While on our cruise last month, I spotted someone with something I consider an “antique” – a Polaroid camera! In this day and age of digital, I can’t remember the last time I had seen a Polaroid camera. It was quite a sight as they individual was strolling about the ship deck with this bulky looking thing…and taking photographs! Of course, I couldn’t resist taking his picture…and sharing with some of you who might not know about these ancient cameras!
In 1929, a man by the name of Edwin Land, started the process which eventually let to the Polaroid, or what was originally called “instant film.” It was nearly 20 years before the first instant camera went on sale to the public…for $95 which today would cost about $850. These quickly sold out, the idea was a huge hit and it was the beginning of Polaroid’s success. Many models were developed over the years and prices varied…until the mid 1990’s, when sales began to slide and sadly, in the last year, the company announced they would no longer produce the “instant film.” Thus, the end of a huge part of the history of photography…and although we can’t instantly have a print in our hand, with digital, we an instantly see our photos on the back of our cameras and it gives us that satisfaction of seeing what we captured! As the evolution of Polaroid developed over the years, I would imagine that some day my great (maybe great-great!) grandchildren will be chuckling at our excitement over the digital cameras we have today!
Although we can’t “print” instantly from our cameras…we can create the same look with software…thus satisfying our need for the “Polaroid” look! Here’s what I created from a photo I took of my granddaughter.
