entry, this week featuring San Francisco photog Danny Sanchez…

“Hello instant film friends! My name is Danny Sanchez and I am an instant film photographer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Like many who grew up in the 1980s, I have fond memories of my parents pulling out the family Polaroid Sun 600 to capture important moments from my childhood. I never expected those happy moments would later resurface and ignite a passion for instant film in my adult years.

In the process of getting to know the new instant films by the Impossible Project, I have photographed many subjects from toys to botanicals, and experimented with multiple exposures. My latest direction has taken me into the night. While experimenting with night photography, it reminded me of one of my favorite college assignments, “the color of night.” This assignment opened my eyes to the magic of night photography, by seeing the effects of mixing available light, and exposing the mysteries in the shadows with long exposures. The question I asked myself, “what would happen if I brought the magic of instant film and night photography together?”

The Polaroid Presto! camera was first introduced in 1978, a slight variation on the non-folding SX-70 One Step camera. Its rigid plastic body and fixed focus single element 103mm f/14.6 plastic lens made it a more affordable option than the folding SX-70 models.

The Presto! has a tan and black body with the trademark Polaroid rainbow stripe, an electronic shutter, programmed auto exposure and a socket for flashbars or electronic flash units.

The Presto! works with any of the Impossible Project SX-70 films, including PX 70 Color Shade film and PX 100 Silver Shade UV+ film

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Hi there, friends! Welcome back to 8 Exposures, our instant film question & answer series. This week, we spoke with Phoenix, AZ-based Sean Rohde…

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

A: Loaded Question! I mostly use my 190 and 195, but I also have a 180, Fuji Fotorama FP-1, Mamiya Universal, Crown Graphic with Polaroid and Fuji backs, SX-70 Model 2 (white), SX-70 Alpha 1 Model 2 (black and modified for 600), Colorpack III, Big Swinger 3000, and some other stuff, plus things I have owned and sold in the past, like a Konica Instant Press and modified roll film cameras, as well as various plastic hard case and folder cameras. I would love to have a 185 to complete my collection, but they seemed to have gone up in value in the past two years to some ridiculous prices. I have to use my cameras, not just look at them on a shelf.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

??A: Well, certainly the fact that it is instant is a draw. Though sometimes I don’t peel my 100 and 80 for six hours so I guess they aren’t always so instant. There is just a certain quality that instant films have that film doesn’t have. Color shifts, textures…it all kind of gives photos a vintage quality that I like.

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The “Impossible Project NYC Space” : http://shop.the-impossible-project.com/stores/spaces/ny’s Advent Deals continues this week! Last chance to stock up on gift deals! Here are the details…

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Hello, Impossibles! Welcome back to 8 Exposures. This week, we turned the spotlight on Long Beach, CA-based photographer Bradley Johnson:

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

A: I use them all!…or at least, as many as I can get my hands on! Each camera has its own charm, but there are a few that I prefer more than others. I think that the SX-70 is the quintessential Polaroid camera. It does everything you would want a camera to do, and it uses instant film! My runner up would be the Propack. I know that many of my photographer friends will make fun of me for this, but it produces nice photos, and is relatively compact. I use the close-up, and portrait lens attachments (meant for the Polaroid 250, 360, 450 land cameras) to make it even more versatile. Also, it never has the jamming problem associated with Fuji pack film.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: First and foremost is the instant feedback. However, with the advent of digital, that isn’t such a novelty anymore. I suppose the real reason I love instant film so much is the fact that each photo is an original work of art. There is no negative. The print you hold in your hand is one of a kind. There will never be another. Sure, you could scan and print a copy, but it will never be the same.

(More after the jump!)

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As many of you purchased PX 70 Push film as part of our Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, we thought it was the right time to remind everyone of the tips and techniques necessary to get the most out of your Push images.

Push film was our 2nd incarnation of color film for SX-70 cameras. It’s not a true-color film, but instead tends to yield pinkish, bluish and purplish tones.

Push film is slower than the standard 100-speed film that SX-70 cameras were designed for, so Push film needs A LOT OF LIGHT! We don’t recommend shooting Push indoors. Take it outside on a bright, sunny day. In addition to that, turn the exposure wheel/knob all the way to brighten (white) to allow in the maximum amount of light.

Also, heat is Push’s best friend. During development, tuck your Push photos under your arm or put them in a warm pocket. This will bring out better tones and colors…

(More after the jump!)

