Paris Polaroids

Today kicks off 'Roid Week, so to get in the mood, I'm sharing a few of my Paris polaroids. The subtle tones of 600 film are so perfectly suited to Paris. I used most of my remaining 600 film here, because frankly, where better to use such a precious thing?

Méditerranée

I know that I'm skipping about here. I have many more photographs of Paris to share, but my computer has been out for repair most of this week, so I'm sharing what I have on my laptop.


While in France, I had a chance to try the newly released Polaroid PX680 Color Shade film, and I must admit that I am smitten by it. Learning how this film behaves under different lighting conditions was all part of the fun of experimentation. The color palette is delightful, sometimes tending toward the soft and pastel, and other times toward the bold and saturated. But when the stars align, the effect is like that of a faded watercolor painting.


These photographs were taken in Nice and Aix-en-Provence and are now available as a set in my Etsy shop.

Italy: the polaroids

I couldn't resist taking a few polaroids while in Italy, now could I? I just love how this film renders those ancient textures and gorgeous colors.

Impermanence

I took a couple of packs of the new Polaroid PX 600 Silver Shade film with me to Italy. As many have described, it is a very finicky film to work with. The main issue is that it is VERY light and temperature sensitive. If exposed to sun during the development process, images come out somewhat overexposed to completely blown out. The solution is to cover the film as it comes out of the camera and then allow it to develop in darkness. I simply used the dark slide to cover the film as it came out (unfortunately I didn't have gaffer's tape to tape it to the camera) and then stuck it in my pocket for 3 minutes to develop.

Sometimes the flaws of the film really add to the nostalgic quality of the images. And sometimes they don't. I'd say I had more misses than hits, but I love how the images that worked out look like they were taken in 1910 rather than 2010.

The other problem with the film is that there are many reports of the developed images fading and forming what have been dubbed "killer crystals". Alas, this happened to mine. Luckily I scanned in the best images shortly after I returned from my trip. But those that I didn't scan have faded away into the mists of time. The Impossible Project has posted tips on how to store and care for developed images to avoid this problem. The chemistry of this film still needs work, but in some ways, I like its unpredictable nature. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "Silver Shade film is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get".

Home

Although my home isn't as adorable as these homes in Burano, it's good to be back with TB, my cat Six, and all that is comforting and familiar. I had a wonderful trip and I'm thrilled with the photographs I took. They'll be keeping me busy for many months to come.

But in the middle of this heat wave we're having, nostalgia is simmering and my lazy, hazy brain finds itself reminiscing, remembering and missing:

• The colors! My God ... the colors! Pinks, yellows, peaches, blues, greens. Villages like Burano and those in Cinque Terre are works of art. The houses are the canvases onto which the most amazing colors have been painted and one feels as though one is walking through a dream.
• Taking a vaporetto instead of the bus in Venice
• Tagliatelle (pasta) with truffles
• Cafe Americano con latte
• The amazing croissants I ate every day for breakfast while in Tuscany
• Tomatoes bursting with flavor
• The gentle rolling hills of Tuscany
  
• The chance to photograph such incredible beauty for hours each day
  

Happy Roid Week!

Polaroid Week has begun over at flickr. Check out this group and if you have any new polaroids to upload, you could win a pack of film ... worth it's weight in gold these days.

Wish I was here

Vacation is over and summer is winding down. But I'll have these pastel-colored memories of those 95 degree days on the beach in Assateague, Maryland to keep me warm this winter.

Orange you glad?

I'm glad:

* to be celebrating 9 years of coupledom with TB this weekend
* that it's warm enough today to eat ice cream ... outside!
* that my vintage alarm clock arrived in the mail today (it's so cute)
* that next weekend is my annual girls' weekend away
* that the weekend after that I get to learn a whole bunch of new skills during my
wedding photography workshop with Cliff Mautner

I hope that you have things to be glad about too. Have a wonderful weekend!

RIP

Perhaps it was inevitable, but it’s very sad indeed. Polaroid has announced that they are going to stop producing instant film later this year.

Apparently, Polaroid is seeking a company to buy the rights for its instant film so that it will continue being made for enthusiasts. Let’s hope this happens. But, if Polaroid can’t afford to continue its production, who can? The article below indicates that Fujifilm will remain the only maker of instant film. Perhaps they will acquire the rights.

I just bought a Polaroid camera on ebay a few months ago, but haven’t had much time to play with it yet. I guess I’ll have to stock up on film while I can. TB, we might need a new fridge.

Read the article