instant gratification

When I heard that the Polaroid Corporation was going to stop making instant film, I immediately went to my nearest Giganto store and cleaned the shelves of every pack they had. That was about four hundred dollars worth of Spectra of One 600 film. I thought I’d spent it all, but just recently found one 600 pack left in the back of the fridge (yay for overstuffed fridges!!)

But even without that one pack, I’m still living the Polaroid life thanks to The Impossible Project, which is basically a bunch of people who couldn’t let an American Icon (and one of the greatest mediums of photographic art) die. Before you know it, they’re making fantastic film in both color and black and white (and even black frames!). For awhile, The Impossible Project was truly aptly named, because the film was…iffy. First, you had to catch the print IMMEDIATELY as it was ejected and shield it from light. That in itself led to many Sundays spent with Mr. Susan trying to rig up some kind of pouch or box or something that would hold the exposed film as it was ejected from the camera.

We pretty much nailed it down after several different prototypes, but honestly, it will still a huge pain in the ass. Despite the whole PITA thing, I decided to use sx-70 instant film for my current photo project, As a Child I Dreamt of Dogs. I’ve been so neglectful of this blog that I haven’t even announced that project yet, and THIS post is a bit ahead of it, but I’ll catch you up this week. Promise.

Anyway, before I went I vacation, I hastily scanned four images taken on their new Color Protection film, which really is the best thing since Polaroid because you no longer have to shield it, AND, it develops beautifully. Lush and vibrant, I snagged three packs of it as soon as I got the email announcing its arrival. I used 2 packs for the last two dogs that I was shooting for my project: Knox and Mini Man. Ok, so I hastily scanned 2 of Knox and 2 of MM and submitted them to some kind of contest or something I’d heard about, and then I went on vacation and forgot about the whole thing.

A few days later, I received an email from some very nice folks at TIP, telling me that they’d chosen my four to be part of a group exhibit showcasing this new film.

Oh Jeez, can you imagine how stoked I am a) to get all four of my photos chosen and b) to get this new while on my balcony overlooking the ocean in Maui. (Yeah, I just had to rub it in, didn’t I?)

Here’s a link to their gorgeous project space in Soho, New York, and I’m telling you: come the opening day of that exhibit, I’m going to be on the plane to see that in living color. Who’s up for meeting me there?

More info on the project is coming soon, because now that the shooting is done, I’m looking for writers and poets to contribute. There are lots of details on my Facebook page about that; heck, there’s even an entire Facebook page devoted to the project.

So check out all these links and if you’re a) in New York, please do come down and see the exhibit, and maybe me; and/or b) a writer, please please do consider submitting. It’s going to a beautiful projet when it’s done and it’s totally going to make you cry.

Lastly, a couple of my favorites from the project for your enjoyment.