Playing with polaroids

[Soeren]

Being the shopaholic I am I purchased the Polaroid back for my Bronica yesterday. I have looked a bit on the Polaroid homepage and seen some of the creative possibillities with those films. Unfortunately they are somewhat expensive so I wont just buy a lot of it and then try my luck.
Any sugestion where to start ?
How about an online polaroid workshop/photoclass
Should I start with the 665 film ?
Regards Søren

 

[gandolfi]

Should I start with the 665 film ?
Regards Søren

but of course! it is SO much fun

 

[ann]

Check Kathleen Carr's website, or get one of her books on Polariod processes. ANother reference would be Teresa Airey.

 

[reellis67]

Carr's book is quite useful for anything Polariod related.

- Randy

 

[Danyael_X]

If you want to take some fun and aluringly mysical "Aura" photos of people, try holding the polarid over a lamp or other heating element to produce an orange-reddish tone, or put it in the fridge/frezzer for some green-bluish tones.

have fun!

 

[Donald Qualls]

Actually, what I'd suggest as a first purchase, to get used to Polaroids and timing the development and the whole pulling and peeling operation, is Type 667. It's the least expensive (I've seen it online for $18 for a twin-pack, 20 exposures total, and free shipping for orders over $50), and the fastest (ISO 3000), though it's B&W and not subject to most of the manipulations and special processing that can be applied to other emulsions like 669. Type 665 is one of the most expensive; it produces a reusable negative, but (unless rumors are accurate in indicating a recent change) won't give a good print if you expose enough to make a good negative, and clearing the negative after processing is something of a pain to do in the field (plastic zipper bags full of 20% sulfite solution are all sorts of annoying to handle, carry, etc.).

For color, 669 is best for manipulation (emulsion lifts, image transfers, etc.), but 690 gives better color (to my eye) for conventional prints.

 

[Soeren]

Thanks for all of your replies.
Donald thats just the info I needed thanks alot.
I have heard of the 665 Neg needing one stop more exposure than the print.
I guess it's just buying som 667 and start practicing And offcource see if I can get the book mentioned.
Søren

 

[Donald Qualls]

FWIW, I'd shoot my Polaroids even if 667 were the only film I could get -- it's sharp, has a nice scale, and the grain isn't excessive in what amounts to a contact print. And of course with high film speed means you can shoot in low light without flash, or use a ridiculously tiny lens opening, which helps a lot with a 114 mm lens like the one on my 350...

You should double check before ordering, though; a Bronica back might want the square format Type 87 instead of the 3x4 Type 667, or might be capable of using both; the Type 87 is a bit cheaper than the 667 (a dollar or two on the twin pack).