Photo Live Issue 3

and seeing what it can do. There’s
a totally different experience than
shooting with Digital.
Q: I’m guessing many of the
people you photograph may
not know much about Polaroid,
do you get any interesting
reactions from them?
Surprisingly, I still find a lot of people
who are new to the whole polaroid/
instant film process! The cameras
themselves are usually the first tipoff
(especially the bulkier and almost
brick-looking ones you’ll find from
companies like Lomography) but
seeing the print pop out and start
developing is something that most
people want to see. I’m always happy
to shoot an extra shot for them to
keep as a take-away!
Q: Do you think instant prints have a
sense of nostalgia that makes us
love them?
There’s definitely a sense of nostalgia.
There’s also the fact that they’re far
from perfect. Shots can be unerexposed,
out of focus, off-center but
they’re still special. While these are
usually shots I’d delete on digital,
having a one-of-a-kind print to look
back at years down the road is really
cool. There is no negative to make
copies from, just the original photo
itself which makes it a bit special.
Q: There is a sense of simplicity
about the prints, how do you
go about taking the pictures?
This is one of the things I really liked
seeing.. every instant photographer
tends to have their own process.
Some get in very-close for more of a
headshot, some stand further back
to get a full-portrait. I usually bring a
few different instant cameras with me
since each one gives a very different
feel (some give a more dreamy look,
others give a sharper look.. some are
wide-angle, others a fisheye-effect
and some are more of a portrait
lens), same for the films (color,
monochrome, different borders)
which help set the mood of different
shots. It’s a lot of trial an error, but
more importantly just having fun with
it and trying new things. Sometimes
it works and you get some really
awesome shots, sometimes it
doesn’t -- either way it’s always a new
experience!
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Q: You take hundreds - it must cost
a fortune!
I’ve taken probably 15,000 (if not
more) over the last couple years. It
definitely adds up (and I prefer not
to think about it sometimes!). In the
end though, it’s all about enjoying it
and having fun which I definitely am.
I look at it much like a hobby though.
When you get some really neat shots,
you don’t worry about the money. It’s
when you’re not getting those shots
that you start to feel the cost of them :)
Q: So what’s next with the
project..? Perhaps a gallery or
display somewhere?
I’ve recently started sharing more
an more of these online. A gallery/
display would be great but no
plans for it quite yet. I’d love to
put together a book of instant
photos (either just my own work or
even partnering with other instant
photographers to share the different
styles we shoot). There will definitely
be lots more to come from the
project in the future!
Q: Mike - thanks for being our
friend and letting us feature
you, where can readers see
more of the Polaroid Project??
Always great to be featured with you
guys! I’ve recently put together a
portal to share these . . .
www: instax.mikerollerson.com
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