Author: Michael Darling
When I was a child, my family kept a corkboard in the kitchen with photographs on it. There were Polaroids from birthdays, Halloweens, Christmases and of friends and family. We had more photos from these and other events tucked away in photo albums in case anyone desired to peruse them, but there was something special about the Polaroids on display. Thus, when I learned over spring break about the impending death of Polaroid cameras and film I felt a bit sad-as if I had lost an old friend.
Last month, the Polaroid Corporation said it would cease production of cameras and would stop making film in 2009. It seems that the rise of digital cameras has killed instant film, much as the iPod and digital downloads will, despite my best efforts, bring about the end of the compact disc. However, unlike the CD and mp3 that provide the user with essentially the same content, with or without the packaging, the Polaroid and instant film provided a different experience than any other camera type. In the time before the digital camera, there was the appeal of seeing the photo after it was taken instead of having to wait for the entire roll of film to be developed. But the real beauty of the Polaroid was in the sense of magic it created.
There was just something special about taking the photo, having it pop out of the camera and then the waiting as the image was revealed. No matter how many times people had seen it done, they would always gather around the newly exposed photo and watch as the first signs of shadow appeared, followed soon by colors, until eventually the full image arrived. There was an air of magic in this ritual, as if we were waiting for some great secret to be revealed. Then one could easily write a caption on the photo’s built-in frame and hang it up on a wall, corkboard or wherever else he or she so chose.
There is also a weird dichotomy to the concept of the Polaroid. It was at once artsy and yet so low tech and awkward. It’s not uncommon to see photo collages of Polaroids; even artists like Andy Warhol and Ansel Adams made use of them. It’s still the favored camera of “indie kids” because of its old-school appeal and unique spirit. The camera itself though was a silly looking big clunky thing that seemed more likely to be a miniature Star Wars robot than a real working camera. It didn’t require access to a dark room or going out somewhere to get it developed-you just had to wait and maybe shake it a little. It’s a strange device that, like other oddball technologies, such as the telegram and the cassette tape, will soon be lost to time because of the inevitable march of technological progress.
About a decade from now when some teenager hears Andre 3000 tell all the ladies to “shake it like a Polaroid picture,” the phrase will have no meaning to him. Or should I say, it will have about as much meaning to his ears as the Victrola, the Brownie, Beta tapes or mono sound have to most of ours.
However, unlike these outdated inventions, the Polaroid shouldn’t have to die. While these devices had some logical successor, the digital camera is no substitute for the Polaroid.
Sure, digital works in the same fashion as the Polaroid, but it lacks the same sense of style. It’s one thing to look at an image on a screen, but a completely different thing to hold the picture in your hand and show it off. As great as digital cameras are, they don’t provide the same sense of fun and magic that the Polaroid does. The Polaroid is the last trace of a different age in film; one in which every shot mattered. With digital, you can take hundreds of photos without care or discrimination and later figure out which ones to keep. With old cameras, every shot mattered because each was a frame of film that cost money.
But alas, we can’t have the odd mistake here and there. It seems that in this world of sameness, it’s impossible for something as unique as the Polaroid to exist. Farewell, old friend, you shall be missed.
Michael Darling is a sophomore History major. He can be reached at mdarling@oxy.edu.
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