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our newest feature highlighting interesting people and the Impossible projects they are working on. This week, we trained our lens on Nate Matos…

“I’m 24, living in (the dream of the 90s) Portland, Oregon. About a year ago I had decided I wanted to do a 365 project. It was something I had always been aware of but never found the gumption to do. I have a bad habit of starting projects and not completing them. I wasn’t sure how it would help me to complete it either if it was a series of snapshots I popped off with a digital camera either.

Lucky for me about 6 months prior to this I had made my first order from Impossible for a few packs of PX 70 First Flush and some PX 600 First Flush and instantly (pardon the pun) fell in love with the process. I was still very new to instant photography, other than the occasional photo with the family Polaroid, or the very few samples I still have from my iZone, which happened to be the first camera I ever purchased for myself. Since then however, I have amassed a small army of instant cameras. But I always seem to turn to the first SX-70 I purchased years ago.

So I saw starting a year long journey with Impossible film as a great commitment to both myself and the brand. I started out by planning very carefully things I could shoot in case I ran out of ideas.

(More after the jump!)

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Welcome to another thrilling episode of 8 Exposures, our new interview series highlighting interesting people using Impossible film. This week we talked with Oregon-based instant film magicians His & Hers (Dave Tuttle and Whitney Johnson)…

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

Hers: Between the two of us, we have a lot of cameras. We actually have an entire closet devoted to cameras, accessories and film.

His: The cameras are in various working conditions, of course. I think we probably have only 30-40 total. There are more than a few that could probably stand to be donated for parts.

Hers: Ha! Only 30 or 40.

His: Yeah, it is a bit ridiculous considering we really only use the same ones over and over again.

Hers: I love my SLR 680. It has a tiny hole in the bellows that I have to tape every few months, a burn mark on the sonar from where I attempted to dislodge a piece of stuck straw with a lighter (note to others: this is not a good idea) and the entire top cover melted off on a Caribbean cruise (seriously), but it still works like a champ. It is the best $75 I’ve ever spent.

(More after the jump!)

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Welcome to a new feature on the Impossible Blog: 8 Exposures. We’ll be asking artists and photographers 8 questions revolving around photography, especially instant photography. Also included will be 8 Impossible images submitted by the featured artist.

Our inaugural edition of 8 Exposures focuses on Charlie Wagers, an Ohio-based graphic designer, art director and illustrator, and a founding member of Three Bears Design.

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

A: I have a vintage folding SX-70 that I prefer to use, in addition to a bunch of old thrifted 600 cameras. I like the SX-70 because I can use 600 films in it, with a filter. And it folds up nicely, which makes it easy to carry around with me.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I always prefer analogue photography to digital. I most commonly photograph with 120 films in my Holga, so using instant cameras is a treat to see the photos within minutes. I especially appreciate the colors and new effects that come with using Impossible’s film types.

(More after the jump!)

Hello, friends! In our tests, we’ve found that the newest batch of our PX 70 Color Shade film is even faster than its predecessor. You can use it in your SX-70 camera with the exposure wheel dialed all the way to darken, but you may also need to use an ND Filter and play with the exposure controls, depending on the light in which you’re shooting.

The increased light sensitivity of New PX 70 means that you can use it in your 600 camera with little or no adjustment to the exposure dial. This is exciting because it means that this vibrant new material can be used by everyone.

New PX 70 is a shining example of the progress our factory team in Holland is making, and it is a promising sign for the future of Impossible.

To purchase the new PX 70 Color Shade film, CLICK HERE

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Our favorite actor Adam Goldberg is a man of many talents. Not only is he skilled in front of the camera, he is also adept at taking moving, beautiful photographs that tell a story all their own. On the set of his recent AMC web series, The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks, Adam captured portraits of fellow actors using Polaroid Type 100 Chocolate film, Impossible PX 600 UV+ and our much-loved PX70 Push film. For more of Adam’s behind-the-scenes images, visit the AMC Blog.

Thanks to our great pals at Gorilla vs Bear, Flavorpill’s Flavorwire recently featured an image shot with PX 70 PUSH! in their slideshow “Strange and Brilliant Polaroids of Famous People.”

We cannot argue – the 21 images are indeed strangely brilliant and form almost a history of instant film since the 1960’s. Gorilla vs. Bear’s PUSH! shot of The Walkmen is included with the likes of Johnny Depp ironing toast, Andy Warhol with a skull on his skull and James Marsden looking like he just woke from a week-long bender.

Check it out!

Our new PX70 PUSH! film needs a LOT of light to soak in all those wonderful colors you want to capture. Recently, the Impossible team has been testing PUSH! with flash bars and the colors are looking brilliant.

More after the jump…