At the End of the Tunnel

On the way to Penn State at the start of this semester, I had little idea of what I'd be doing in RCL, much less and idea that I'd be writing a blog running the span of the entire school year.  This blog has meant a bit more than a grade for Rhetoric and Civic Life.  As an outlet for my photography that has largely gathered dust in the past, this blog has allowed me to exhibit some of my work and inform about a niche in the photography scene.

This last post will center around darkness and what it means for instant photographers.  Moving along, I'll expound the future of instant photography and how someone interested in starting their own film albums can do just that.

For those who have kept up with my blog, you know that I focus on taking photos outside for a variety of reasons.  Although the weather here hasn't been cooperative until recently, the abundant (sun)light allows the camera to capture a brighter, generally more alluring color pallet while taking photos.  However, modern digital cameras do a great job of balancing their internal settings in order to combat this lack of light.  Using a combination of esoteric balancing settings, or a simple auto-mode, cameras of today can take awesome photos of about everything, everywhere, at any time of day.

Largely taking these capabilities for granted, it's easy to forget the limitations of technology from the past.  Put simply, taking photos inside or at night with an instant camera is a nightmare.  Cameras naturally want to intake a certain amount of light, and without a large light source, the camera's shutter is forced open for longer periods of time, which results in blurred photos.  When there is even less light, the photo just turns out black.

Above is an example of when I forced my land camera to keep its shutter open for an extended period of time in the dead of the night of the Fourth of July last year.  Though the fuzziness adds to the warm feel of the picture, I could personally do without it.

Furthermore, the flash on many instant cameras (if they even have one) is usually lacking in terms of both expansiveness and color accuracy.  Many Fujifilm Instax users cover the flash portion of the camera with opaque tape in order to get more accurate colors when working with subject up close, since the flash fires every time the shutter is pulled, no matter how dark it is when taking photos.

The flash creates a prominent vignette (the black shadows around the edges of the frame) which draws attention to the middle of the photo, sure, but it doesn't allow for a wide variety of shots, especially when trying to homogenize a background, like I tried in the photo shown above.

Other times, when I want more black, like I did when I shot this picture of a window display below, the light-sensitivity made it hard to do so.  Moreover, focusing on exactly where I want is difficult to do with an Instax camera due to the simple point-and-shoot technique that's generally used when using these types of cameras.  Unfortunately, when a subject is off-center or not easily distinguishable, there's no method of correcting the focus like you can with tapping the screen on your smartphones, for example.  

Though the struggle is real, there seems to be a solution on the horizon.  Impossible Project's new I-1 camera addresses many of the issues instant photographers are forced to combat in a sleek, but eye-catching fashion.  With bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone, users of the I-1 can adjust all sorts of settings, such as aperture, flash, and of course, shutter speed.  Furthermore, the camera comes with a rechargeable battery, which should be interesting considering existing film cartridges for this type of camera include batteries—a reason behind the longevity of older polaroid type 600 cameras (no battery means no corrosion).  

Image Courtesy of PetaPixel and The Impossible Project

Anyway, the design is definitely something refreshing, and the features are a welcome enhancement to the cameras of today.  Whether the camera will be a success or not is up in the air, however.  A hefty $300 price tag and the success of Fujifilm Instax cameras will make casual instant film users reluctant to make the switch over to this more premium offering.

While the I-1 may be the future of instant camera technology, this camera isn't my recommendation for people interested in starting their own instant film collection.  The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8, on the other hand, is a relatively affordable offering that comes in a variety of color options, and the film isn't too expensive if purchased online.  There area all sorts of accessories and the camera itself is very user friendly after just a slight learning curve, so get out there and shoot some film for yourself!

Happy shooting, and thanks to the RCL crew for reading and commenting throughout the year.  

P.S. I'll be using this blog to upload some of my photos throughout my time here at PSU, so be sure to check in from time to time!