deserthomestead

[deserthomestead]

The Last Polaroid Spectra Images

I took these images in October 2021, with expired Impossible Project PZ600 Silver Shade UV+ black and white instant film that was first introduced in June of 2010, but stamped with an production date of October 2012. Thus these images posted here were taken with film that was 9-years old.

The film for Polaroid’s old Spectra cameras which sadly for this camera model has been discontinued going forward. So are these some of the last Spectra Camera images??!!

"...The Impossible Project was founded in 2008 after Polaroid announced in February 2008 that it would stop producing film for Polaroid cameras. The founders are Florian Kaps, André Bosman and Marwan Saba. In June 2008, Kaps and Bosman met at the Polaroid factory's closing event and decided to found a company to produce materials for Polaroid cameras. In October 2008, Impossible bought the production machinery from Polaroid for $3.1 million and leased a building, called Building Noord, which was formerly part of the Polaroid plant in Enschede, Netherlands..."

Source: https://wiki2.org/en/Polaroid_Originals\

The PZ 600 Silver Shade UV+ wass a further development of the early formula PZ 600 Silver Shade. The UV+ was said to provide improved image stability and better B&W tones as the chemistry for the instant film evolved. Depending on the temperature during development, the color tone of the later black and white image changes. So at about 20°C you get sharp black and white tones and at about 23°C more a sepia look.

More Information on the history of the Impossible Projects early instant film development see this resource link: https://danfinnen.com/article/the-early-films-failures-and-triumphs-of-the-impossible-project/

For the complete history on the Impossible Project (now Polaroid again) see its Wikipedia history here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_B.V.

[deserthomestead]

A Night at the (former) Casino Rural Camera: Sony A7SII / Lenses: Rokinon Cine

[deserthomestead]

Nokia Lumia ICON cell-photography

                        post-processing: SophieLens HD by Nerd Attack

Jalisco Road, Arivaca, Arizona

Cob (Straw/Clay) Studio under construction

Hand-Built Adobe Detail

Solar Powered Adobe Out-Building

Geodesic dome, Arivaca, Arizona

[deserthomestead]

Pre-Dawn Downtown Phoenix Camera: Fuji XT1

A pre-dawn walk provides an opportunity to visually document activity a city flickering to life.  Construction dominates the cityscape as ‘Opportunity Zones’ absorb the wealth that a tax haven’s bring.  Remnants of the old Phoenix are hold-outs amid the revitalization of the area as people return to the cities.  Lens: Fujinon Aspherical 18-55mm f2.8-4

[deserthomestead]

“Kitten“ with Expired Polaroid Originals Instant Film & Vintage OneStep Camera

[deserthomestead]

Pandemic - The Lonely Streets of Phoenix

Camera: Samsung NX1  Lens: Samsung 50-150mm S Pro

[deserthomestead]

Phoenix Streets - BLM Mural

3rd Street and Garfield  Link for more info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdvk3FleXN/?igshid=1qc3a9vrvnlhl

The mural is a collaboration wall with well-known muralist -such as:@nyla.lee @clyde_graffitiart @madmanart @mutavision and @ashleymacias​

From alley off Roosevelt

Photographed with a Pentax KS1 digital camera.

[deserthomestead]

George Floyd protest - Phoenix Arizona - June 2, 2020

Camera: FujiFilm XT1 w/18-55mm Fujinon Lens

The protest march was peaceful. There were water stations and people trailing the march picking up any litter dropped along the way.

[deserthomestead]

George Floyd Protest - Phoenix, Arizona - 31 May 2020

[deserthomestead]

Phoenix Street Photography with the FujiFilm XT1 Digital Camera

"Phoenix Streets" in monochrome using a FujiFilm XT1 digital camera.  Walking around downtown Phoenix, the city is exploding with re-development, but there is still the sense of the functional and economic obsolescence, retro-artifacts, people going-about and what I call 'residual' places and things.

[deserthomestead]

As-photographed no adjustments

[deserthomestead]

Photos of winter desert landscape at the homestead in Arivaca, Arizona including the cob studio under construction: See http://cobstudio.blogspot.com

[deserthomestead]

Photographs by Bart Santello taken with a Samsung NX1 digital camera. All photographs with the following vintage lenses: Kiron 28-85mm f2.8-3.8, Vivitar 300mm f5.6 and a Hanimar 135mm f2.8. Location: West side of Santa Rita Mountains - Southern Arizona

[deserthomestead]

(Top Photo) A SINGLE DEGRADED FRAME from an 8-mm film reel I found at a thrift store.  The canister was labeled ‘Phoenix 1952′.  I find decayed film images incredibly artistic.  

I had the film scanned to digital and the revealed footage was 23-minutes of a family’s winter road trip in 1952, that seems to start in Louisiana and ends at a Phoenix resort. The photo above shows Camelback Mountain in the background.  

There is also some nice footage of the Coolidge Dam in Arizona, built in the early 1930′s.  

You never know what you’re going to find on these old 8mm movie reels of developed film.  

[deserthomestead]

A Picture of Women From Arivaca, Arizona. 

Photographed by Bart Santello

A vintage Polaroid camera using B&W film captured the moment uniquely, with a beautiful retro texture and look.  This film was expired by 4+ years, so I was curious to see what texture would result of decay from the passing of time. 

One of my reasons for selecting the Polaroid (analog) film over digital, or 35mm film, was I knew that the generation that grew-up with Polaroids was this gathering’s demographic.  Then there are the children of that generation, who where fascinated for the first time watch the photographs slowly appear from what starts off as a blank piece of film.   

I would summarize the artistic result as an image that captured the present moment, yet presented a texture with intention to trigger a memory of the past: One that is both familiar and reminiscent.

TECHNICAL INFO: Image from a vintage Polaroid Model “Supercolor 635CL” camera (made in the ‘United Kingdom’), using Impossible Project 600 B&W Instant Film (Expired May 2014).  Outdoor light.  Post-mastering: ‘Levels’ only, No color/tone adjustments.

[deserthomestead]

"Growth Revs as Economy Rolls On"  - Wall Street Journal (28-July 2018)

Street photography by Bart Santello  Location: San Diego, California  Camera: Fujifilm XT-1

[deserthomestead]

“Where power lines go, industry follows.” - Jacques Yves Cousteau

Photographs by Bart Santello in the southern California desert. Camera Fujifilm XT-1