My Photographic Observations…and AWESOMENESS
25.11.2012
{Instant England} On Holiday
categories: Polaroid, The Impossible Project, travel photography
tags: , , , ,

‘Ello guvna!

I went to England again, ya’ll. As was the case in 2006, I took along an exorbitant amount of film cameras. Are seven cameras too many cameras? Probably! I lugged those cameras around and shot about 22 rolls of film! I foresee it being a few weeks before it’s all developed and ready to be shared with you all! In the meantime, here are the (random) shots taken with my Polaroid SLR 680 and Impossible Project PX 680 Color Protection film (or Colour Protection – these were taken in England after all!)  This film is so awesome! It performs better than any other Impossible Project film I’ve tried thus far.

(Of course, being slightly careless, I put some of these pictures in my pocket to help warm them during development, causing the photos to crumple and acquire some “character flaws.” Just thought I should mention that, since these flaws were not the fault of the film but of the one using the film!)

 

I loved all the awesome doorknockers in London

Cuteness from Kayla’s kitchen 

 Yellow roses, on top of the recycling bins outside the Swiss Cottage Tube station

( Silhouetted) The Rising Sun pub in the Tottenham Court area

 Another awesome doorknocker 

 Memorial statue dedicated to WWII Polish General/Prime Minister Wladyslaw Sikorski 

Festive shop window 

 Iron railing + window flower box

Pretty seafoam/turquoise-y railing   

(Greasy) eggs and a side of chips at a Russell Square cafe

Gold flower on iron gate in Bloomsbury

 

Sadly, I dropped my beautiful, near-mint Polaroid SLR 680 one grey afternoon in England. That cut short my ability to use the last pack of Impossible Project film I had brought  with me. However, the bright side to not being able to use that film in England is that I’ve been able to sort of get my 680 working again and have been using that pack of film here in the States! You’ll see some of those results on the blog as well!

19.10.2012
Out with the Gold, in with the New
categories: Polaroid, The Impossible Project, Uncategorized
tags: , , , ,

Subtitled: The Good, the Bad, and the Divoted

I have been saving up a stash of the Impossible Project’s gold frame PX 680 film. I bought it in June, hoping that I’d buy a plane ticket to London in July, for a November travel date. I also hoped that I would find a Polaroid 680 SLR that’d be perfect for me, before November rolled around. All of the above goals were met. However, I was so anxious to use my Polaroid 680 that I couldn’t let the gold frame PX 680 sit unused for another month! I decided I should burn through my last two packs of gold frame film right now, so I’d have a good excuse to buy the newest Impossible Project film. From all accounts, their new film kicks major booty!

First photo taken with my new camera – I then accidentally dropped and broke the lid to my sister’s  glass pumpkin jar. Womp womp.

Goldenrod 

Balloon dart game at my niece’s school carnival

“All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” Club, guests at my niece’s birthday party

Red leaf on a rainy day

I tweeted about my plan to “accidentally” use up all my gold frame film in order to make room for their new color protection film; The Impossible Project tweeted back saying I should, since the gold frame film is turning into “old generation film” now that it’s been about a year since its production date. Boy, were they RIGHT! I had little of the tell-tale maturation issues when I put the first pack of gold film through my 680, but pack #2 was very much touch and go. Some of the shots had divots and uneven developer distribution/undeveloped patches. We’ll just say that it gives the photos a more “artsy” look!

My divot-y French press coffee and homemade baked donut

Baked pumpkin donut on one of my favorite saucers

For a new photo series I’m starting – more on that later

 

I’ll write up a proper review of the Polaroid 680 when I’ve put more film through it. I can already tell you that I’m in the early stages of love with that camera though!

24.06.2012
Tourist for a Day
categories: friends, personal, The Impossible Project, Uncategorized
tags: , , , , , ,

I’m going to introduce you to Kayla today.  Kayla has lived here, there, and yon, being the child of a military family and all. She and I know one another because she lived here in the Mid-South for some years, and we ran in the same circles (hardcore circles.)


