Tools of the Trade: Polaroid Camera

Before digital cameras, instant photo gratification was left to the trusty Polaroid. Polaroid’s Land Camera, the first instant camera available to consumers was released in 1947. Polaroid still sells a selection of instant film directly from their website, though it can be pricey and many of the older formats have been permanently discontinued, including the artist’s favorite SX-70.

More Polaroid fun:

* The Polaroid Group on Flickr is over 5,000 members strong and open to the public!

* Stripper Polaroids is a fascinating set of 60s and 70s images from a collection of over 400 Polaroid photos of strippers trying out for dancing jobs. They are worth a look just for the hair, clothing, and decor flashbacks alone!

* Grant Hamilton is the modern master of color and composition; a visual reminder that Polaroids can be heightened to an artform.

*Polanoid is an all-polaroid photo website, “stuffed with millions of Polaroids, collected and uploaded by Polaroid addicts all over the planet.”