After buying a vintage Polaroid sx-70 land camera that I found on eBay, shooting Polaroids and 600 film on this camera has become something I’m very passionate about. I invest a lot of my time, money and soul into exploring and improving my photography through this medium, and it has been so worth it.
Honestly, I am proud of a lot of work I have made with it so far (You can see a very brief Polaroid portfolio on my website here), so I wanted to keep sharing as I make.
I have done Polaroid-only portrait sessions and all analogue shoots with local musicians + bands. I have brought this camera along on some editorial shoots- resulting in some of my Polaroid work getting published! I’ve even challenged myself this year to make self-portraits and have been primarily shooting Polaroid for this. All of that, and I shot part of my first wedding gig ever on this camera and film inspiring me to start offering my Polaroid Portrait Sessions to couples on their wedding day.
Though the result is almost instant, when shooting with instant film, you learn patience and intention when making. That and your subject/client gets a very unique experience!
It has been amazing to share my passion and knowledge on shooting with instant film with people (and I will be the first to admit that I am always learning), so I wanted to share some recent work all in one blog post for you.
Take a peek below at some various recent work on instant film!
Emily & Davy on their wedding day on 600 film
I really would never have thought that shooting weddings was something I would want to do. And now that I have experience, I don’t know why I ever thought that. Love, happy couple, family, friends, a giant party… I don’t think I said anything bad yet, right??? I’ve loved every wedding photography experience I have had so far. It’s good and hard work! And I am more than grateful to have had the opportunity to photograph my sweet friends’ special day.
This marriage (heh) of film and the visuals worked so well together. Emily’s vintage dress, golden light and rustic location is something that came out so beautifully in this format.
I cannot wait to experiment more with instant film and couples. Having tangible photos is so important for everyone, but to be able deliver unique physical one-of-a-kind wedding day photos like this is so worth investing in.
If you happen to be interested in Polaroid Portrait Sessions for your special day, I would love to talk more. Click the button below and mention this blog post for a discount!
The Rusty Kid No Money EP cover photographed on 600 film
Working with other artists, including musicians, is one of my biggest passions. In any facet, I almost always love collaborating with them and have been so grateful that most are willing to stand with me and trust film- and yes, instant film!
For his recent EP release under The Rusty Kid, Zach and I planned a dreamy shoot right at his home. Some of these hues came out super pink and golden and really fit with the lovely washed out sound of his home demos.
The beautiful (ok or sometimes tormenting) thing about Polaroid Originals film, though, is how unpredictable it can be. The way it reacts to light and develops is surprising and can vary from pack to pack or sometimes even exposure to exposure! Some packs having different tints because of the temperature it’s been stored at, etc.
I try to learn and harness all of these things to the best of my ability, which is why I keep shooting, but there is something about this film that I believe will never give you full control… and that’s kind of amazing. Every shot will surprise you. And maybe I’ll change my mind about this in a few years, but I’ll let you know.
This sometimes unpredictable nature of 600 film has made my all-for-fun self portrait journey quite interesting and… a lot of work to get a shot I am happy with.
I usually require assistance with lighting, hitting the shutter or other things, but have invested in a vintage Polaroid tripod accessory that holds my SX70 and a custom built trigger (which makes an appearance in some photos) that plugs right into the camera’s flash socket. This has given me some more help when photographing solo.
Anyways, this was a brief Polaroid update- to keep you in the loop and to keep subtly reminding you why to trust film.
The photo below was taken after an afternoon dedicated to making a self-portrait that completely failed. I had no assistance, was working in the small confines of my balcony garden (my favorite spot on Earth!). Out of frustration, I just got up and documented the moment because I had such a hankering to document myself.
The thing is, trusting and investing in film is one of the best things in my life. I love digital and shoot it all the time, but sometimes it is worth the experience and image to go film. Give yourself a surprise, or time to learn a new craft, make a somewhat unpredictable portrait… a tangible magic photo! Trust film or when you book me, trust me to.
Photography is amazing. Blogging is weird. Thanks for reading!