so here is my mostly failed attempt at working my great aunt’s sx-70 polaroid camera. i bought two packs of film, for a total of 16 exposures. i really only got 4 good photos out of them. i wouldn’t call that very successful, however, the last 3 were some of the best. i learned how to use the film, though i wish i hadn’t wasted so many exposures in the process.

the impossible film is very sensitive. i did my research before using it, but i still underestimated just how touchy it is. i started by photographing an old typewriter i have. i dragged the 40 lb hunk of metal out into my backyard 9 different times, thinking i just had the wrong settings on my camera. i discovered later, much later unfortunately, that close up shots really don’t seem to work with this camera. once i moved farther away from my subjects, the shots come out so much better.

now that i understand the process better, i don’t have any more film…… for now.

the photos that came out are excellent though. there is no substitute or filter you can use in photoshop that can replicate this retro look of the camera. the edges and colors are so soft and they have an excellent warmth and feel to them.  i absolutely love them. there is also something amazing when you have the photo moments later. it is very gratifying when it works, even if the camera is extremely awkward to hold.

here are the results.

my home.

first attempts.

success at last.

when my grandparents moved out of their home, into a smaller one, they gave me a bunch of old stuff. i inhereted a solid metal old typewriter, a lot of hangers and several old cameras. one pinhole brownie camera, one of the earlier polaroid cameras, an 80′s flashbar camera and a sweet 35mm kodak tourist 35mm with a monstorous flash. my husband’s grandmother gave me a sweet 120 film belows style camera too. (i plan on photographing each of these cameras proper someday too).

my grandfather started me on my love of cameas to begin with. i was taking a photography class in high school using a 35mm pentax with the manual wind. he gave me an excellent 35mm canon and i have been using it ever since, that is until i got my digital canon eos. i am excited to get back to film. in the last few weeks i inhereted another camera from my great aunt, a special edition polaroid sx-70. this is the funkiest looking camera i have and awesome enough they make film for it. so now i have it and am waiting to use it. it makes me a bit nervous because it is one and done. i have been watching some informative youtube videos in preparation and will post the finish products after i am done.