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

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

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

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

After some requests, and many general inquiries, we have created a comprehensive online troubleshooting guide for your box-type and Spectra cameras. Simply bookmark the link, and you can always access the guide from anywhere you have an internet connection.

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

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

So with that said, here is the Box Camera/Spectra Troubleshooting Guide. Please feel free to submit questions and feedback on things that may be added or clarified.

As always, Keep your rollers clean,

-f

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

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

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

2) Why do you like instant photography?

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

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

1) What kind of Polaroid Camera do you use?

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

2) Why do you like instant photography?

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

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

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

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

2) Why do you like instant photography?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2) Why do you like instant photography?

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

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

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

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

2) Why do you like instant photography?

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

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

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

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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.

It’s time for another edition of Dr. Love’s Tips, in which Impossible USA’s Camera Resource Manager Frank Love provides you with advice on how to get the best out of your camera and Impossible film. This week’s entry will hopefully offer some answers to the oft-asked questions about pack film, 4×5 film and roll film…

We have gotten many requests, questions, and pleas about creating more than just the amazing formats of SX-70, Spectra, and 600 film since the initial announcement of The Impossible Project. These requests have especially been renewed recently with the unveiling of our new 8×10 film.

I just want to take a moment to explain how it is we have come to be manufacturing the films we do, and why we aren’t making other formats.

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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.

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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.

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Hello, friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures, our popular instant film Q&A series. This week, we’re happy to bring you a Midwest girl, Kelly Knaga…

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

I’ve collected a number of cameras mostly through garage sales, Goodwill stores and eBay, but I tend to use the same 4 over and over: my SX-70, my refurbished 340 Land Camera, a Spectra I got from a retired cop and my very first 600 that my grandmother gave me one summer when I was about 10.

2) Why do you like instant photography?

I love the moment just before, the one where I hold my breath, waiting for the film to develop. I love the imperfections and inconsistencies of instant film, which seems relevant to the constant fluctuations and vulnerabilities that occur in life. Experimental films, expired films, a scratched camera lens or vintage, barely working, taped together cameras all invite moments of exploration of space, color, time or the material composition of the film itself.

3) What is your earliest memory of instant film?

Someone taking a picture of my grandfather holding me on his lap while he is sitting on his tractor. I still have the photo.

4) What’s your favorite Impossible film type?

I love experimenting with them all. I think my favorite right now are the Spectra Cool films. My sincerest thanks to Impossible for helping keep instant film alive.

5) What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

I have always been drawn to natural landscapes and...Read All

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After some testing here at Impossible, we’ve come to realize our latest version of the new PZ 680 COOL film has some unique properties that we thought we should address. Here’s Dr. Love…

Some of the conventional wisdom that has come to be associated with how to work with our films, may actually lead to making your images look worse instead of better. Some things we want to point out are…

1. The film is NOT fast, as we originally reported. It actually tests a little slow. It is however VERY sensitive in opacification failure, EVEN with the use of a Frog Tongue. Be very careful to shield completely!
2. If you have tried adjustments to counteract blown highlights and crushed blacks (little latitude and range), there are some things that you might be doing that actually compound the problem.

The Polaroid 1200si camera was first released in 2000, with an updated rounded body, as opposed to the square body of the earlier Spectra System cameras. Additionally, it differs from earlier Spectra models in that the film counter counts upward rather than downward and it was designed for compatibility with the foreign-market 12-exposure “1200” film pack.

The Polaroid 1200si features a 3-element 125mm “Quintic” plastic lens, electronic shutter, programmed automatic exposure automatic focus using Polaroid’s Sonar AF system, focus distance indicator in viewfinder which can be set for feet or meters, built-in electronic flash, a built-in self timer and a socket for electronic remote control. The Polaroid 1200si is silver in color, with navy blue trim.

The Polaroid 1200si works with all of Impossible’s PZ films. For a complete selection of compatible films, please click HERE

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Last weekend we were lucky enough to host TWO special events with Italian maestro and analog instant master photographer Maurzio Galimberti at the NYC Space.

During his visit to New York, Maurizio shared his experiences and thoughts on the instant analog medium and on his transition from Polaroid to Impossible films. Some lucky guests were selected as subjects for some of his unique instant mosaic work, and the Impossible team was there to capture a video of the action.

To send him off in style, The NYC Space will host one final event with Maurizio, a farewell pizza party and documentary screening!

Come by The Impossible Project NYC Space on Tuesday the 22nd of May for a one time screening of a wonderful documentary on the photographic life of Maurizio Galimberti. If you missed the chance to meet him earlier this month, now’s your chance to eat pizza and drink some beers with Maurizio himself at this informal event.

