Polaroid Pre-Exposure Back Stamping?

[CTPhotography]

I find Polaroids, err Fuji-roids, given to customers or random people gratis are some of my most successful selling tools.

I usually hand them out to random people at weddings, parties, and events that want their pictures taken, and it is much less of a hassle, usually, than sending them a scan. If I factor in the cost of my time, the Polaroid beats the cost of sending a digital file every time, at least assuming I can get it right on the first try, usually the case.

I give a business card to them too, but I doubt many of these ever see the light of day again and they cost 30¢ a piece, so that brings the expense for this particular form of party favor up to over $2 already, plus the two minutes spent waiting, and that is assuming the print comes out.

So, I was thinking: Does anyone know if I can take the packs apart (in the dark of course) and stamp the backs with a copyright/contact info. stamp without damaging the final result?

I will obviously have to do this in the dark, gently, but I am just curious if anyone else has tried it before and if it is feasible.

I forget how Polaroid, err Fujiroid drats, emulsion works. If I can pull this off, I bet it would make this form of advertising even more successful.

Speaking of stamps, does anyone know of a good place to have a custom one made cheaply? These days I bet that a website URL and e-mail are far more useful to people than the phone number or mailing address are.

 

[E76]

You're going to have a hell of a time taking apart those packs and stamping them. The internals of the packs is quite complex in assembly. Why not just stamp the Polaroids after they are developed?

 

[Blackknight603]

It'd probably be hard to stamp a Polaroid at a party or a wedding, E76.

 

[JRJacobs]

Why not have a rubber stamp made up and just stamp the backs of the prints when you hand them out?

Seems alot easier to me, and will serve as both your business card and print.

 

[Blackknight603]

Again, as a pro, I would have a difficult to impossible time carrying a stamp and inkpad around with me.

So I can understand where he is coming from.


Not to hijack the thread, but I've noticed that the new plastic roid holders are easier to take apart than the older metal ones.

Is there, of course, anyone on here that has done that when they *aren't* empty though?

I've been wondering this same thing for a while now, as well as the possibility of interleaving B&W and color 'Roids together for quick comparisons of this nature.

 

[SaulB]

Or get the little wallets for pack films that were designed to be used with the passport pictures produced by the Polaroid Studio Express et al. They used to accompany Studio 125i film in the bulk boxes. Then stamp these wallets in advance of the event?

There is a shop on ebay called Mrcadworldwide that I think sells these wallets for £5 per 100.

 

[E76]

Is there, of course, anyone on here that has done that when they *aren't* empty though?

My advice, then, would be to sacrifice a pack in daylight for the cause, and determine just how feasible it would be to either stamp the positives or interleave B&W and color Polaroids. I know for a fact, however, that the latter would be quite difficult, considering each positive/negative is connected to another.

As for the stamp/ink pad issue, they make stamps with integral ink pads, which automatically re-coat the stamp after each use.

 

[nickandre]

The negatives are attached to the receptor sheets. If you pulled the sheet out you would pull the negative too. I suppose it could be done by disassembling the pack, but a major PITA.

BTW, some stamps include inkpads so you just press once; completely self contained.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Rubber stamps are many and varied and go under the banner "Marking Devices". What you are trying to do is pretty much impossible from a marking device point of view. This point is that the material your are stamping onto, is non absorbent.

Stamp ink has a carrier, which is normally water with a dye. The carrier dries into the substrate, which is this case is the paper, and leaves the dye on the top.

There are other variables around with pigmented ink and an oil based carrier, but for your purposes you require a stamp with an ink with a high solvent content, effectively like quick drying house paint. These products do exist, but would be fairly impractical in your chosen environment.

I would suggest that you get some clear labels printed up using a B&W LASER printer. You simply peal one off and affix it to the rear of your instant photograph.

I'm a rubber stamp manufacturer!

Mick.

 

[BrianShaw]

I am not a rubber-stamp manufacturer, but I have used them before.

Mick's comments were essentially what I was about to offer. To put in simpler terms... the "normal" rubber stamp ink rubs off quickly. If you are lucky it will leave enough of a smear to even know it was intended to send a message. You need ink like that in Sharpie felt-tip pens.

In terms of marketing, though, I would think you'd have much more impact with email of a jpeg. My experience is that most people who ask you to "take their picture" aren't interested in paying for it.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Why don't you just get a small pre-inked stamp?