A Dying Craft
I began working with Polaroid land cameras as far back as 2016. These were some of the earliest forms of self-developing film, the type widely used before the popular Polaroid Square format. You know, the one auntie or unc would bring out at the barbeque? Point and shoot. Make sure the babies are smiling. The camera pictured lies atop the turntable was employed as bard of family affairs., host of evenings events, and instant imaging was an favored medium of meories. a touchstone of nostaliga, testament of times.
However Fujifilm, the last makers of Land camera film, ended production of all stocks almost immediately upon my foray into the format. I had only a handful of shots to use. These are samples from the set.
01
In-an-Instant | A ZAMA Creative Photo Series • Part 1 • The Land Camera
I performed this walkabout during the springtime of 2016. Shots were taken primarily in-and-around downtown Brooklyn, NY, the Borough Hall train station, and around Columbus Circle in Manhattan, NY. It’s an intriguing experience attempting to manipulate light with just the fundamentals at your disposal. You stop thinking about things like dynamic range and start focusing more on timing and composition. You don’t have the brightest lens in the world especially at night time and yet I found some of my most intriguing shots taken in the dark.
02
Analog Vibes with Sasha • Flatbush, NY
Sasha and I connected through a referral from Kristen, another model I had worked with. For her session, we kept things simple—no studio, no complex logistics—just two looks, natural inspiration, and the cozy ambiance of a friend’s apartment.
Her first look featured warm leg warmers, a cup of tea, and soft window light accented occasionally with flash. The second look highlighted an extraordinary bronze necklace, its hues of black, red, white, and gold bringing editorial elegance to the frame. Using my Polaroid Land Camera 220 and Fujifilm 100c peel-apart film, I captured instant photos that remain some of my favorites. This two-hour session blended intimacy and creativity, producing images I’m proud to share.
Sasha serves in the United States Army, occasionally models across various genres, and is a devoted mother. Upbound Content coordinated all photography logistics for this session.
In and Instant