Flashback: Kayla, circa 2001/2002

Kayla and I hadn’t seen each other in years. MANY years. That might have something to do with the fact that she lives in England now with her British hubby. Though it’s been somewhere between 7 and 9 years since she and I have been in the same room, aren’t we lucky that social networking has worked wonders for our ability to keep in touch? I love her Tweets about her life “over yonder” and her cute baking ventures (many of which are up on her blog!) There may be 4000+ miles between us, but I’ve still got an open invitation to come over to her house for a baking date!

During Kayla’s most recent trip to ‘merica, she and I reunited over brekkie at Brother Juniper’s – my first time to hit that Memphis breakfast/brunch hot spot. It was awesome! Though I’m pretty sure our lengthy breakfast tête-à-tête nearly got us booted from our table! Are two and a half hour breakfast dates unusual??

Because Kayla’s parents have relocated to the Midwest, she isn’t sure how often she’ll be able to visit Memphis when she is able to make an appearance stateside.  She wanted to do some “touristy” things before she left town this time. I was happy to tag along for this! We took a jaunt downtown to see the Peabody ducks, to stop in at some of the souvenir shops on Beale, and to peek into the windows of the pretty shops on South Main. Kayla’s quest for just the right souvenir to take back to England for her husband led us to the Stax Museum – as well as to a new friend for Kayla and  my next opportunity to stare at Otis Redding’s jacket.

I am utterly shocked that these were essentially the only photos committed to film during the day Kayla and I spent together – considering how she’s photogenic and how our activities that day including many things that would fall into the category of being “photographically interesting.” I just didn’t feel like removing myself from “the moment” long enough to go into “documentary photographer” mode! Though there were too few frames of film spent on this glorious day, I think we really made ‘em count! Playing the part of Memphis tourist was perfect fodder for some Polaroids taken with Impossible Project film! The perfect materials for tourist photos, in my humble opinion.

Oooooh, Memphis. A 1970 Caddy sitting in front of an establishment, advertising their brunch. There are normally a pair of longhorns attached to the front of the car, but someone took them off. No worries though, we were assured that the horns were back in the proper hands and WOULD be reattached. 

“What’s your sign?” Pshaw! Kayla asks, “What’s your punctuation mark?” Kayla actually felt like a semi-colon that day, but the camera turned her into more of an apostrophe. 

Luvbots

An unforgettable visit to the Stax Museum. Kayla’s tattoos and my hair were dubbed “swagnificent.”

I have to say that this was the ideal hang out session with a friend you haven’t seen in years. We brought each other up to speed on our respective lives, we reminisced about the past, and we forged new memories together. Success! England really is “home” for Kayla now, but I think it’s safe to say (in the words of Andrew Bryant) she “left her heart on the Tennessee border.”

Now. I think it’s MY turn to show up in Kayla’s town and play tourist…

Anyone interested in raising funds through a “Send Amanda to England Bake Sale and Crafts Bazaar”??

:)

(Polaroids were taken with the Polaroid Sun 660 AF and Impossible Project PX 680 Color Shade Gold Frame film)

25.05.2012
{Instant Wedding} Hope and Richard
categories: Polaroid, The Impossible Project, wedding photography
tags: , , , ,

Today, I offer up the instant photos I took at Hope and Richard’s wedding. Using Polaroid cameras and Impossible Project films throughout the day was SO FUN! I knew the lovely bride and groom would dig the look and feel of these Polaroids, especially since I had purchased a bag of Impossible Project “old generation” film. Those older generation films can produce some unpredictable results!

One thing I enjoyed about photographing Hope and Richard’s wedding was that they decided to go against tradition and see each other before the ceremony. They had a little bit of private time with one another before the hub-bub of the wedding got into full swing. Of course, they wanted photos of this, so I was there as well!

(Polaroid Sun 660 AF • PX 600 Silver Shade “matured” film)

Waiting on Hope to come down to meet him

Seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day

Admiring his bride-to-be

 

(Polaroid SX-70 Sonar • PX 70 Color Shade Cool film)

So happy together!

