Instant

I love Polaroids.


I was saddened earlier this year to learn that Polaroid will suspend manufacturing of the instant film.

I remember the first time I saw a Polaroid picture. I was at Lake Tahoe as a little girl and a friend of my Mom's had a new camera. This was the type of Polaroid you pulled, peeled and then shook [whether it needed it or not]. I was smitten!

I am sorry that my kids will never really appreciate the magic of an instant picture. They have never known anything but instant pictures, instant everything in fact. They could not conceive a world where you call someone and if they are not home, you must wait and call back later. No text, no cell phones, no answering machines, you must simply wait. This "waiting for things" is what made instant film so exciting.

Now, I am admittedly pretty easily amused. Cellphones, Remote controls and GPS all seem like miracles to me. So it is little wonder that I am still so enamored with spectacle of Polaroid.

Mike and I decided on Polaroid pictures for our wedding. I have pictures of the kids, my childhood friends and crazy teenage parties all recorded in that distinctive, strangely contrasty and off color style. A few years ago I took and then taught a class on different techniques to elevate the Polaroid to an art form. There are some amazing artist doing unbelievably beautiful artwork with Polaroids. For me though, the draw was the instant gratification.

So, yesterday when I excavated an unopened pack of film from the studio while cleaning up, I could not resist a last chance to add our newest family member to our not so instant life.