MAURIZIO GALIMBERTI DOCUMENTARY & PIZZA PARTY!

WHEN: TUESDAY, MAY 22ND, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WHERE: Impossible Project NYC Space, 425 Broadway, 5th Floor Between Howard & Canal Street
FREE and open to the public!

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We are proud to present the last film of our Spring 2012 Cool Edition Film Line – a new color film that works with your beloved Spectra, Image & 1200 cameras. Enjoy extra wide shots with soft and dreamy color tones, imbuing your cinematic instant images with a modern spin on vintage color characteristics.

In order to bring out the coolest colors ever you’ll have to understand this film and in which situations it will create the greatest colors:
> For best results on bright days, turn your L/D switch to DARKEN
> This film performs best in diffuse light and loves overcast days
> The film does not respond very well to flash (images will be muddy)
> Make sure you shield this film well
> Keep the photos warm for the first few minutes of development

Get the film in our Online Shop

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Welcome back to Viewfinder, our series focusing on interesting projects and uses of Impossible film. This entry brings you Paul Reitano, who recently shot at the Reason Rally in Washington, D.C….

“Hey Polaroid nerds! I’m a wedding/portrait/event/whatever photographer that has begun incorporating polaroid and other film cameras into my work. I have gone through a steep learning curve with Impossible Project film, and finally, after much experimentation, arrived at the point where I can incorporate the film into a session and know I’m going to get unique and consistent results. I love the simplicity and elegance of the images that are created with my Spectra camera and Silver Shade film.

In this world gone mad with the exponential growth of digital technology (see Moore’s Law), I have found shooting on an instant camera and Impossible film to be a sacred act that serves as an antidote to needless complexity.

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Hello from Impossible! Dr. Love is back with another informative post in which he revisits the importance of shielding your images…

“Some people have asked some follow up questions to our Opacification post, and as the days are getting longer, we wanted to help stress the use of Impossible Films on those bright sunny summer days.

To simply summarize the main point from the opacification post, Impossible films are still sensitive to light in the first moments out of the camera. This is because the protective layer within the film that is there to protect the film can’t yet block out enough light in many situations that it needs an outside aide.

UPDATE – WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED! We apologize for any inconvenience.

Spring into the Magic of Spectra!

Continuing our Impossible Workshop series, we are pleased to announce the return of a classic workshop on one of our favorite cameras, the Spectra. The Impossible Project will hold a three hour interactive workshop on maximizing Impossible film in the Polaroid Spectra Camera.

In the workshop, participants will be guided through the ins and outs of the Polaroid Spectra series camera with a knowledgeable Impossible expert staffer. Workshop participants will learn introductory and intermediate techniques to master their Spectra camera including exposure, functionality, and accessories. The workshop will include an in depth overview of shooting Impossible Project film including light shielding and temperature control.

Polaroid released the Spectra System in the early 1980s. It functioned similarly to Polaroid’s 600 cameras but utilized a new wide-format film. Spectra cameras also offered additional features such as a self-timer and a socket for electronic remote shutter control.

Spectras sport a 125mm 3-element “Quintic” lens, programmed auto exposure, sonar auto focus, focus distance indicator in viewfinder and a built-in electronic flash. Spectra film initially came with 10 shots per pack, but this was increased to 12 in some markets. Spectra film was also known as 1200 or Image film outside of North America.

Spectra cameras are compatible with any of Impossible’s PZ series films, including PZ 680 Color Shade film and PZ 600 Silver Shade Black Frame film

(More after the jump!)

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Hello, fellow shooters, and welcome back to Viewfinder! This week, we train our lens on west coast student, computer tech specialist and photographer Erin McGuire…

“I live on the western edge of the Mojave desert in the Palmdale/Lancaster part of Los Angeles county. It’s a diverse community with some areas being very well off financially and others that are literally living in the dirt. The area gets used by Hollywood quite often so there is a rich movie history here as well. The landscape is as diverse as the community because we are situated where the desert meets the mountains. There are oak trees mixed with Joshua trees, bobcats mixed with mountain lions and Mojave rattlers mixed with western diamond backs. The strange beauty of this place inspires me to shoot on a daily basis but it was Impossible Project film that got me moving in a fine art direction.

I have a deep, emotional connection with the land that I formed as a young child when we’d go camping in this area. Impossible Project film with its mysterious artifacts and its sensitivity to light creates images that, for me, embody the spiritual connection I have with the land. I’ve used PX 100 Silver Shade, PX 70 Color Shade, PX 600 Silver Shade, and PZ 600 Silver Shade. Impossible film is my film of choice for photographing this land and its inhabitants. I also love to shoot the Paul Giambarba Polaroid Chocolate film, which I also got from The Impossible Project, for the same reasons.

