far better than what you had imagined

Most of the time I am madly in love with my Polaroid sx-70 camera. And some days I am overwhelmed with dread. A daunting, pervasive fear of disappointment that is inhibiting my desire to be more creative, to experiment. I think it's because you can never really predict how the Polaroid is going to come out like. There's very little you can control except for the composition, the angle.

Yet I am willing to give myself the space to grope for the light, to stumble, bump into walls and step on sharp edges. And mostly, to have fun. So that I can learn, be surprised, more intuitive and not afraid of trying. Again, and again. Because sometimes (for me, it's quite often) your attempt fails. But sometimes the very feeling you wanted to convey is intact and the unique moment you tried to capture on film is far better than what you had imagined.

Here are some of my favorite Polaroid photos that I would like to share with you:

Rainy days by busyinmyhead. I love how she captures the light with her camera.
Sunday* by tae*
This Polaroid photo by eri*airfuly and basically every photo from her Polaroid Children Flickr set.
And finally, the talented Supercapacity, and her wonderful Pola-diptychs. Alison is a true inspiration.

I will share more links to beautiful Polaroid photos on every first Friday of the month. But tell me, what about you? Do you shoot with a Polaroid camera too (leave a link to your site or Flickr in the comment section below)? What do you like most about it? And please, feel free to share your favorites too.

Comments

[Melody A.]

But that's what makes the Polaroid so complex, it's simplicity (wow, deep.) You've done a lovely job.

[Paige]

I am amazed at what you get from your Polaroid. I looove the one on the right. I'm off to go check out the other Polaroids you linked too.

[Paige]

Wow! those linked photos were amazing!

[Irene]

thanks Melody A.

and thanks Paige! I'm glad you like them :)

[Sarah-Ji]

I've always loved how the colors in Polaroids taken in natural light turn out. Your photos have such a magical quality to them. I love the reflection of your twins on the sand, and the framing of the second photo is just perfect.

I'm going to have to dig up my polaroids and scan them!

[Rachel]

I found you through Amanda(soulemama) and love your site! Funny you are talking about polaroids today, because I just started playing around with my sx-70 this past week. I completely agree with how frustrating it can be to let go of the control factor with polaroids. I love Maditi's work as well. My recent attempts are linked in my name to flickr.

Lovely photos of the boys!

[sheri]

can i just ask how? how do you and them do it? i've been playing with our funky polaroid 600 and i get nothing remotely as wonderful as these. i finally stuck electrical tape over the flash cause it made everything ugly. but my bad digital days are still better than my best polaroid days. tell me the truth. are people making these better with photoshop, or is my camera (or quasi-technique) just really, really bad?

help! tips! sell the magic, please!

a few examples of my polaroid envy:
http://flickr.com/photos/fridafritteuse/419098464/
http://flickr.com/photos/eshu/1257536575
http://flickr.com/photos/tetheredto/1569721429
http://flickr.com/photos/67993283@N00/391563525
http://flickr.com/photos/53412665@N00/402808652

[Irene]

Sheri,

don't worry, it's not you, it's the Polaroid 600. I started shooting my first Polaroid photos with this camera so I know how you feel and understand your frustration.

I took a look at your links, and I think what you need is a Polaroid sx-70 (or an SLR680 camera). hopefully, you can find some on Ebay and in thrift shops if you're lucky. you will need sx-70 blend films that are sold on www.unsaleable.com or if you want to use your 600 films, just get an ND filter to put on the lens (some people use 600 films without the filter and get amazing results). also, pay attention to tags and sets and groups when you see a Polaroid photo that you like on Flickr. usually people mention what kind of camera they used.

please visit this pool on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/polaroid_/

and don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

hope this helps.

[amber]

Irene,

I've enjoyed seeing your poloroids for quite some time on your personal blog. Can you share with me how you store them?

[Irene]

Amber,

some are on our refrigerator's door, some are hanging on magnetic racks but most of them are stored in an Ikea box right now. I also use my sons' Polaroid portraits to personalize their coat hangers, shelves, toy boxes. I haven't found nice frames yet, but I'm still looking!

I also started a Polaroid journal last year where I put my Polaroid photos and write about my feelings, the circumstances or poetry, a quote that seems to go well with the photo, a bit like haibun (I wrote about it here: http://irenenam.squarespace.com/journal/on-my-way-back-home.html )

[daisies]

i absolutely adore my sx-70 and i think what i like about it the most is its unpredictability, that and watching it transform before my eyes into a photo, there is something about that process that makes my heart sing ...

i have stacks of them all over my house though very few actually get scanned, i really should do some scanning ... i think my favourite that i actually have scanned in is this one ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisies/2087789267/ ... i used it for christmas cards this year :) though i like the memories of http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisies/10772602/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/daisies/4069208/ ... i love how the sx-70 instantly gives my photos a vintage timeless feel, they could have been taken years ago or just yesterday ...

[wendy]

ooooh i loooooove my sx-70 and am altogether sick over not being able to get film that i can manipulate. i still have a box that i'm saving for the absolute perfect shot. sigh

here's the link to some of my polaroids that i've printed on canvas
http://wendycook.com/id3.html

sigh again

[amber]

Thanks Irene :-)

[kristyk]

I just picked up a polaroid colorpack II and have fallen completely in love.

Here is a link to my set on flickr:

http://flickr.com/photos/kristyk/sets/72157603799948739/

I love the pictures you posted. I'm going to check out more RIGHT NOW!

[melody]

Simply put...I love what you say...love what you do.

[Lisl Sukachevin]

Irene,

I love your polaroids. I just bought my first sx-70 off ebay, but I don't have the filter on it yet, so i'm still overexposing. here's my flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/73718243@N00/ where I have my first shots posted. I've gotta get the filter though! Your shots are so beautiful. I'm off to check out the links posted above!

Lisl

[Thea]

Such fun-thanks for the tips. I think I should finally dig my old polaroid out from a box in the basement.

[Thea]

I dug out my mothers old polaroid and had some fun. Something strange-these three came out but then the next two didn't. I used 600 film and the same lighting conditions.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2019/2244423720_ce67d94eb7_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2259/2244423718_1d810b139e_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2376/2244423714_8276a184fe_o.jpg

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