troy bradford instant photos: October 2013

halloween with Dr. Tyndell...

Spent Halloween 2013 with little Dr. Tyndell. No better way to celebrate than by pulling out the NIGO & Chocolate films...

Matt Ronan came over to Greenville last night to get me to help him with a light leak that he had on his camera. Good news is we fixed the light leak so he can stop wasting exposures of his expired Polaroid 669. Tried to take a photo of him using one of my few remaining exposures of Polaroid Chocolate film. Unfortunately, that was sorta bad news because I overexposed another shot (see below). I mixed up my reading from my light meter (@80 ISO) and the exposure I was getting with my Fuji camera (@200 ISO). Basically I wasn't paying attention... ugh...

So after that, I still wanted a photo, but I didn't want to chance another chocolate exposure so I pulled out some of my most reliable stash: Polaroid 690. I bought all of this film over a year ago from Don's Photo Equipment in Dallas. The good thing is that more often than not, I hit the exposure on this film. Another one in the win column...

looking up...

came home to this today at lunch...

texas...

Didn't have the best of luck with photos on the day of the Texas State Fair. This is one of my favorites because of the ominous look in the sky. The heat was unbearable, the clouds were forming and it finally started raining soon after this photo. After all these years of living here, the unpredictable Texas weather never seems to surprise me...

complimentary...

Lots of images from the weekend in front of this mural. None seem to represent the blacks and pastels more than the expired Polaroid 669 film. I dread the day when I have no more. It is coming up sooner than later... Was glad to be able to shoot this image of Frank on this film. A bit repetitious, because his black and white 8x10 photo and Leica image were also taken in front of this mural. The lighting in this area of the alley was absolutely perfect. Made it hard to resist taking so many photos here. Looking at this image I think I have decided that Frank has the look for this film. He makes the film look good and the film definitely compliments him...

guarded...

On Sunday, during the PolawalkTX weekend, we had all of our 8x10 camera gear set up in the alley behind the studio in Deep Ellum. We were all running around in/out of the studio but we always tried to leave at least one person outside to "guard" the equipment. Will had the perfect posture for a typical Security Guard. Add the shirt to the mix and he meant business...

sherri...

One thing I know for sure. I can never get enough photos of Sherri. Part of the reason is they are so rare. She is not a fan of having her photo taken. I think she felt sorry for me on Sunday and let me take this one. I second guessed my meter reading because it was sunny outside and I took her photo in the shade. Because of that, I felt like I needed to overexpose by one stop. Well as you can see, I should have trusted the meter. The next shot came out with a dry pod, so I decided to stop and use what I had. After letting it develop for a while, the image definitely became a keeper. Now if I can just teach her to take photos of me...

breaking down barriers...

Saw this gentleman sitting outside the Old Red Museum in downtown Dallas. He was enjoying the afternoon while reading a book. I find it fascinating how you can approach someone with a Polaroid camera and they almost always say yes to a photo. Something about the camera breaks down the barriers that exist in our lives...

unashamed...

regardless of our beliefs, we will always lead more productive and fulfilling lives when we are unashamed...

tyler...

This is my first image from a pack of expired Polaroid Chocolate film that was given to me by Steven Reeves of Makeshift Photography during a Dec 2012 Polawalk. Didn't really have a reason to pull it out of the refrigerator until today. This weekend is the weekend to pull out the last pack of Chocolate film and shoot away so that we can post the photos in the Flickr group "the last bite of chocolate (film)" on October 28th (National Chocolate Day).

Glad Tyler was available for an impromptu photo. Looking forward to some more portraits this weekend...

cameron...

Polawalk TX - 8X10 Portraits...

Last weekend a group of instant film fanatics from all around the metroplex, the state, the US and abroad converged on Texas for our 2nd annual Texas State Fair Polawalk (ie. #PolawalkTX). Even with all the visitors, we didn't get a large Texas-sized heap of good weather. The weekend was plagued with clouds, rain, heat and humidity. Unfortunately the main event on Saturday ended up being a sunny, bright 90 degree humid day. This was absolutely brutal on the visitors (and even the native Texans). As a follow-up to this event, we spent the next day resting at a local studio in Deep Ellum (many thanks to Makeshift Photography) and just photographing each other. I had planned on spending the entire weekend using my 8x10 Toyo View Camera and Impossible 8x10 instant film at all the different locations. Due to the unpredictable Texas weather, I had to compress the entire four days of 8x10 shooting into one. Justin Goode also broke out his 8x10 Burke and James Grover to take a few photos, including the ones of Toby and Cameron below. Toby Hancock wanted to be photographed by both Justin and myself. His goal is to become the most photographed person on 8x10 instant film. He is well on his way after the Texas trip (I think he has been photographed by four people now)...

Speaking of 8x10 photography, it must be said that 8x10 photographs taken with a view camera are nothing short of amazing. The entire process takes you back to a day when photography, as the sole means of capturing a portrait, was very rudimentary. When you are behind the camera the reality of seeing a reflection of the focused image projected onto the ground glass is absolutely surreal. As all of the people below can attest, "the 8x10 process" takes patience from both the photographer and the subject. My main goal with 8x10 photographs is to slow down and spend enough time with the subject to produce an image that makes them smile when they see it. I think all of these image met that goal.

A well-deserved thanks to The Impossible Project for bringing the idea of instant film back to life and for supporting all of us instant film fanatics in more ways than we can ever mention. For me personally, without the encouragement & support from the staff at the online US Impossible Office (specifically Anne and Patrick), I would have never gone this far with instant photography.

Now to the photos...

Toby
*by Troy Bradford