everything old is new again

as previously mentioned in my last post i have gotten my hands on a new camera. a polaroid 104 automatic land camera to be more specific. and to be even more specific it's not new at all. the 104 was manufactured from 1965 to 1967 making it the oldest camera i've used to date. it uses a peel apart instant film that, fortunately, fuji film still sees enough value in to continue manufacture of. i am completely in love (read: addicted) to this thing. the deliberate process, the amazing density of the prints, and the really unique depth of field. this quaint lil technology that predates me by at least 13 years has me totally smitten.

the first part of the process is pretty simple and straightforward. aim the camera, focus, and shoot. the next part is what's totally fascinating. after pulling a paper strip to expose the edge of the print, you begin development by very deliberately pulling the print through steel rollers and out of the camera. wait a 30-90 seconds for the image to develop and then you peel the negative off of the actual print. now to me the still wet negative is almost just as interesting actual print. i've always shot negative film (as opposed to instant print film) in the past and i'm not used to seeing this opaque negative. plus they smell cool.

i ran a pack of fuji fp-100b through it as a test. to be honest i wasn't even sure if it would work at first. there are no lights or other indicators to tell you that the camera is powering up. the guys over at batteries plus fashioned a battery for me and i had to splice it into a corroded battery compartment. so when i peeled apart that first shot of the blinds on my bathroom window, my heart jumped into my throat.

i asked a friend to come over that night so i could play with some lights and see if the pc socket still worked. i put an alien bee 800 in a 50" westcott apollo softbox, and set it to 1/4 power. that turned out to be a lucky first guess because i never had to adjust the power on the light after that. for portrait work i do think that the minimum focal distance could be a bit closer, but at the same time i kind of like the softish look of the prints. it's hard for me to explain really.

what i think is the most astonishing thing for me is the really finished look that these prints have once you peel them apart. they have great contrast and density. shooting digital, i'm used to tweaking a bit here and there to get it just right. it's really nice to be able to just shoot, pull, and enjoy. it really does allow you to just focus on composition. suddenly photos are a bit more fun, because i'm actually able to experience a bit of the emotion that i'm trying to convey to the viewer of the end product. for me this is the perfect mix of high and low tech.

the scans really don't do these images justice in my opinion. that's partially due to the fact that i really don't have any idea what i'm doing when i'm scanning them. a friend lent me a scanner and i'm learning as i go. trying to figure out the best solutions and processes for removing dust and cropping the images. i'm really not looking forward to tackling my negative binders. i have a feeling the perfectionist in me is going to just tear my hair out trying to get those just right. if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to speak up in the comments.

among the many things that this camera has inspired me to shoot is a series of simple portraits like this one. no theme, no limit, i'm gonna put everyone i can onto my cheap stool in the front room of my house. it'll be my own personal polaroid project. so if you'd like your photo made then please speak up. if not, i'm probably going to ask you anyways, haha.

there will be a lot more to come concerning instant film, polaroids, and the like. i'm still working out and working through my first few packs of film from the impossible project. keep your eyes peeled for those.