Cold Weather Photography with a Polaroid SX-70

One of several limitations of the current crop of SX-70 films is their sensitivity to temperature. Taking a picture below 13°C could result in a dark, muddy image with a blue/green cast and lacking contrast. Technically, the developer “goo” that spreads across the image as it is ejected from the camera is, more likely than not, to spread unevenly, creating white splotches, spidery lines and/or a snowy field of white specks on the finished picture. 

Which is a dilemma if you live in Winnipeg, Canada as I do, where the winter lasts at least ffive months and the temperatures can dip into the minus 20s and 30s Celsius for days on end.

Packing my beautiful Polaroid folding SX-70 camera in a camera bag and waiting for summer to return, is not an option. I need to find a way that allows me successfully make a Polaroid picture in the midst of a cold prairie winter. 

What follows is a video outlining what works for me and a few pictures taken using my cold weather technique.  

This video is also available on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7d0LyjlePCsIFkZfaZjgZQ

Technical Resources

Mint Camera: https://mint-camera.com

Polaroid’s cold weather tips: https://support.polaroid.com/hc/en-us/articles/115012361067-How-does-temperature-affect-Polaroid-film-

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