Mamiyaroid 7

Mamiyaroid at the Brooklyn Museum

Right before the pandemic I won a grant to buy DSLRs and equipment for photography club, and another grant to buy Polaroid film. We were going to take digital portraits of students and staff in the school and then use the Polaroid Lab to make physical prints using Polaroid I-type film. The film and equipment arrived and then….the pandemic happened and school shut down, and even with school started again, photography club is not possible this year. One of my students is graduating and won’t get to experience the equipment we got. This year is lost in so many ways.

A student modeled for us on March 13th, so students could get a feel for the new cameras. That was the last time we met since schools shut down for students March 17th and we went remote.

Fast forward to now. I’m working remotely because I have a health accommodation but I went in to school before the beginning of the semester to pick up things I need. I also picked up all the Polaroid film because it expires. Made no sense to let it go unused. It’s sort of a photographer’s dream to have a supply of film but I’m on a deadline since this film goes off quite quickly. And because I got it from a grant I can’t sell the film or what have you. I have to be careful how I use it…which is why I decided to take free portraits outside the Brooklyn Museum. I can get there quickly from home, and it’s outdoors.

This is my sign. (That’s a google voice number.) Last Sunday I set up in front of the YO/OY sculpture and waited for curious people to consent to portraits. It didn’t take long at all. Most people were amazing. Some were wary and asked why I was doing it but softened when I explained about school closing and the film expiring. This film take 10-15 minutes to develop and while I wanted to take free portraits, I also wanted to keep the prints. I bought labels at the 99cent store and after taking the photo I wrote down the person’s email address and slapped it onto the back of the print and put it in a box so it could develop in the dark.

I only had one weird encounter where a little kid came up to me and I told the mom I could take their photo. So it takes time to set up the shot and the mom and dad watched me take the photo and then when I asked for their email so I could send them the scan the dad said he didn’t want me to take the photo. Which was weird since he could have said that while I was focusing but I just said, ‘Okay!’ and ejected the print and handed it to him. If he had wanted the print so badly I would have given it to him without the subterfuge.

I’m not posting photos of children on instagram. I also asked each person if they minded my posting their photos. When they said they preferred I didn’t, I wrote on their label, “no instagram”. But I’ll be posting photos from these sessions on @mamiyaroid, so check them out.

After sending out the scans I got really sweet messages back. A few people said I made their day. One woman said the photo was one of the best ever taken of her. That made me happy because really, my only motive is to take photos of people. I miss people!

One woman wrote a lengthy caption about meeting me.

I also met Ellen Qbertplaya, a concert photographer I’ve been following for ages. It turned out she’s also Taiwanese so she and her husband sat with me for a long while and we talked and the day was the best one I’ve had in forever.

Here’s a portrait I took of Ellen and her husband, Michael.

I think my set up was pretty safe. I wrote down people’s information so no one touched anything, and it was outdoors and everyone I encountered wore a mask and kept their distance. I also had hand sanitizer.

I hope to go out again on Friday after work. Around 4 pm as long as the light is good. I’ll be doing this until I run out of film. If you see me at the Brooklyn Museum, say hi!

Until next time…

Adalena

I love to receive comments and questions about photography and cameras!

My email: adalenakavanagh@gmail.com

Instagram: @mamiyaroid (instant/film) @5redpandas (personal)

Twitter: @adalenakavanagh

Also, if you’re thinking of buying Polaroid film for the first time, here is my referral code, which gets you 10% off, and I get some reward points.

Original photography prints: adalenakavanagh.bigcartel.com (I change out the shop every month of so. If you see something you like, let me know, I’m happy to make you a print.)

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

-Adalena Kavanagh