Collections

First shot with a new camera (new to me, but an old Polaroid, of course). I held my breath when I took this with a big, beautiful Polaroid SLR 680. Richly rewarded.

My son's desk sits right in front of the best window in the house. He has a view over the back yard and the long needle pine with a perfect bird's nest in it. That and a new Sponge Bob bucket for your 300+ colored markers. What more could a boy want?

My Polaroid camera collection is now complete. At least I said so to my husband today (he knows me better than that).

Impossible Project PX 680 Color Protection Film
Polaroid SLR 680 Camera

Study

"Study" seems to be the word of the summer. With the guidance and encouragement of a fabulous business coach (can't recommend her more highly, if you are of an entrepreneurial bent), I have been whole-heartedly engaged in growing my business. While this is exercising my creativity muscle, it doesn't involve cameras in the way that you might expect.

And so, I am in the midst of Susannah Conway's Photo Meditations course as well. This week's assignment is to capture the light. When I climb the stairs to my second floor work space (where I am spending a lot of time this summer), I am always struck by this beautiful streak of afternoon light in my bath.

With a new (old) Polaroid Colorpack IV that my dad found this summer at a yard sale, I captured this. It's just a shower curtain, but it makes me very happy every time I see it.

Quiet, and Seeing

Last week I had a day all to myself in the big city. THE Big City. A whole day to wander. I spent it in Chelsea climbing stairs and hopping on and off elevators in those old warehouses turned to art galleries. The scene interested me as much as the art, some of which was brilliant.

It felt a little like snooping as I found my way along the concrete hallways. The only sound was the tappity-tap of earnest interns at computers. Though their eyeballs were just above the reception counters in each gallery, they didn't even glance up. Tap. Tap. Tap. Poor dears. Dream job in the Big Apple. They mostly looked cold and nervous. But, I digress.

Did I mention that it was quiet? I didn't have to talk to anyone for a whole day. That never happens. Fourteen hours straight. Alone with my own thoughts in unfamiliar places. I got more clarity in one day than I'd have managed in a year of stolen moments.

Though I had two cameras with me, I took only two photographs. That day seeing was so much more important than anything else.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant Film

Fujifilm Instax Mini 50S Camera

Why Instant Film Matters

This is not the photograph I meant to take. It is not a great juxtaposition of these granite steps with the crisp, white Capitol dome. No Capitol dome at all, in fact. Too blown out to appear. Just a faint outline of the conservatory of the U.S. Botanical Garden which looked so striking in front of it.

And why couldn't I get my six-year-old out of the frame? (Because I was calling his name and waving, so he planted himself, faced the camera and smiled. duh...) And my sweet friend had no idea her shadow was in the frame when she leaned closer to see what I was looking at. Because this is instant film, by the time the print had developed in my pocket we were a block away. No second chance.

This is not the photograph I meant to take. It is the photograph I actually took. To me, a list of accidents. At first it was another Polaroid disappointment, but as it sat on my desk over the next few days, it began to grow on me. It became a photograph of my boy. A photograph of darks and lights. I love that he is a firmly planted on both of his little feet in the black shadow. I love the twin flag poles behind him for balance. And I particularly love that these darks emanate from a point nearly mid-frame.

It is not perfect, but I love it. And, that is why instant film matters. As it magically develops in your palm, you will have to reconcile what your eye saw with what the camera saw. They will never be the same, and they will teach you to see differently.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant Film

Fujifilm Instax Mini 50S Camera

Lantern in the Window

Where have I been? On vacation. Turns out a much longer vacation than planned. Yes, I went to the little island off the coast of Maine in August (where I took this photograph and many others). When I got home prepared to scan pockets full of Polaroids, the little computer just refused to get back to work. Breathed its last.

Then, I got married (yes, married!). That was a little bit of a diversion, as you might imagine. Then Christmas in all its glory. Finally, with all that behind me, I made the long awaited call to the Apple hotline, and a new iMac (brand spankin' new!) arrived. With a monitor so big I can actually SEE my photographs.

It is now up and running, and so am I. My little experiment in living off-line turned into involuntary exile. There were things about it that I liked very much, thank you. But, in the end, I feel best when making photographs and writing about them. (yay!)

Lantern in the Window

Polaroid Chocolate Film Expired

Polaroid 250 Camera

Christmas Cards!

Thanksgiving week is upon us, and my thoughts are turning to this year's Christmas cards. For most of my life, I sent scores of cards. Scores. Then, I moved to Thailand and abandoned the whole thing in favor of perpetual sunshine and summer dresses. This year I am planning to reprise my old habit, as it is the one time of year when the mailbox contains actual letters. With inky signatures. And not just bills.

