Polaroid

Instant Experiments

WEEK 1

I'm working on this new project where I'm taking instant photos, and experimenting with them to get different looks. I've always been in love with instant photography and got my very own Polaroid camera a couple of years ago. Polaroid stoped making film a while ago, but Impossible Project picked up where Polaroid left off and is continuing to make film for the classic cameras. 

 

Unfortunately, the film can be a little pricey, and can't be bought locally, so instead, I used this FUJIFILM Instax 210 camera. There are only a few different settings, so it's super easy to use. 

The photos are wide, horizontal images, that, although they aren't square, still have the classic Polaroid look. 

Even though OutKast famously sings "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" in Hey Ya!, you're not actually supposed to shake instant photos, so, of course, I decided to shake it. I also rubbed my thumbs across the images which turned in these yellow spots.  

Kelsey, Michaella, Margie

Kelsey, Michaella, Margie

This is a photo of my lovely school, NBCCD. To create the yellow in the corners of the image, all I did was roll the paper into a cylinder over and over again.  

Love my school <3 

Love my school <3 

This photo is my least favourite of this bunch. I was attempting to peel off the top layer of the film, but instead I cut through the photo completely. Where I had cut, ink spilled through. It started as just a pretty turquoise with a bit of yellow, but then there were blobs of the gross brown ink. Even though the front of the image doesn't look great, the back of the photo could have potential for a future attempt.  

I'm not trying this method again...

I'm not trying this method again...

The back is slightly less disgusting looking

The back is slightly less disgusting looking

I tried running this photo of Kelsey under cold tap water, but could see no effects, so I held it over a heater. Slowly I could see pale pink appearing on the top of this image, where the most heat was hitting it. 

PINK PINK PINK

PINK PINK PINK

I was thinking that if a bit of heat could turn a photo pink, what might a lot of heat at once do? So, I turned on the kettle, boiled water, and took my photo. Immediately after the photo came out of the camera I poured the boiling water over it and saw that the photo was turning dark blue. 

Title Credit: Noel Chenier, Model: Scooter

Title Credit: Noel Chenier, Model: Scooter

I always thought how cool it is when people write on their Polaroids, but I was always too nervous about messing up the photos. But since this projects is all about experiments, I figure this is the time to try it out! I love the idea of attaching a word or phrase (or lyric) to each image! 

 Stay tuned for more instant photos coming soon!!