Exploring the unlikely intersections of walking, photography and making
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. In this final episode of Presenting Polaroids I’m going to look at a hybrid approach that lies somewhere between an album and a framed print hung on a wall. A portfolio box is basically a set of matted prints stored in... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. Most publications displaying Polaroid SX-70 images will include its iconic white frame. After all it is an intrinsic part of the presentation, a self-contained frame that needs nothing more than to be held in the hand to be a complete presentation. ... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. Here’s a short video tour of my recent photo exhibition, “From Our Windows: Polaroids by David Firman,” held at the Winnipeg Architectural Foundation (WAF) in Winnipeg, April-May 2022. I hope you enjoy the show (of course) but the primary purpose of... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. To my mind, there are two paths to framing Polaroid SX-70 prints. The first is to highlight the image, making it the focus of the framed print. This path will be considered in "Part 6: Framing The Image." Today, I’ll delve... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. There are many options for storing SX-70s in albums. Polaroid makes them. There are crafty versions on Etsy and elsewhere. There’s the 3-ring binder approach using with PrintFile 44-8P print preserver sheets. All work and most are archival safe. I have... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. Before getting into the meat of presentation techniques, I thought I should discuss the conservation materials used in the upcoming posts and videos. Coming from a black and white gelatine silver print background, proper processing, storage and display to maximize the... Continue Reading →
Note: The companion YouTube video can be found at the bottom of this post. So far, my Polaroid-centric videos and blog posts have focussed on the technical side of getting a good SX-70 image on that shiny piece of plastic that comes out of the camera. Many will be duds but, with luck and a... Continue Reading →
I’d like to invite you to my upcoming photo exhibition, “From Our Windows: Polaroids by David Firman” at the Winnipeg Architectural Foundation (WAF), 266 McDermot Avenue in Winnipeg. “From Our Windows” is a personal story of life contained within four walls. Set during the early days of COVID-19, the story explores the relationship of sanctuary... Continue Reading →
Here we go again. Another pandemic year. While Gail, Styxx and I have made the best of the year with road trips to our provincial neighbours in Saskatchewan and roamed across southern Manitoba, travel has been substantially curbed by Covid-19. So, this year’s gift list is a little different. It totally reflects my renewed interest... Continue Reading →
If you have been following my recent SX-70 posts, you will know that I have a fanatical desire to reign in the capricious behaviour of SX-70 cameras and films, all in an attempt to maximize the quality of the ejected photos. This has included a deep-dive into the Zone System, using a calibrated variable neutral... Continue Reading →