I have had quite a bit of Polaroid Type55 film in the closet. Don't ask me why I hoard these things. I just do. Though their expiration dates had whizzed past me, I was convinced that I would one day use them all up. Couple of weeks ago, I got my chance. I decided to experiment with an old WISTA, 4×5 field camera. Larger the negative, sharper the image when enlarged. That's if you have a negative at all. I didn't. Read on.
I set out to do some portraits of my family at a birthday party. I brought in studio lights and my brother, Ananth, meticulously pulled the negatives off of this special Polaroid film that creates both an instant positive and a very brittle black & white negative. It's a messy process, replete with toxic gooey paste dripping off the film. I must admit I hadn't this before. I had shot with a 4×5 camera, but the film I had used was transferred quickly onto paper; a process entirely different from what I embarked on this time.
The sodium sulphite solution that the exposed negatives were supposed to be dunked in must have been terribly concentrated and I sure didn't clean the negatives right away as prescribed. That aside, we were all very happy with the results. Instant image = instant gratification.
The negatives were all toast, though. I left them in a box full of water and that's exactly what I am NOT supposed to do. I picked one negative up from the water bath and the emulsion slipped right off of it. The emulsion was gone. Poof! I think I will be a whole lot better prepared next time around. If anyone of you has worked with this Polaroid Type55 film, please email me. I would love to tickle your brain with questions.
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saras says
Seshu
It is amazing. I liked the pictures so much and they remind of old hindi film pictures of Devika Rani and Nargis etc. Very good black and white pictures. All the four have shown up very well.Cheeli shows up like her Mysore days face. Really I appreciate your new experiment though I do not undertand what it meant when I read the details thereon in the mail. Wishing you all success.
saras says
Seshu
It is amazing. I liked the pictures so much and they remind of old hindi film pictures of Devika Rani and Nargis etc. Very good black and white pictures. All the four have shown up very well.Cheeli shows up like her Mysore days face. Really I appreciate your new experiment though I do not undertand what it meant when I read the details thereon in the mail. Wishing you all success.