Polaroid Lament
If you haven’t heard the news yet, Polaroid is shutting down in 2009. What was once the essential tool for every commercial and fine art photographer will now be completely obsolete.
What are we to do with our Polaroid backs? Add them to the pile of odd-sized lens caps and filters I guess. How is Shannon going to proof his pinhole images? I guess he’ll be shooting a lot more bracketings on film. The days of protecting boxes of Type 54 from being smashed in the 4×5 case are over, the 30 below days of sticking a developing “roid” anywhere you can to get it warm are over, Polaroid transfers - done.
Pinhole Polaroid Image of the Mississippi River
It’s like someone’s ripping the brush out of a painter’s hand or like Angostura discontinuing their aromatic bitters. We’re lost without Polaroids and throughout our poorer days we often had to make the decision: food or Polaroids. Any photography tool always took precedent, but that’s how important they are to us.
Granted, many people are probably saying there’s no need for a Polaroid, digital cameras can handle anything. Well, any dedicated old-school photographer who has reluctantly made the switch to the computer age just to compete in the market will tell you that there is nothing that compares to the feeling of pulling a Polaroid from the back, hanging out for 45 seconds and pulling the paper to see if you got it right. When it works the finished, dried Polaroid is beautiful - an instant print with every zone in clear detail.
Polaroids will be sorely missed at S&C Studios, but don’t think we won’t stock up! Next question…anyone know how to make your own instant print that will roll out of a Polaroid back? Anything’s possible.
