grasswire

You might have heard that earlier this year Polaroid decided to discontinue the production of their unique cameras, and even more importantly, film. This could be one of those “capitalist pigs seeking ultimate profit” stories if it were not for one small detail. Polaroid is the sole manufacturer of the Polaroid film in the world and their corporate decision could mean the death of a whole photographic medium. For more information and possibilities of action go to http://www.savepolaroid.com/.

Although I had not used the medium myself, it was on the ever growing list of things I’ll do after PhD. Although I have long been attracted to the Polaroid snapshot aesthetics with its bright colours and potential Holga-like unsharpnes, the reason I really wanted to get into the Polaroid was the Polaroid image transfer technique, where you peel off the image and mount it on art paper with texture or sth. similar to create unique prints. Click here for a brief description of the technique. If you go to Flickr you can find some nice results like this one.

The above illustration is my small contribution to the noble cause, if you by any chance like it, you can download the large resolution image here to print out slightly non-standard size postcards ;) 
Or go to Savepolaroid and download their nicely designed action pack.

Well, not just back but back on the old track, i.e. lecturing, grading papers and searching for a good real estate deal. And sorting out impressions and memories of New York along the way. Will post more tomorrow, so far I had just managed to browse through the photographs once as both of my girls are currently ill.

This cutie arrived yesterday by mail. It’s my first ebay purchase, a 1950’s German slide projector. Cute as it is, it will now sit in the basement for a while until I find the time to convert it into a lamp for my working area. Or until we buy a new apartment and arrange proper workspace for the both of us.

Here is a funny piece of cinematic history (as well as history of human mind) I found when preparing lectures for my new course in visual culture: Le locataire diabolique by George Melies. It will take a bit more than six minutes of your time. Or try this similar one called La diable noir.