Advances in technology strive to make our devices lighter, faster, and more powerful, but it seems that just as many companies hark back to the days of vinyl, cassettes, and other vintage mediums. We want speed, but can’t let go of the styles from the past. Polaroid photos are a physical medium — our memories in the palm of our hand, captured on tiny paper and plastic sheets. Before we start sounding like a Mad Men advertisement, take a look at the work of German photographer Bastian Kalous — an artist we discovered on Photojojo. He experiments with expired film and various instant photo mediums to create hazy landscapes, blurred portraits, and otherworldly snapshots. We think they’re beautiful. … Read More
Polaroid
Magical Photos of Venice Without People
Are the famous canals, bridges, and squares in crowded Venice ever free of people? If you ask anyone who lives there or any tourist who has ever visited, they’d probably proclaim, “Never!” Yet, magically, that’s exactly how the German-born photographer Christopher Thomas portrays the “Floating City” in his new series pictures, suitably titled Venice in Solitude. Shooting at dusk or dawn with a large-format camera while employing extinct Polaroid film with long exposures to omit any rapid movement, Thomas captured the usually bustling city in a ghostly state of repose.
Following similar projects in Munich and New York, the photographer spent a year in Venice documenting the architectural splendor of the celebrated Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, and Piazza San Marco, as well as several serene spots off the beaten path. Exhibited in recent shows in Antwerp, Munich, and London and compiled in a new monograph, published by Prestel, Thomas’ black-and-white prints show a dreamlike Venice of old — where artists, musicians, and writers once roamed. Click through to view some of our favorite images. … Read More
What’s On at Flavorpill: The Links That Made the Rounds in Our Office
Today at Flavorpill, we discovered that if you’re in a jam, Pepto-Bismol can double as blush. We loved this contestant’s reaction to getting through the first round on The Price Is Right — particularly the part where she bowls over poor Neil Patrick Harris. We couldn’t wait to get our hands… Read More
Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Polaroids of Actors on Set
Polaroids have been immortalizing actors on the sets of their latest project for decades now. The retro form of photography is generally utilized for makeup or continuity purposes, and on occasion, serves as a catalogue for on-set shenanigans. Actors such as Johnny Depp, Audrey Hepburn, and Jason Schwartzman have all mugged for (or in some cases, ignored) the camera in between takes, blurring the line between their fictional characters and reality. We’ve unearthed photographs from a few cinematic gems, both old and new, that provide an intimate glimpse at life on set of projects like Taxi Driver, The Office, and more. Venture behind-the-scenes with a collection of our favorite shots after the jump. … Read More
Ace Hotel Offers Polaroid Instant Cameras and Film at the Mini-Bar
It didn’t seem possible that Ace Hotels in Portland and New York could top their “virtual concierge,” which included a Google Chromebook for guests to use during their stay. Their latest offering, however, is both unusually cool and a throwback to an era before people could shoot photos with their phones.… Read More
Shockingly Realistic '80s Electronics Made Out of Neon Paper
When we remember the ’80s — and, truth be told, this might have something to do with the fact that we were kids then — we always seem to recall the era in neon colors. French graphic design studio Zim & Zou (the duo of Lucie Thomas and Thibault Zimmermann) must have similar memories, as they’ve sculpted a bright, wonderfully detailed series of retro electronics out of brightly colored paper. From a film-spewing Leica and a photo-spitting Polaroid to a Walkman with headphones and a cassette tape that fits inside it. Check out some of our favorite photos of Zim & Zou’s work after the jump, then click over to Behance to see the whole set, along with a video documenting their process. … Read More
Pic of the Day: An Exploding Polaroid Camera
Today’s jaw-dropping image of a Polaroid camera mid-explosion comes from StaudingerFranke, a photography studio that specializes in CGI and postproduction. Once you’re finished gawking, check out more of their gorgeous work here. [First Stop via This Isn't Happiness]
Daily Dose Pick: Still Developing
Catalog-style, limited-edition publication Still Developing is a compendium of words and images that pays tribute to Polaroid’s continuing analog appeal in the digital age.
Based on a touring exhibition of professional and amateur Polaroid photography called Instant Gratification, the book is issued by ism: a community project — a nonprofit organization providing an online forum for creative photo-journals, juried essays, and a series of provocative Q&A’s, as well as real-life experiments that investigate endangered art forms. … Read More
The Morning’s Top 5 Pop Culture Stories
1. Last night, Kanye tweeted what could be the cover art for Watch The Throne, his joint project with Jay-Z, which is set to drop on January 11th. In the middle are the letters H*A*M. Any ideas what that might mean? [via HitFix]
2. MTV and Foursquare have teamed up to launch a… Read More
Is Fay Ray the World’s Most Photogenic Dog?
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the birth of the photogenic dog Fay Ray, William Wegman’s wily weimaraner that could assume nearly any position, New York’s Senior & Shopmaker Gallery is exhibiting a survey show of vintage 20 x 24 Polaroid prints from the celebrated canine’s primary period of creative modeling. Caught in a variety of comical poses, the talented Fay Ray becomes an elephant, lion, dog walker, doll, and a hypnotist’s muse on the artist’s conceptual commands. … Read More
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