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Founders of The Impossible Project have just announced a huge deal: Polaroid instant cameras and film are coming back to the market in 2010. After being discontinued over the past few years, Polaroid fans have lamented the lack of film packs, and many commercial Polaroid instant camera users (for example, in the fashion industry) have been buying up all remaining film stock, making it very hard to come by a pack of Polaroid instant film.
The folks at The Impossible Project — a project to re-start production of analog instant film that is Polaroid-compatible, using an old Polaroid plant in the Netherlands — have announced that The Summit Global Group (the folks who own the Polaroid instant camera brand now) will be re-launching several popular Polaroid cameras, and the film (including both color and black-and-white versions) in early 2010.
Get ready to shake it like a Polaroid picture, people. (Note: it is not recommended that you shake a Polaroid. It doesn’t help. Seriously.)
Remembering Jamie Livingston, Polaroid-a-Day Photographer
Last year I posted what has become my most-read blog post ever: He Took a Polaroid Every Day, Until the Day He Died, the story of Jamie Livingston, a man who documented his life (and death from cancer) via daily Polaroid photographs. After the publication of that story, Livingston was added to Wikipedia, he was featured in the New York Times and Fox News, I was interviewed (along with several of Livingston’s friends — who actually did the work of putting his photos online, rather than me just writing about it) on Canadian Public Radio, and much more. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that Livingston’s friends are actively carrying on his legacy both in displaying his work and writing about his life. So, fans of Livingston’s work: stay tuned, this story isn’t over.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t read it, I urge you to read the blog post that started it all. For what it’s worth, the story was mentioned today on Twitter by both Alyssa Milano and Chris Hardwick, among others. Remember, you can see Livingston’s photos here. You can also read various blogs about Livingston by his friends Hugh Crawford and Betsy Reid (who appear in many of the photos, and did the work of rephotographing and displaying them both online and at Bard College).
(The photo above is Livingston’s Photo of the Day from January 23, 1986.)
Comments (10)
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I will be so excited to take some polariods again!!!! I have albums of polaroid pictures I have taken over the years. The story of Livingston is amazing! I do not think it would have been captured so beautifully if it was done in digital…there is something about the feel of polaroids.
posted by Lisa on 10-14-2009 at 3:37 pm
Years ago, I “inherited” the old Polaroid camera my doctors were using to document specific cases. Glad to see that Polaroid film stock is going to be coming back!
posted by Steve from San Diego on 10-14-2009 at 5:14 pm
Lisa, I agree. There is something about the feel of Polaroids. It feels like it adds a frame to life and what you see in that frame is your memory and yours alone.
posted by Joe on 10-14-2009 at 5:31 pm
My grandparents will be so excited, they take Polaroids at every family gathering.
posted by Marlee on 10-14-2009 at 7:52 pm
Thank God. I’ve had customers asking for Polaroid film every time I turn around lately! Can’t wait to pass on the news! :)
posted by Amanda on 10-14-2009 at 8:46 pm
I think it’s cool they’re making polaroid instant film again.
But anyone realize that the OLD polaraoid film (as in the LAST instant film made before it was ’shut down’) JUST expired recently.
sooo kinda convienent timing :P
posted by Tron on 10-15-2009 at 6:30 am
That is great news! Some of my favorite pictures (that I’ve taken) are Polaroids, because of the colors.
posted by Bubba on 10-15-2009 at 12:56 pm
Am anxious to get my hands on more 4×5 polaroid — any idea if that will also be included????
posted by Anne Day on 10-15-2009 at 2:15 pm
@Anne — I assume the guys at The Impossible Project are focusing on the consumer packs first, though perhaps they will also do higher-end stuff for the larger format Land Cameras after the launch of the consumer stuff.
It’s worth checking out their website and emailing them; I think there is a (small, but premium) market for 4×5 and other such films. They’ll probably email you back, they seem pretty approachable.
posted by Chris Higgins on 10-15-2009 at 3:16 pm
Yay! That is GREAT news. I’m so glad I held on to my old polaroid camera!
posted by Logan on 10-19-2009 at 5:12 am