Polaroid + Instax Challenge 2015/12

It's the very last month of the challenge!! I'm pretty stoked I was able to stick it out all year - you can see all the past months here. I definitely took some terrible photos and I think a learnt a lot especially about the limitations of the medium :) I think half the fun was the lack of perfection and of course getting a photo instantly, well almost instantly with the polaroid!

I tried to take a photo of our Christmas tree (with all the lights off) though perhaps a tad too close. I kind of knew I was too close but had high hopes of the lights pulling off something magical :p

And my Instax photo below

Technically not one photo, but hey, it's Christmas! I think these turned out awesome and mega props to Gremlin for being a (somewhat!) willing sport :)

read more "Polaroid + Instax Challenge 2015/12"

Polaroid + Instax Challenge 2015/11

I'm going to echo the entire internet and say "I can't believe we're almost in December" and that I'm sharing my second last challenge photos!!

This month, it was getting down to the wire and feeling a little confused as to what photos to take, I thought I'd make life simple and show off two recent acquisitions. The polaroid photos is, well me, but more importantly my new glasses I got whilst thrifting. I also like this photo because I look bad ass in it, which is really far from my personality but I'm going to roll with that one. That zebra border, from the skins edition film is my favourite border so far, I also like how you don't know which border will be next, making it a random, fun surprise.

I also bought Gremlin a new collar from Rocky and Julio, they are having a huge sale at the moment too, if cat/dog accessories float your boat.

Things I learned this month

* I put my polaroid (636 close-up) onto the brighter setting, which on my camera is just a little slider on the front that you move to the right. I think this photo turned out one of the best in terms of being properly exposed, which I believe is mostly thanks to the flash.  Last time I moved that damn slider (on a different polaroid camera with no flash) it was blur to the max - you can see that image here.  Still contemplating that frog tongue though which may solve all my exposure dramas!

* I also moved the slider to the "close up setting" which seems to just move a piece of plastic in front of the lens. A lot of people said don't even bother as it will just make your photo blurry but my Polaroids are always blurry so I thought it wouldn't hurt. As you can see, not the most crisp photo but from my experience that's what you get anyway with Polaroids. Next time I probably won't bother moving that slider *shrugs* though I'm pretty indifferent on that one. The best advice is to avoid polaroid selfies if you're all about focus and instead get someone else to take the photo for you :P

* Instax on the other hand is all about that crispness which I love but it was a good reminder this month to be careful about backgrounds and to keep the camera at least 60cm away from your subject (the minumum focus distance). I took this photo of Gremlin on his favourite chair which is covered in cat hair and crud and genuinely not a super pretty backdrop and because I was too close to gremlin, I managed to make the chair in focus which was a semi/big/huge fail. I think had I'd taken it on the polaroid it really wouldn't of matter but the Instax is definitely more revealing and thus something to be mindful of.

Next month you know I'm going to go Christmas on you guys!

This post is part of the Polaroid Challenge 2015, you can see my past photos here and read more about getting involved here by the lovely peeps at The Cat you and Us

read more "Polaroid + Instax Challenge 2015/11"

Polaroid Challange 2015 /9

Okay this was an awesome month because whilst at cash converters (an Aussie pawn shop) I bought an instax mini 8 for $35 bucks :) I was umming and ahhing if I really needed it (definitely didn't need it) but the pink colour managed to push my decision making into a very happy - YES! I am still waiting for film to arrive and a few other fun bits and bobs but in the meantime here is a polaroid photo of my new baby!

I like the iguana skin this month, although I'm sure there is a photo out there better suited to the boarder :p Next month I'll hopefully have an instax and a Polaroid to get to share with you guys!! Weeeeee!

Things I learned this month:

* I aimed to have the instax centred, so I can say if you have a polaroid 636 (and I imagine for a lot of other Polaroids out there) the view finder isn't matched to the shutter! That was a pretty - duh moment for me, picking up my camera now and seeing how obvious this is :p  In the future I'll try to make sure I compose my image slightly to the left!

This post is part of the Polaroid Challenge 2015, you can see my past photos here and read more about getting involved here by the lovely peeps at The Cat you and Us

read more "Polaroid Challange 2015 /9"

Polaroid Challenge 2015 /8

'

So this was a fun/different month because I have a new polaroid and new film - Woohoo!! Whilst thrifting I came across another polaroid for cheap with a built in flash, something I have secretly been craving. Although my other camera has flash potential it required disposable bulbs (annoying!) Whilst this new camera is simply powered by the film itself :) Okay that was my justification for buying yet another Polaroid + doesn't it look cool :p

Now it wasn't all roses this month - I still had one photo left in my other camera. I read online you can do a switcheroo but something must of gone wrong when I tried because I got this lovely shot...

Oops! I ordered more film online, I actually ordered some black & white film and a pack of coloured film with the skins border. There are 8 photos per pack and each photo has a different skin frame. It's fun because I have no idea which photo is going to pop out next! I kind of like the random pairing of the snake skin with Gremlin :) I'm also going to say the impossible film does not get accurate colours and definitely has a blue tinge (yup, something to be aware of!).

I've got my black and white film sitting in the fridge but I'm wondering if I should load up my other camera with it so I can swap between colour and black & white for the remainder of the year? My only fear is then I'll have two packs loaded and sitting in cameras for months with the potential for both films to go bad and then I'll have to properly cry :p Any advice polaroid experts???

This post is part of the Polaroid Challenge 2015, you can see my past photos here and read more about getting involved here by the lovely peeps at The Cat you and Us

read more "Polaroid Challenge 2015 /8"