Heart-shaped ring pop I brought to use as a prop during the photos I would be taking during their pre-wedding time together

Bride and her Maids

 

(Polaroid Sun 600 AF • PX 680 Color Shade “matured” film)

Elenore, the sweet little flower girl

JUST married!

First dance!

Dance floor

 

Prior to the wedding, Hope requested that we display her bridal portrait Polaroids at the reception. I told her that it might be cool if we also hung up the instant photos I would be taking throughout the day of the wedding. I’m so glad we were able to do that!

 

22.05.2012
Wedding Mementos
categories: film photography, Polaroid, The Impossible Project, wedding photography
tags: ,

Some of the favors Hope and Richard had for the guests at their wedding, as well as the Polaroid I took at their reception of their first dance as a married couple.

Polaroid SX-70 Sonar •  PX 70 Color Shade Cool

11.05.2012
4+4
categories: film photography, Polaroid, The Impossible Project
tags:

One pack of Impossible Project PX 70 film = 8 images
8 images divided by two SX-70 cameras = 4 images each

I happily picked up more NIGO edition PX 70 Color Shade from The Impossible Project when they restocked this {limited edition} film. Being limited in availability, I wanted to make sure each exposure counted! I put the pack of film into my newer-to-me, original model Polaroid SX-70 camera. After a coupla shots, I discovered that this camera was over-exposing the photos, which produced a more “dreamy” effect. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

 

I decided after the first four exposures that I wanted to try the rest of the film cartridge in my SX-70 Sonar model, since I’m more familiar with its exposure tendencies.  So I did a little magic trick and *alakazam* the remaining NIGO film was in the Sonar SX-70!

I enjoy the differing results from the two different cameras. How about you?

08.05.2012
{Rossville}
categories: film photography, The Impossible Project
tags: ,

I’m so excited, y’all! I had a bridal portrait session with a beautiful young woman named Hope over the weekend. I took a few different cameras along with me to this photo shoot, including my most recent acquisition, the Polaroid Sun 660.  Since posting photos of Hope in her wedding dress would warrant a “spoiler alert” for her groom-to-be, I shan’t share the results of that session until after the wedding (I’m shooting that too! Yay!) All I can show you for the time being is this photo I took Sunday, on the grounds where the wedding will take place in a couple of weeks. I’m super happy with the results of the aforementioned bridal photos of Hope and can’t wait til I can post ‘em up here!

 

Polaroid Sun 660 AF • PX 600 Silver Shade UV+ Black Frame

29.04.2012
{Golden} Oh Take Me Back to the Start
categories: friends, Polaroid, portrait sessions, The Impossible Project
tags: , , , ,

Consider this a pre-cursor to a more extensive blog, wherein Mallory and I took a few of my cameras for a jaunt downtown. The ones I’m sharing with you today were taken with the first pack of film I used in the Polaroid Sun 660 Autofocus I just acquired.  The film was the Gold Edition of the Impossible Project‘s PX 680 Color Shade. I wish my scanner could convey the sheen of the gold frames on the photos. It’s really lovely. As each photo developed, getting better as the minutes passed, Mallory and I were unable to take our eyes off them! I’d put the photos away, and Mallory would ask me to bring them out so she could see them again. Or I’d pull them out of my camera bag and say, “Look! They’re perfect!” There’s a reason instant photography has the hearts of so many people out there. It truly feels like a little bit of magic at work.

Since we were listening to Coldplay throughout the afternoon and evening, we thought it’d be fitting to post some of that band’s lyrics along with these photos. Maybe when I get the other photos we took yesterday developed (viva film!) ,I’ll be inspired to pair them with more Coldplay lyrics. Until then…

Come up to meet you, tell you I’m sorry
You don’t know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart

Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions
Oh, let’s go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails
Heads on a science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

But tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing our tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh, it’s such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I’m going back to the start

Polaroid Sun 660 AF • PX680 Color Shade, Gold Edition

12.04.2012
{Rainbow} Spectrum
categories: film photography, Polaroid, The Impossible Project
tags: , ,

I am DYING over here.

