2019 New Years Retro Resolution #1 - Put down the phone.

I've made three retro resolutions for the new year, the first of which, is to unplug from my smart phone a bit more in 2019.  One way I'm going to do this, is by going ANALOG with some of my photography.  I believe I've lost a bit of myself since the advent of digital photography.  If I'm completely honest with myself, using my phone so much has kept me from living in the moment on many occasions.

It's so easy to pull your phone out and snap away, but those very pictures taken that were meant to record and cherish your memories, many times end up unseen in a cloud or digital storage.  It sometimes becomes mindless, and you're actually missing out on the experience of what is going on right in front of you.  Directly below is my method of choice to try and disconnect from my phone more this year.  It's my new Polaroid 600 One Step Camera!

I love snapping pics with my phone, but as a Retro Cat.. I can't deny it's a totally different experience from using a camera.  With a camera like this, you have to be aware of lighting, distance, using your viewfinder to frame your shot properly, and steadying your camera before pushing the button so as not to blur the picture.  Not to mention that you have a limited number of pictures you can take, so you need to assess whether or not a shot is worthy of snapping.  While I love snapping pics of food with my phone, I can't imagine doing it much with my Polaroid.

This camera is an NOS (New Old Stock) camera from the early 90s, and is absolutely beautiful.  I was originally going to buy a reconditioned Polaroid camera, but tracking one down that has spent its entire life inside of the original box seemed just as good to me.

Instant cameras have really been catching on over the last several years, and Polaroid is really coming on strong in the re-emerging market.  I was considering buying one of the newer sleeker versions of the Polaroid 600, but I wanted an honest to goodness old school camera.  It's just a great feeling holding onto something that's considered by many to be a relic, and to have fun with it.

Polaroid stopped making cameras in 2007 and two years later halted film production.  Polaroid fans were distraught, and almost everyone thought for sure that the digital age and smart phones had put the final nail in the Instant Camera's coffin.  In 2012 however, a reorganized Polaroid company announced a partnership that would bring back the instant camera to market.  Now, they are once again going strong and are steadily fascinating a whole new generation.

I myself am partial to 'Retro Tech'.  Whether it's a record player, terrestrial radio, Walkmans, VHS players, or cameras, they require you to slow down and guess what?  There's nothing wrong with that.  While technology is great, it at times can put you on a type of mindless cruise control.  These old devices require you to use you mind and pay attention to your senses and instincts a bit more.  To a guy like me however, it's also a LOT of fun.  I love the connection to the past that using antiquated technology gives you, and it in turn anchors you in the here and now.

My Polaroid can't and won't replace the main way I photograph everything, but I believe it might provide me with hours of fun, and possibly a new hobby.  Stay tuned for pictures from upcoming photo sessions!

Check out more Polaroid cameras at PolaroidOriginals.com