Thursday, April 30, 2015

Polaroid Challenge 2015 /4




It's time to share April's Polaroid challenge. Dani and Damaris the guys behind the year long monthly challenge, mentioned here about using your phone first to nail composition of the scene and avoid wasting any of that precious instant film. I totally ran with that idea and ended up changing my composition a million times before settling on THE ONE! (sorry Ben!). 

I also envisioned my shot to be taken at night using flash. I casually mentioned to Ben about my Amigo 610 Polaroid having auto flash, luckily he questioned me even after I had pointed out the "flash" spot on the camera and insisted I Google it and hey low and behold it definitely does not have auto flash or even a flash - oops! Anyway, quick fix, I grab my video light, Ben pushed the Polaroid button and we play the waiting game. After a solid 30 minutes and still a blank Polaroid I start googling developing times of the new Impossible Film and read that it can take up to an hour.   I happily went to bed with hopes of a beautiful photo in morning but unfortunately the next morning not much had changed :( I'm not sure the exact lesson learned here.  One theory is that despite knowing you're meant to shield your Polaroid from light after it ejects, I dd take a sneaky glance and perhaps the video light shone onto it whilst doing so (the first ten seconds are apparently the crucial ones). The only other thing is that the video light didn't cut the mustard, making it perhaps an outside only camera from now on.  I'm probably going to roll with the last theory although I will try and be more cautious about protecting the Polaroid when it ejects from the camera as well.

I feel like I haven't been on my Polaroid game but I also feel like I have learned things, or have learned what not to do, so that's a plus.  I should also say this month's theme was meant to be me wearing a party hat because it was my Birthday the other day - can you kind of make it out? lol, I keep thinking if I squint or stare at the photo long enough it will become amazing :P

If you want to play along yourself it's super easy and you can find the details here

8 comments:

  1. I still think the photo came out really artsy and cool. I wish I could join, but I don't own a Polaroid camera :( maybe one day. And happy belated birthday!!!!!!! :D I hope you had an awesome day full of love. :)
    Juli

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    1. Thanks Juli! I did have a great Birthday :) Despite owning a few Polaroids I still want a mini instax - it's a terrible disease to constantly want things so I'm hoping I can learn to appreciate the cameras I already have :)

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  2. Suuuuuper Happy Birthday Fee!!! The other day? Somehow I was completely sure it was on May (like Dani & Juno) but ohmy at the same time I'm like the worse person remembering dates. Haaaapy birthday!!!!! I can totally see a birthday candle in the pic ;) (just kidding, but the shapes/colors are intriguing!). Polaroids are hard when you have some idea in your mind, but I love how you explain that you feel you are learning. I think the same happens with ours, they are far from perfect shots but they are helping us to be more around our instax and learning it's limitations and where it can work better. I bought what they called a frog tongue for the Polaroid because on the store they told us that it was better for Impossible film to avoid as many light as possible, maybe this is something helpful? maybe not at all! hahahaha :)

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    1. Ahh I'm the worst worst for remembering Birthday, if I manage to remember mine I'm doing good :) he he he. I actually totally looked at getting the frog tongue! I'm still unsure whether my sticky beak glance was the issue because if I'm honest I think I might always do that - bad habit though that I do need to stop (there's never anything to see anyway :P). By this rate we'll be pros by December! :) :)

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  3. great pic. I have an ancient Polaroid camera somewhere. not sure why I never use it [why I don't even know where it is...]

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    1. Mine were just lying around pointlessly too, when I went to buy film, I think I realised why- $$$$ yikes!

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  4. Love this picture. So mysterious and I really like the shades of blue and gray. I just dug out my old Polaroid — need to unearth some film now, too!

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    1. Yay for polaroids! I wish film wasn't so expensive but it's been fun just taking one shot a month, I need to upload this months' shot :) I hope you find some film and share your results too Shoko!

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