I am particularly excited, because this year the cards I will send feature my own Polaroid photographs, professionally printed and available on-line at Society6. (Yes! You could send them too.)

So brush up on your penmanship and go buy some stamps!

Mental Holiday

I'm packing the antique Polaroids into my tote bag (and boxes of film into a cooler) and taking a mental holiday. There will be a couple of road trips. I will be freezing my little toes in the icy waters off my favorite island in Maine. I will be checking in with my old haunts in Philadelphia. And, the boys tell me there is mini golf (lots of mini golf) in my near future.

Best part? It will be an internet free zone. But for the occasional e-mail check-in, I will not tweet, pin, post or surf. Remember when life was like that? I can't, but I intend to remind myself.

See you in September! With lots of new photographs to share.

In Shade Too

Impossible Project PX70 First Flush! Instant Film

Polaroid SX-70 Camera

Polaroid Print Give-Away

Peas in a Pod

To kick off the opening of my Etsy photography shop, I am giving away prints. Five winners will receive a print of their choice. It could be you! (And a friend, if you share this invitation!)

Here's how;

Visit my Etsy shop. Have a look around. Pick out something you'd love to see on your walls,

Leave a comment on this post with the name of your favorite print by 9 am on Monday, July 23rd.

Want more chances to win? Like my Facebook Page. Follow me on Twitter. Favorite my Etsy shop. Each one gives you another chance to win.

On July 23rd, five randomly selected winners will be announced here. Each will receive an 8x8" archival print of their favorite photograph shipped from my Etsy shop.

Good Luck!

Toasted

 

I can be quite literal. Example. Give me a bunch of old Polaroid cameras and a pile of film, and I will happily explore the limits of the cameras for months (and months). But what about the limits of the film? I can be such a slow learner...

Recently I was shuffling through a couple of year's worth of Impossible Project instant prints. They aren't worth much after scanning as they break down chemically with time. As I sighed over the beauty lost, I realized I had a fist full of artistic license.

This particular image never did much for me. Love the composition. Hate the flash. So, I took it to the kitchen and threw it in the toaster. Toaster. The print was young enough that the chemical soup between the layers bubbled up just so. Then I went after the white border with an Exacto. Like it.

Why stop there? We are talking artistic license. So I grabbed a Sharpie. (I have to hide mine because the little man prefers them to crayons.) Not sure I'm groovin' on the obvious drag of the pen tip, but in life this little image is quite satisfying. It's been on my work table ever since.

And how nice to have a good pen in hand once in awhile.

Impossible Project PX680 Cool Film

Polaroid OneStep SE AutoFocus Camera

Socket Set

Summer is for exploring. The beat-up Honda has kicked up dust in our local blueberry fields, baked in the sun at mini-golf, and waited patiently at the curb while we ate big bowls of noodles. Even though it's near 90 degrees most days, I'm hauling along a bag full of cameras. Trying to keep the little boy and the film cool is challenging, but Vietnamese iced coffee helps.

When I pulled out my old, leather Polaroid SX-70, there was an audible flutter among the noodle eaters. You can't be shy and shoot vintage Polaroids. (Luckily, I'm not.) And the golden glow of this DIY chandelier was worth a shot.

Impossible Project PX680 Cool Instant Film

Polaroid SX-70 Camera

Independence Day

Independence is a good thing, but let's not forget that interdependence is what makes us tick. I hope you are with your own unique tribe, grilling and swimming and lighting bottle rockets today. Have a great Fourth of July!

Impossible Project PX680 Cool Color Shade Instant Film
Polaroid OneStep SE AutoFocus Camera

Summer Show in Copake

Now through July 20th, a group of my Polaroid photographs are on view at the Copake Country Club. The photographs were taken with my collection of vintage cameras using expired Polaroid films and experimental instant films by The Impossible Project, a Dutch enterprise whose mission is the revival of instant photography.

Each photograph is enlarged and printed on aluminum with a dye sublimation process. The result is deep color and luminescence, and the imperfections inherent in Polaroid film become painterly in the process.

I am pleased with how the images work together in this show, and I hope you will pay a visit. Join me for a wine and cheese reception on Sunday, July 1st from 3:00 to 5:00.

After the Copake show closes, I will be hanging a large selection of photographs in Tivoli, NY. Stay tuned!

Bigger Every Day

Today is my little boys' sixth birthday. When he woke up today, the first words out of his mouth were, "I feel taller!" And when I visited his Kindergarten class this morning with a plate full of cupcakes, he was so excited that all he could do was stand there big-eyed, like a statue. (A slightly taller statue.)

Little toys like this one are slowly being replaced with soccer balls and Legos. It's a little wistful to pack up these old things, but man, it's exciting to see where he'll go next.

Happy Birthday, Jimmy J!

