I have recently fallen in love with instant film cameras
I now have a couple. They are fairly inexpensive to accumulate being plastic and cheaply made but the magic of watching the photo pop out gets me every time
I’m still learning my way around their idiosyncrasies and not every shot turns out, but every shot charms me
Because it is a reflection of the moment
Captured and held in my fingers
I have quite a few great cameras as I’ve been a photography buff for years but this week-end I’ll be taking a bag full of plastic and cheap and quirky lenses (I also use lensbaby lenses on my Canon SLRs) to various Easter events – just to see what I can capture
Using these cameras means I’m present and what’s more the present doesn’t disappear
Or get left behind in my space junk phone layered into the past by another photo and another photo and another …
Instead I take my still developing print and slide it in my pocket
A surprise to come
And later over a cuppa I gaze in delight at the morning that was
It’s beautiful
Try it
The cameras I’m using at the moment are Fuji film Instax 11 and SQ6 – pick them up on Amazon along with a pack or two of the right film and you’re off and snapping – I’ll do another post on where and how I use the photos that I take over the week-end
Cheers to a long and hopefully safe and happy week-end x
Our phone cameras have become so very good and the images so very easy to edit that part of the beauty in these little instant snaps is that I can’t “fix” anything, I just have to accept it the way it is
I also find it disturbing how realistic the photos and videos have become – it’s like the lines between the virtual world where we post these mediums is blurring
Is that a weird thought? That I prefer photos that look like photos? Probably – a bit of an unexplored metaphor there somewhere I’m sure 🤔
Not being able to make the moment even more perfect and throw another piece of energy to my online avatar is very relaxing and charming
It’s like “no the real Kate took this photo online Kate and it is very clearly a really real thing not another experience that you can take as your own”
Is that understandable? Well I get it anyway. Our online avatars have got whole lives they lead and they will live for far longer than us in the charming little worlds where nothing ever goes wrong.
Wonky dreamy photos are so very untamed and real. Finite in their inks that will one day cease to exist unlike the indelible ink of the internet …
Fact – you can get digital cross instant cameras now – so that you can fix before you print and I deliberately avoided that option
Anyway, enough rambling on – the moment is full of possibility and pictures to take – enjoy your day x
I totally agree. My mom gave me a Polaroid instant film camera when I was 10 and it’s my all time favorite present. I’ve been thinking about getting another one so thanks for the reminder. Have a lovely Easter! I hope you’ll share more photos with us.
Yes! Polaroid – my brother had one when we were all young and the photos he took were beautiful and still are. Like little faded time capsules. Polaroid have just launched several new versions of the original – I looked at them to begin with but reviews have put the Instax line up as the more preferable outcome and cheaper in film – half the fun is in the decision though and there are lots of intriguing options – Utube has lots of comparisons, if you want to lose several hours of life 😉😁
Thanks for the recommendations!
My intersection with photographic art is through unsplash when I’m looking for a photo to pair with a blog post. Those pictures are beautiful. My photos look like snapshots, so maybe it makes sense to use an instamatic… but why would I want all those crappy pictures laying around where I can see them.
Hahah well that’s a thought but I find that they tend to look like vintage art and you can use them for all sorts of things, some I’m still discovering – you’re right though about the “bits of crap” and litter although the internet sucks huge amounts of energy too when you consider the billions of people using and posting and uploading and downloading and looking at devices … when they used to be out gardening or something pre internet.
Pre internet, I used to sit around endlessly making mix tapes.
I absolutely agree! I had a Polaroid and bought an instant camera for my boys. I also understand about the “blurring”. Kate, I think I’m old-fashioned and full of nostalgia. I’m trying to keep up with the technology and all I hear of a quality and effective social media presence. After I lost my bio with just the wrong click and had to re-write I just went outside and watered my yard. Everything is so lifelike, even on the television. Hence, I love older movies. Even better, old old movies; black and white. I have 15,000 and more pics on my phone. It’s stressful and my fault. I try to put them all in folders and many of them are old pictures I’ve scanned and saved {particularly my sons and family}. I want to kick it old school. It’s still dreamy to me. It blends, not just sharpens. It’s a mysterious aura, not a chosen cool or warm. It’s living right at that moment, as you said, and holding it in your hands. It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you. 🤗 ❤️
Heavens to Murgatriod! These things are still around! … how wonderful. 😀
They are wonderful. Terribly distracting little devices – you should get your hands on one Widds, you would love it.
Also ..heavens to murgatriod what is that – it is ringing bells from my childhood – is it the Kenny Everit video show?
I can’t place it
Snagglepuss … cartoon very campy lion. 🙂 … also, ‘exit, stage left’.
Snagglepuss! For sure, now I remember.
😀
Your photographs are amazing. That’s for sure.
Thanks Lynn, plenty of crappy ones that don’t make the cut though. Hope you are well.