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Hello, friends! We hereby present you with another entry in our instant film Q & A series, 8 Exposures. This week, we profiled California photographer Kristen Perman…

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

A: My favorite camera is my SLR 680. I actually have two of them, both in a delicate state from being dropped. I also love my Spectra camera, gifted to me by a good friend, who found it by her apartment dumpster in Philly. It’s clear, so you can see all the inner workings and it has proven to be a great conversation starter.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Instant photography taught me how to frame a photo and of course, to slow down. I’ve learned that the first shot is always the best, even if that first shot is not the best or your favorite.

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

A: We always had a Polaroid camera around. There are random family photos throughout my childhood proving its existence even though I don’t remember it much.

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Hello again from 8 Exposures! This week, we’re highlighting Maryland Event Planner and photo genius Jessica Hibbard Elenstar!

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

A: My collection is always expanding, but my favorites are SX-70s, Spectra ProCams, and Super Shooters. I always have at least two of each in case one breaks, and multiple cameras also come in handy for shooting different film types at the same time.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I’m drawn to the beauty of vintage cameras, the warmth of film, and the uniquely imperfect nature of each image. Even “bad” polaroids are good, and a nice reminder for a control freak like myself to be open to surprises.

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

A: My grandmother’s Spectra camera. I still remember her opening the crinkly silver package of film. She insisted on taking a picture of the entire family at the dinner table when we were all together, so there are many vintage shots of me as a kid with food in my mouth.

(More after the jump!)

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Hello, Impossibles! We’re back with another warm and fuzzy entry in our 8 Exposures series. This week, we highlighted NY-based Graphic and Web Designer Dan Meade…

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

A: All of them! No, really…I have this thing where I have to try everything. I probably have at least one of every style and format of Polaroid camera, from Spectra and peel-apart cameras to 500 and even I-Zone!

I really enjoy my SLR cameras (several SX-70s and an SLR680) most, but I’ve also built a few home-made cameras including instant pinhole cameras and a custom rubber-coated “Holga-roid.” I also just got a Crown Graphic, which is just fascinating when used with instant film.

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: I was initially drawn to instant photography for the nostalgia.

However, I quickly became hooked on the “instant gratification” and the unpredictable nature of instant photos.

(More after the jump!)

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This past Sunday, The Impossible Project celebrated the meticulous art of the Instant Photogram with Patrick Winfield ! Although mastering Patrick’s techniques proved to be quite challenging, workshop attendees worked diligently in the pitch dark to craft wonderfully surprising photograms of their favorite objects. After giving an inspiring history of the photogram, Patrick took the class through a series of integral steps in making photograms possible. Using jewelry, toys, cassette tapes, colored filters and many other assorted items, attendees took turns in a blacked-out NYC Space with only a pack of opened film, a flashlight and their newly acquired skills.

As you can see from our blog’s gallery, the results were fantastic! Thank you to all who participated and to Patrick Winfield of course! We hope he returns very soon to lead another workshop filled with more secret techniques.

Feel free to sign up for our weekly newsletter to always stay up to date on everything Impossible. Call 212-219-3254 or email nycspace@the-impossible-project.com for more info.

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That’s right, we now have Macro 5 cameras back in stock in the US Online Shop.

The highly professional Polaroid Macro 5 Camera was developed for extreme close up shots. It features 5 built-in, switchable lenses to simply melt distances for incredible reproductions at 20%, 40%, 100%, 200% and 300%. The Macro 5 is specifically for use with Spectra/Image/PZ film!

You don’t need to be a dentist or ophthalmologist to use this camera. Pick one up today to have some close-up fun!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

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

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

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

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

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

(More after the jump!)

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The title of “Impossible King of Las Vegas” belongs to Nick Leonard. His shots of the strip are stunning and beautifully capture the city’s long history. As Nick has been compiling photos of hotels and motels all over the Southwest for some time now, we thought he’d make for a great Viewfinder feature:

“I live in Las Vegas, NV and I am 18 years old (19 in Jan.). I began taking photographs in 2006 with a little point & shoot and progressed to a Nikon D40 that my mom bought me for Christmas. Soon after acquiring the Nikon, I found myself shooting lots of concerts for a local rock magazine. In my downtime, I also explored around town and shot whatever caught my interest.

One day while browsing through Flickr, I ran across many Polaroid-related groups and discussions with people stressing over Polaroid closing their film division. It’s unfortunate that such negative news spiked my interest in instant photography! After acquiring my first Sun 600 (another x-mas gift), I was hooked. The Polaroid bug bit me hard and I have a crazy range of instant cameras varying from many integral film cameras to pack film cameras. Finding the Impossible Project on the web and the variety of film they offer truly fanned the flames, not only for me but also my beloved Polaroid cameras, and I really appreciate their loyalty in keeping instant film alive.