I just told you about how great The Impossible Project’s new and improved Silver Shade film is. You thought I was stoked then? Well, baby, look at me NOW! (Pretend you can see a big ole smile across my face here. Because there definitely is one.) I’ve just shot a pack of NIGO edition PX 70 Color Shade film, and it was so good that it made my face melt!

I had never ever tried TIP‘s color film before. The times, they are a changin’ though. The Impossible Project folks have been allowing Pioneer members test what they call their “12/11 batch” – a magic batch! I’ll give you a couple of specific examples of what made me want to try it at this particular moment in time.  Please click here and here and here to see what’s been catching my eye (more awesome examples can be found in their online shop’s sample gallery.)  On top of all those pictures piquing my interest, TIP then one-upped themselves by marrying that new formula with a really cool colored frame edition of their PX 70 film. In their own words (ganked from their online shop’s product description):

PX 70 Color Shade by Nigo Film Edition not only features our latest Color Shade film formula, but also varying colorful frames – yellow, orange, red, pink, lilac, dark blue, light blue, green, black and white featuring the logo of Nigo – ®. One film pack contains eight images as usual, and the occurrence of the colors varies randomly in each pack.

I jumped on board and ordered a pack of my very own. I mean, it’s spring and time shake things up with some color! Am I right?? I think so. So, here, I present to you, 8 6 frames of Impossible Project NIGO edition Color Shade film.

Conclusion: The “12/11 batch” film is excellent! I was amazed at how bright the film’s colors were, yet the photos have a “vintage” quality. And as far as at the colored frames on this particular edition of PX 70 are concerned, I thought they were so fun! I can think of lots of applications for such an added touch in my photos. To my knowledge, the NIGO film is a limited edition. But, honest to goodness, I’d be very happy if they said, “Due to popular demand and Amanda’s heartfelt pleas, we are happy to announce that NIGO edition film is a permanent fixture in the Impossible Project line-up.”

 Technical info: Polaroid SX-70 • NIGO Edition Impossible PX 70 Color Shade • PX Shade inserted in camera • Photos allowed to developed in a box, for 30 minutes or longer – the longer, the better! If you are patient enough for that! I ruined the last two shots by way of “Operator error.”  They had very pretty blue frames though!

06.04.2012
Freckled Face {Underexposed}
categories: film photography, informational, The Impossible Project
tags: , , , ,

 

I didn’t scan or upload this shot when I did my little blog about my first experience with the Impossible Project’s PX100 Silver Shade UV+ film because it was so badly underexposed. I picked it up a week later, and I decided there was something striking about the image, despite its exposure issues. I’d taken the photo with the intent of highlighting my niece’s perfectly freckled face, but came out with something completely different, completely by accident. I’m now quite satisfied with what it turned out to be. And I’ll try again another day to show the freckles in the way I meant to. That is, unless, my SX-70 has other plans…

As to how the photo came out this way, perhaps my fellow SX-70 users will learn from my mistake:

As I mentioned in my original PX100 blog post, I “fudged up” some of the photos in that pack of film.  I’ll try not to get too bogged down in camera mumbo jumbo, but something I didn’t know about my Polaroid SX-70 was as follows: if the frame counter is at “0″ (normally indicating that the camera’s film cartridge is empty) and you press the shutter button, the SX-70 doesn’t try to give proper exposure to a photo – because it doesn’t think there is any photo actually being taken since the cartridge is supposed to be empty! The shutter DOES open very briefly, but you’d have to be very lucky indeed for that shot to turn out, given the brief shutter speed. That is what happened to the last couple of photos in my PX100 cartridge. I’d gotten a photo jammed in the camera and fired it a few times to try to get the camera to shoot the next photo out. I eventually solved the problem I’d created for myself, but didn’t know it’d create a problem with the rest of the photos down the line. Since I’d “dry fired” the camera, its frame counter reached “0″ earlier than it should have. Leading to my gaining the knowledge that a “0″ on an SX-70 frame counter = “Picture? What picture? I thought I was empty!” [that's the SX-70 talking, naturally...]