Discussions (28)

What makes you shoot Polaroid?

view profile

otibi1 says:

We all love Polaroid here. So I'm curious to hear from y'all, what drives you to shoot it? Is there anything you specifically like to shoot with it?

For me, I love the Polaroid tonality. I find that the right tones, whether B&W or color, can make an otherwise "normal" scene come alive. And I'd also have to say, my grandfather was a huge Polaroid fan, I have memories of his old Sun 660AF and shots from back when I was a kid, so that has an effect too :)
4:10AM, 22 October 2025 PDT (permalink)

view photostream

Jes Lee Photos is a group administrator Jes Lee Photos says:

I love a challenge ☺️ That’s one of the reasons I enjoy shooting it πŸ˜† I do love when the tones hit just right. There is nothing better!
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

Mark Rowell says:

I enjoy shooting landscapes. Polaroid film has bags of character and the cameras are fun to use. There’s almost a timeless quality about Polaroid film and I still have a childlike wonder from seeing an image develop!
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

lawatt is a group administrator lawatt says:

I love the way instant films (mostly polaroid/impossible, I don't quite see the same effects with instax) interact with light -- it's just unlike any other film, and digital can never come close. there's a glow.
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

Jezlyn26 says:

+1 to lawatt. I love the unpredictability that comes from either development quirks/errors, or from the exposure itself. I especially love pictures from my SX-70 or 680 SLR (before it died 😞) because of the lenses on those cameras. But my current instant film cameras (Diana F+ with Instax Mini back, Polaroid Land Camera 420, Polaroid Go, and Impossible I-1) are doing well for this Polaroid Week.

Weirdly, I tend to shoot more impulsively/quickly with instant film. You'd think the cost would make me more deliberate, but it doesn't. And I think that adds to what I like about my instant film shots, the spontaneity.
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

Estrella Marr says:

My love for it I think... I like all instant and analogue film available tho but there's something magical about Polaroid film, and what can you do with it after you have your image: it doesn't stop there and you can make a new work using the emulsion, dry or not. I also love a lot their reclaimed negatives😍😍😍
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

slowdevil says:

It's just magic, peeling that film apart and seeing a perfect little image with a white frame. And after the anticipation of letting it sit there a couple of minutes to develop after pulling it through the rollers. Like a little xmas present waiting to be opened. And it's a surprise every time. Eventually I'll deplete my stash and that'll be it.
7 months ago (permalink)

view photostream

The Futurist On Film says:

To me Polaroid looks like memory looks. It says, "I was there."
7 months ago (permalink)

Would you like to comment?

Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).