Posted by Eric on August 25 at 9:41 AM
It was squarish in size with a white border and a milky-colored center that was changing right before my eyes! Within about a minute, the image of my family holding a ridiculously large candy bar magically appeared. At first, I remembered thinking what I didn't like about the picture: the color was off—everyone's complexion was darker than it should be, and the shininess of the surface made it hard to see everything clearly. But I was smitten. Something about the immediacy and the intimate nature of the image fascinated me. There was even space at the bottom of the picture to write something: a date, a name, some words to remember the occasion. It was amazing. Surely I didn't know it then, but I was just one of millions who became exposed (no pun intended) to the genius that was Polaroid.
Soon after, my father bought a Polaroid camera too. We had the SX-70 (shown below).
I remember the packaging with its ubiquitous multi-colored stripes. It made me happy. The camera itself wasn't the lightest thing, and it made a lot of noise. Every time I took a picture, this neatly designed metal and leather-sided(!) box made this strange but assuring "gurgle" and spit out my favorite part of the experience: the actual print—my creation, a reflection of my shaky-handed, untrained eye in all its glory. I remember the the total creative freedom this camera gave me. I remember thinking that there was nothing out there that gave me such instant gratification, an immediate reflection of my creative expression and the ability to capture a fleeting moment. I grew to love the quirks: the color and the shiny surface. So what if the image wasn't technically perfect. That was never the point.
The other day, as I was taking a picture with my digital camera, playing with the different bells and whistles that come with compact digitals these days, I became nostalgic for the simple Polaroid experience. I feared that as quickly as the images appeared with every picture taken, the memory of this iconic brand might be disappearing just as fast. After some quick research, I am comforted to learn that the latter part of my assertion was wrong.
By now, everyone knows that earlier this year, Polaroid announced that it would close its US factories making instant film. As saddened as I am about this news, I am astounded and humbled at the indelible mark Polaroid has made on our collective culture. Take a look at the pictures below.
From movies (remember the poster for Memento?), to the art world (David Hockney), to music (reference in a song by Outkast), interior design, a coffee table book, and yes, Polaroid blogs, the legacy lives on. There's a site called "Save Polaroid" (
www.savepolaroid.com), where everyone is encouraged to share their memories and take action to save instant film. There's also a history of Polaroid, and the man (Edwin Land) who made a camera for everyone to use anywhere, at anytime. This closing quote demonstrates the strength of his vision. He is to me, a true design hero.
0 Comments so far...
There are no comments yet!