“I don’t need a Polaroid Camera”, I whined to Jon as I opened the box and pulled out the camera.
When Jon saw the photo that Connie, at Battenkill Books, took of me and him, I could hear the wheels turning.
“This is going to be good for you creatively”, he told me. “I can see you really doing something special with these photos. When ever you give a visual artist a new tool, something good happens.”
I don’t know why I’m so resistant to getting new stuff. I’ve always been more comfortable depriving myself than doing for myself. It’s gotten better over the years, but I still revert back to “no” too often.
The thing is, Jon was right. I was intrigued by the small Polaroids that came from this camera. By the idea of the Polaroid itself. Because of the color, Polaroids all look as if they come from sometime in the past. They shout snapshot. And because of the size of these Polaroids, about 2×3″, they seem like little, precious objects.
So I’ve been experimenting. Trying to figure out this new tool and how to use it. It’s so different from my iphone, where I get to see the picture exactly as it will look when I take it. The only time I used a camera before my iphone was to document my art when I was in school.
But I’ve noticed that since getting the Polaroid, I’m looking at things differently. As if I’m imagining what I’m seeing will look like as a Polaroid. Which is very different than what I see with the naked eye or from an iphone photo.
And I’m thinking of spaces. Of taking pictures of spaces, indoors and out.
This morning, I took this Polaroid of Jon inside the diner in Mystic CT, where we had breakfast. Then I wanted to take a picture of the Polaroid, with my iphone to put on my blog.
The Polaroid was the same size as the small ceramic sugar holder. And when I leaned the Polaroid against the sugar holder and saw the sugar packages and the back of the bench behind it, I thought that made an interesting photo in itself.
A picture of a Polaroid in the setting where the Polaroid was taken.
Which of course then made me wonder what it would be like to take a picture of the Polaroid in an incongruous setting…
…and so it goes…..
Oh, Maria! Jon was RIGHT about you needing this new visual tool!! A tiny camera for an artist with a very big eye for color and unusual form! I love this picture. You always make Jon look so good in your photos. Annie
P.S. This little picture has surprising clarity
I have had a small polaroid like that for several years. It takes a completely different perspective, you are right. I use mine for small inanimate settings or placements that I would not notice with my iphone. For instance, your sugar packets and your camera. I try to find one kind of “still life” like that each day. I rediscovered the dried flowers in my physical therapist’s waiting room and the stack of books by my chair. also, my polaroids have a peel off back so I can stick them into my journal and my commonplace books. I read an article once about a photographer that was moving out of an apartment in New York City. It hit him, as he sat looking out a window, how much a part of his life the view was outside these windows. So he had a project of recording each of the views. It occurred to me that these small little vistas are not recorded and yet they are such a big part of our life.
I’ve always been interested in the everyday scenes Linda. Just what you’re talking about. this is a way for me to capture them. The polaroid is so much an everyday, kind of photo. I guess that’s why it led me in this direction.
My life had Polaroids through out! We thought they were so cool. No waiting for our pics to be developed. The freedom to take pics of whatever we wanted, for no one else’s eyes to see. (you can only imagine these.Pretty sordid!) I’m so glad you have a Polaroid. I understand all the intellectuals,but the best is they’re fun! Have fun with it! Oh, when given a gift Maria, just say, “Thank-you”. That’s it. You do deserve a gift or surprise now and then. You are kind and deserving. Shake off those old patterns. Fuck em. A gift? Grab it right up! Make the giver feel happy to please you. Keep it simple. We all love you!!!
Oh I keep working on it Cindy. Sometime I get it right and sometimes I slip back. But I’ll remember your words and think of your polaroids to help me!
You do that Maria. You can imagine their content and smile while you say “Oh, thank-you.” Think of the one I have of me sooo pregnant w Mellie. I gained like 67 lbs. In a white and green dotted shift with like 11 Mai Tai’s under my belt the night before I had Mellie!!!( in 1968 )I wouldn’t have had such a silly smile if I had known what was to follow. xoxoxo
I’d love to see that pic Cindy.
I’ll try to find it. Back then they said “You’re eating for two…” so I took full advantage. I just kept making Brownies an eating them. They never said don’t smoke, drink alcohol or watch what you eat. Never!
Ah, the good old days Cindy.