Guy Pinhas
Well-known
I started this thread merely to explain what led me to the "This is not a Polaroid" or "Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid" project.
I was raised in a family that always had a 35mm camera around but as soon as it became available, my folks got a Polaroid. Not to say that our 35mm got forgotten, not at all, but the SX70 was used for family events. My mom still has our SX70 which is not working, and even though I know it can be repaired, this is a back burner project for us. All this to say that the Polaroid experience has been a part of me since a young age but has laid dormant for the past 35-40 years.
That is until two members of the forum, Lynn and Robert, started posting instant photo images in the RFF gallery and it piqued my interest. I had also seen a great show of André Kertész where I bought his Polaroid book and seen a few docus about the instant experience and history, so I decided to try both the new Polaroid as well as Fuji Instax. Unfortunately it just didn't deliver what I had hoped for which made me think, what was it that I liked about the Polaroid format, what attracted me to it.
A few years back I got a Rolleiflex Automat. I tried it and for some reason it didn't work out, so it sat there, abandoned and relegated to be a shelf queen. Or so I thought. The Automat was just sitting there, taunting me, daring me, challenging me to a duel in broad daylight. It is a f3.5 lens, so daylight makes the most sense 🙂 It was waiting for the right time and the time came, it was summer of 2020.
I had borrowed my Automat to a friend for a project and in return I was given a bunch of expired 120 color film, C41 as well as E6. So summer of Covid came and I thought, since I can't travel, might as well walk around Amsterdam (where I currently live) and get to know the city as well as the Automat. Armed with the camera, comfy shoes and a bunch of film, I started my trek and here are the results.
I processed as well cross processed and scanned everything myself. I thought it was going to be difficult but I found this to be as simple as developing B&W. Sure the film was expired and the results turned out to be a little strange at times, shifting colors etc, but I made do. Lemonade out of lemons as they say.
I think the reason why I like the Polaroid format as an adult is the square format so I decided to make myself happy and do a pretend Polaroid with the square images that the Automat produced and add them to a Polaroid template.
This is the first installment, more will come as I am now a big fan of my Automat and the results I got are to me very very pleasing. I have finally cracked the TLR idea and have actually learned so much from it, composition, light, patience and developing color film. This camera is now an integral part of my kit even though I don't really have a kit, I just grab what seems like fun for the day, but from now on, on a sunny day, the Automat will be the go to camera.
Automat, you have challenged me and you have won!
And I'd like to mention that I think the Magritte reference is fun 🙂
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Hotel Amsterdam Sloterdijk by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Amsterdam waterfront by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Double exposure by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Ripped face by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Tunnel by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Canal houses by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Flowers #1 by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Red chairs by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Sign Post by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Bridge by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Kids toys by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Eye couple by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Flowers #2 by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
I was raised in a family that always had a 35mm camera around but as soon as it became available, my folks got a Polaroid. Not to say that our 35mm got forgotten, not at all, but the SX70 was used for family events. My mom still has our SX70 which is not working, and even though I know it can be repaired, this is a back burner project for us. All this to say that the Polaroid experience has been a part of me since a young age but has laid dormant for the past 35-40 years.
That is until two members of the forum, Lynn and Robert, started posting instant photo images in the RFF gallery and it piqued my interest. I had also seen a great show of André Kertész where I bought his Polaroid book and seen a few docus about the instant experience and history, so I decided to try both the new Polaroid as well as Fuji Instax. Unfortunately it just didn't deliver what I had hoped for which made me think, what was it that I liked about the Polaroid format, what attracted me to it.
A few years back I got a Rolleiflex Automat. I tried it and for some reason it didn't work out, so it sat there, abandoned and relegated to be a shelf queen. Or so I thought. The Automat was just sitting there, taunting me, daring me, challenging me to a duel in broad daylight. It is a f3.5 lens, so daylight makes the most sense 🙂 It was waiting for the right time and the time came, it was summer of 2020.
I had borrowed my Automat to a friend for a project and in return I was given a bunch of expired 120 color film, C41 as well as E6. So summer of Covid came and I thought, since I can't travel, might as well walk around Amsterdam (where I currently live) and get to know the city as well as the Automat. Armed with the camera, comfy shoes and a bunch of film, I started my trek and here are the results.
I processed as well cross processed and scanned everything myself. I thought it was going to be difficult but I found this to be as simple as developing B&W. Sure the film was expired and the results turned out to be a little strange at times, shifting colors etc, but I made do. Lemonade out of lemons as they say.
I think the reason why I like the Polaroid format as an adult is the square format so I decided to make myself happy and do a pretend Polaroid with the square images that the Automat produced and add them to a Polaroid template.
This is the first installment, more will come as I am now a big fan of my Automat and the results I got are to me very very pleasing. I have finally cracked the TLR idea and have actually learned so much from it, composition, light, patience and developing color film. This camera is now an integral part of my kit even though I don't really have a kit, I just grab what seems like fun for the day, but from now on, on a sunny day, the Automat will be the go to camera.
Automat, you have challenged me and you have won!
And I'd like to mention that I think the Magritte reference is fun 🙂
Ceci n'est pas un Polaroid: Hotel Amsterdam Sloterdijk by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Amsterdam waterfront by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Double exposure by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Ripped face by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Tunnel by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Canal houses by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Flowers #1 by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Red chairs by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Sign Post by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Bridge by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Kids toys by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Eye couple by Guy Pinhas, on FlickrCeci n'est pas un Polaroid: Flowers #2 by Guy Pinhas, on Flickr
