Polaroid goodness
Whenever I read my RSS feeds, it never fails that I find something new and inspiring.
Polaroids aren’t exactly new but I’m inspired to dust off my vintage Polaroid 600 in the basement and see what I can do after my online reading adventures today. There’s something about the atmosphere only a Polaroid can convey that warms my artistic soul. Much like the Holga and Diana (I own both and I won’t disclose what I paid for the long-retired Diana lest I be institutionalized), the imperfection and softness of the images and colors draws me in. The control you give up forces you to think about the subject matter rather than obsess about aperture and shutter speed. You get what you get and I adore the challenge you get from limited resources. It’s such a test of talent and, for me, a sort of zen. I like that — Zen Photography (after a Google search I see the term and concept has already been coined but I’m still going to feel clever and start using it as if it were mine).
I discovered a blog authored by German sisters Eva and Maditi named Micasa. Maditi also has another blog, Maditi Likes which is a collection of, well, things she likes and there are no words, just images (and I love her name!). Maditi and an artist named Eshu (nickname for her sister? I’m woefully uninformed) are currently engaged in a summer project called the Summer Polaroid Project. There’s a quiet calm about the images and it reminds me of the quiet, carefree calm I remember enjoying as a child during summer break. At least those are the memories I hold on to; the dark side of things is a matter for another day.
Another artist, Jinnie, has a Pola photoset on Flickr — Poladoodles.
Her words:
polaroid + doodles
a polaroid is like a tiny canvas to me.
a canvas that’s been already started, so less decisions for me to make! i just have to finish them! yipee~
She also has a website named Poladoodles. I love the mixed-media aspect on top of the Pola images. Creative.
Great. Now I’m itching to finally get my own Daylab and do some Polaroid transfers and update my scanner and buy some 600 . . . So much for the zen.
