Polaroid is celebrating the launch of its new generation of Instant cameras, the Polaroid Now and Polaroid Now+, which were released in March 2023, by highlighting work shot on the new Now cameras by 15 photographers from all over the world. Polaroid has said that their goal in doing so is to ‘champion the beauty of real life’ and ‘inspire creatives to embrace the unpredictable, messy, and uncontrollable aspects of life’.
Among the photographers featured are Thalía Gochez who is known for her portraits of women of colour, particularly Latina women, London-based film photographer Katie Silvester, Brooklyn-based street photographer Andre D. Wagner, Turkish photojournalist Emin Özmen, and Iranian photographer Forough Alaei whose work focuses on women and economics.
From Polaroid:
See some of the work by the highlighted photographers below, taken with Generation 2 Polaroid Now and Polaroid Now+ instant cameras:
Real Life is having to wait: Andre D. Wagner
Nothing worthwhile should come in an instant. Not even Polaroid photography. Life, like the development of Polaroid film, is worth the wait. Born and raised amidst the vibrant energy of Brooklyn, New York, Andre D. Wagner’s work reflects the city’s essence and the magic of the everyday through city streets, neighborhoods, and parades.
“It’s an essential tool and fact of being human. I find beauty in waiting,” Wagner said.
Real Life is making the most of those dots & marks: Edie Sunday
No two people are the same, like no two Polaroid shots are the same. In life, just like in Polaroid photography, it’s our imperfections that make us unique. Edie Sunday embodies this, using color and light as distinct style choices, exploring the conscious and the unconsciousness.
“I couldn’t imagine trying to force a Polaroid photo to come out perfectly. The magic is in the mystery and uniqueness of each shot,” Sunday said.
*Polaroid image captured on expired film
Real Life is color you can’t control: Ry Shorosky
From the bright and bold to the muted and subtle. From sunsets, to stains, to the saturation of film. Life, like Polaroid photography, is full of beautiful and uncontrollable color. Ry Shorosky’s journeys take him to the far reaches of America, where he captures the hidden stories and captivating landscapes that can only be discovered through exploration and adventure.
“I’d notice colors I wasn’t expecting and instead of hindering my vision, it allowed for space to play around in the process in real time which was exciting and pure to me,” Shorosky said.
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