(More after the jump!)

By popular demand, The Impossible Project is pleased to announce the return of The Spectra Workshop at the New York Space.
On Sunday, December 11th, the Impossible NYC space will hold a three-hour interactive tutorial on getting the best out of the Polaroid Spectra camera and the Impossible film range.

This workshop is designed to explore the Spectra camera’s full potential and versatility, including an outline of all the camera’s unique accessories and attachments. We will cover in detail all that The Impossible Project film has to offer, including shielding techniques, temperature control and identifying and managing each film type’s unique characteristics.

Workshop participants will then have the opportunity to explore all the photogenic wonders of SOHO, Little Italy and Chinatown with two of Impossible’s experienced staff photographers and then re-convene back at the space to discuss images, ask questions and talk about image preservation techniques.

More after the jump…

On Saturday, December 3rd, from 5pm-6:30pm, artist Patrick Winfield will appear in person at The Impossible Project Space NYC to present a brief slideshow history of The Photogram. Then, using Impossible instant film material, he will demonstrate his own distinctive techniques to create photograms similar to the ones pictured here.

Attendees will be supplied with one pack of Impossible color film, a Polaroid 600 camera, flashlights, transparencies and colored gels. You’re welcome to bring your own photogram objects also! Each participant will get 10% off any store purchase the night of the class.

Don’t miss this very rare opportunity to be involved in an exclusive interactive class by one of the world’s leading instant artists!

More after the jump…

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Hello friends, and welcome back to 8 Exposures! This week, we spoke with German photographic wizard Oliver Zelinski…

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

A: There is a Barilla pinhole and some old plate cameras with Polaroid backs, a Macro 3, a couple of 636s, an EE100, an Image Spectra, two SX-70 Alpha, a 340, two EE44 and something in the cellar

2) Q: Why do you like instant photography?

A: Because of its own limitation and in connection the results + the smell on x-posed in polanoid.

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

A: I remember my mum dissing grandpa’s Sun 660 and those unstable pictures with the boring frame.

4) Q: What’s your favorite Impossible Film type?

A: PX 100 FF and PX 680 beta.

5) Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

A: Mr Giulio Stucchi but generally I am trying not to see the subjects as such but let them speak out. Then you can listen, looking at the picture…

(More after the jump!)

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That’s right! We now have the popular Spectra Spectacular Camera Kits back in stock in the US Online Shop. Each kit comes with a refurbished Spectra camera, 1 pack of PZ 680 Color Shade film and 1 pack of PZ 600 Silver Shade UV+ film.

First introduced in 1986, Spectra cameras offer a wider frame, so you can include more friends, puppies, motorcycles, or whatever you like to photograph in each frame. Spectra cameras also feature sonar autofocus, so you can get the sharpest image possible.

People have been going wild for PZ 680’s unique tonal range and colors. Get a kit for yourself and see what everyone is talking about!

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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!)

Friend of Impossible and extremely talented photographer Jessica Hibbard Elenstar is currently showing some of her most beautiful Impossible Project PZ 600 UV+, PZ 680 and Polaroid Softtone images as part of The Spectra Show, her first solo exhibit.

Says Jessica, “In the age of digital everything, many people ask why I choose to shoot film. I could go on forever, but I’ll try to answer briefly: I’m drawn to the beauty of vintage cameras, the warmth of film, and the uniquely imperfect nature of each image.”

“The Spectra Show” will be on display at the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce through October 28th, 2011.

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As we mentioned earlier this week, our friend Shawn Brackbill chronicled Fashion Week 2011 with his Spectra camera and Impossible PZ 600 UV+ Black Frame film.

Shawn captured so many great moments that we felt that one post just wasn’t enough. He provided us with these out-takes from his time at Fashion Week, which include portraits of famous designers , photographers and other personalities like Tommy Hilfiger, Lea Michele, Thom Browne, Elisha Cuthbert and Bill Cunningham

Instant film and fashion go hand in hand, and Shawn’s images exemplify just that.

Brian Henry

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The results are in and the results are scary. We’ve been overwhelmed with your spooky double exposures in our halloween challenge

Congrats to our winners. Not only to they get endless fame and fortune, each of them will receive packs of PZ600 so they can keep the double exposures coming.
1st Place : Brian Henry
2nd Place: Jena Ardell
3rd Place: Cass Cameron

Honorable Mention:
Johnniemay
Violet Allen
Ludwig West

Just because the contest is over doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Check out our challenge photo gallery and get inspired to create your own impossible double exposures. Scroll down and check out our tutorial to learn how to do easy double exposures on your spectra camera.