Impossible Project PX680 Cool Color Shade Instant Film

Polaroid SX-70 Camera

Strawberry Season

Strawberry season reminds me of my grandmother Rosalie's strawberry rhubarb pie. She is a patient cook and a great crust maker. Sadly, she lives too far away for me to drop in on her kitchen with two quarts of fresh strawberries from up the road. 

Making pie crust intimidates me. I prefer to just splash a little cream in the bowl. We can't all be good at everything. And the strawberries don't mind one little bit.

Impossible Project PX680 Color Shade Gold Frame Instant Film

Polaroid SX-70 Camera

Urban Outfitters Print Shop!

Today Urban Outfitters chose one of my Polaroid prints for inclusion in their Print Shop, a partnership with Society6. I couldn't be happier. What I like about this image is, well..., it's sexy. Buttery soft cotton sheets, still warm, with the early morning sun casting deep shadows in the folds. Makes you want to crawl back in. (Who knew an unmade bed could be a potential revenue stream!)

Impossible Project PX100 Silver Shade Instant Film

Polaroid SX-70 Camera

Monk with Chrysanthemums

When I lived in Thailand, garlands of silk chrysanthemums and plastic jasmine blossoms were draped respectfully over every Buddha statue, Thai spirit house and Bodhi tree in my little city. Spiritual practice was woven into the fabric of daily life. We burned incense at our gate to keep wandering spirits at bay. We made food offerings to statues of Thailand's first kings to show respect, and we gave morning alms to the monks who walked barefoot past our house in the early morning.

My son, who is half Thai, has only our little Buddha statues at home and this life-sized statue of a seated Chinese monk to ponder in our Hudson Valley home. Perhaps because of this, each time we go to our favorite local market, we visit the Chinese monk seated quietly in the window of an unrented shopfront nearby. We bow respectfully to him to honor the practice of mindfulness and the teachings of the Buddha.

It always makes me a little homesick for my beloved Chiang Mai. (Not too homesick, however, because there are no raspberries, good chocolate bars or affordable bottles of red wine there!)

Impossible Project Pioneers

You might not know it, but I am a Pioneer. The Impossible Project, makers of new instant film for old Polaroid cameras, rewarded those of us who bought early and often. Our purchases of the first versions of the new instant film were acts of hope and devotion to the project. For this we have been richly rewarded.

A new version of TIP's PX680 color film is available today, and we Pioneers have been putting it through its paces for the past few weeks. Exposing, posting, and commenting on the beautiful results from this latest batch on Flickr.

We've all kept quiet until today. And now that the film is officially available, Pioneers will be posting their images in the usual places.

Yes, that's me. Shooting into the doorway of an antique shop in Hudson, New York. Inside the shop a gold lamp glows right where my big, clunky Polaroid box camera was positioned. Kind of captures the heart of that sweet little hunk of plastic.

I'll post my other (better focused) Pioneer shots in a bit, some of which are extremely satisfying. And, I'll look forward to opening fresh boxes of this film all summer long.

Plain Beauty

I just returned from a short visit to a place where I grew up. One of the places. I always felt like a visitor there. Good people all around me, but not my people. If you know what I mean.

What struck me on this visit, as always, is the landscape. A German work ethic is applied to the land with a firm hand, and in early spring the whole place is fields of color. And I don't mean planting fields.

Broad expanses of saturated color. Grass green. Sky blue. Earth brown. With sharp edges and angles between. (In fact, Mennonite women bent over edging tools and weed wackers along roadsides everywhere we traveled). No serendipity or happenstance. Orderliness and plain beauty.

It makes this part of upstate New York, which I love, look like it needs a haircut and a shave. And the quick touch of a hot iron.

(Thank god I finally found my people.)

Shadow Play

With the first sign of spring (a good eight weeks early), I called my old friend who is keeper of the gardens at a beautiful historic site along the Hudson River. In my enthusiasm for the season, I packed the Polaroid cameras (too many of them) into a tote bag and headed off to visit the plants in the greenhouse and take my friend to lunch.

I jumped the gun. His greenhouse was warm, yes. And it was full of diffuse light, yes. But, it was not full of plants. More like seeds. Germinating. Germination is a wonder. But, it is not colorful. Little peat pots of dirt everywhere. Peat pots. Dirt.

Not to fear. I shall visit again. And next time hope something other than the shadow play on the heat grate catches my eye.

iPhoneography

So you know you can take photos with your phone, but did you know you can put pretty photos on your phone?

You could have one of my very analog Polaroid prints gracing the glass of your very digital iPhone.

Choose from thousands of original designs on Society6. I am so pleased to be among the artists selling fine art prints and device skins there. Coast over and have a look.

(I'll be adding new photographs to my Society6 shop all month. Like my Facebook page for occasional updates!)