Fifteen photographers interpret their world through the unexpected and unpredictable imperfections captured on Polaroid film
Polaroid film parallels real life. The unique recipe of film chemistry mixed with a photographer’s vision and unpredictable environment creates a one-of-a-kind image where flaws are celebrated, and perfection isn’t the answer. Real life is beautifully imperfect. Real life is unpredictable. It's messy. It’s color you can’t control. It’s dots and unwanted marks. It’s wild. Real Life is beautiful as it is.
Through the lens of 15 photographers from Stockholm to Iran, Polaroid is celebrating four truths found in the connection between real life and Polaroid imagery.
Nothing worthwhile should come in an instant. Not even Polaroid photography. Life, like the development of Polaroid film, is worth the wait. Born and raised amidst the vibrant energy of Brooklyn, New York, Andre D. Wagner's work reflects the city's essence and the magic of the everyday through city streets, neighborhoods, and parades.
No two people are the same, like no two Polaroid shots are the same. In life, just like in Polaroid photography, it's our imperfections that make us unique. Edie Sunday embodies this, using color and light as distinct style choices, exploring the conscious and the unconsciousness.
“I couldn’t imagine trying to force a Polaroid photo to come out perfectly. The magic is in the mystery and uniqueness of each shot," Sunday said.
From the bright and bold to the muted and subtle. From sunsets, to stains, to the saturation of film. Life, like Polaroid photography, is full of beautiful and uncontrollable color. Ry Shorosky's journeys take him to the far reaches of America, where he captures the hidden stories and captivating landscapes that can only be discovered through exploration and adventure.
“I’d notice colors I wasn’t expecting and instead of hindering my vision, it allowed for space to play around in the process in real time which was exciting and pure to me,” Shorosky said.
There is beauty in the random, the wild, the surprising. For Cristian Bravo, he captures the intangible aspects of life, portraying places, people, and moments where everyone is involved. The work highlights the abstract and unseen elements of everyday life.
“I don’t know what I’m doing until I’ve done it, photographing for me is something that has to stay instinctive,” Bravo said.
To learn more about all 15 creators, visit this page. All content captured on Generation 2 Polaroid Now and Polaroid Now+ cameras.
*Please ensure that all imagery is credited to the photographer in the filename (if provided) as well as Polaroid.
About Polaroid
Polaroid was founded in 1937 by Edwin Land as an icon of innovation and engineering. The company’s launch of the Polaroid Land camera in 1947, which marked the genesis of instant photography, and subsequent introduction of the breakthrough Polaroid SX-70 camera in 1972 and many others, would firmly cement Polaroid’s standing as a technological pioneer and cultural phenomenon during its peak. However, at the turn of the century, the company would be faced with new realities surrounding digital technology’s swift rise and ceased the production of instant film in 2008. But that was short-lived; a dedicated group of instant photography fans would save the last Polaroid factory in the Netherlands under the name ‘The Impossible Project,’ paving way for the eventual rebirth of the original ‘Polaroid’ brand in the years following.
Today, Polaroid is in pursuit of unlocking the beauty in everyday life with instant photography tools that empower creators across the globe to capture meaningful moments. With recent introductions like the world’s smallest instant camera, the Polaroid Go camera, and the world’s first instant camera with built-in manual controls, the Polaroid I-2 camera, the company that we have come to know and love for over 80 years is rooted back in the spirit of analog innovation for the modern age.
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