this instant

When I was a kid my great grandfather would squeeze the whole family into one tiny polaroid frame every Christmas morning and I would sit in aw as I watched it develop into an imperfectly-perfect memory. What I love about instant film is that you get one chance to take the shot. No editing and no filters. Just point and shoot. Welcome to the polaroid diaries :)

[thepolaroiddiaries]

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE

The movie theater in my town keeps posting old movies up on the marquee. I would give anything to see Scream in theaters again. 

Shot on a Polaroid OneStep+ on color i-Type film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

ACE IN THE HOLE

I stumbled across this bonfire one Sunday afternoon on my stroll along the beach. Do you think they used the cards to start the fire or where just bored? Shot on a Polaroid OneStep+ on color i-Type Film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

TICK TOCK

I used to feel bad for Captain Hook. He is an older man who is desperate to feel young again. Now I understand the importance of letting go and being silly. Life is too short to be upset over little things. Sometimes my film gets stuck in the rollers or gets jammed. This picture was the first time it had ever happened and I had a massive panic attack because I thought I had broken my camera and wasted an entire pack of film. But this picture is my most prized possession. Sometimes it is the most unexpected adventures that mean the most. 

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 film. 

[thepolaroiddiaries]

BEES?

In our garden there are massive bumble bees who love to be pet and cuddled. I love them.

Shot on an Instax Wide on 300 film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

NEED A RIDE

I used to buy apples and feed these horses every day. But that was in another life.

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

LIFE FINDS A WAY

Jurassic Park was the very first movie that I saw as a kid that had female adventureers, female scientists, and fucking badasses. I wanted so desperately to be Laura Dern and be with Laura Dern. 

Shot on an Instax Wide on 300 film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

TEACHERS ARE NOT EXPENDABLE

This was the very first classroom that I ever taught in, in 2018. Being a substitute teacher is extremely difficult: I have had a chair thrown at me, a student broke his nose, one time a student ate a whole can of cold beans in front of me, but sometimes students open up to me and have their best days when I am in their classroom. And for that I will always advocate for them and for teachers every single day of the week. 

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 film. 

[thepolaroiddiaries]

HIGH TIDE

when the fog rolls in 

the ocean screams louder 

and it swallows everything in its path.

Shot on a polaroid OneStep+ on color i-type film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

WEAR A MASK

No matter where you are going or who you are with, remember to wear a fucking mask.

Shot on a polaroid OneStep+ with 600 color film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

FAITH, TRUST, PIXIE DUST

Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting. 

Shot on an Instax Wide on 300 film. 

[thepolaroiddiaries]

ENCYCLOPEDIAS 

I promise you that there is a housewife in there who gave up on her dreams to raise kids and whose husband never came home from the war.

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 film. 

[thepolaroiddiaries]

LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS

Outside my best friends house are the best sunsets I have ever seen. 

Shot on a polaroid OneStep+ on 600 color film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

20/20

I’ve been exploring body love and body self care with my Polaroid camera because film doesn’t lie. I don’t get to take a bunch of pictures and choose the best one and filter it I just get to trust the camera, my body and my emotions. I love film because it’s raw and in this case instant. Do you see me because I’m trying to see me. 

Shot on a polaroid OneStep+ with 600 color film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

HOPE

In 2018 I was temporarily homeless and taken in by some acquaintances that I barely knew. These two graciously let me live in their home rent free and picked me up after an abusive relationship. They turned out to be amazing friends and I fell in love with this cat. The longer I stayed with them and more I trained Hope to sleep with me and not slash me with her claws. It has been a year since I had saved enough money to live on my own but I miss this antelope every day.

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

FIFTY CENTS TO DRY

I have been obsessed with laundry mats since the Friends episode “The One With The East German Laundry Detergent.” I rewatch the entirety of Friends at least once a year and the laundry mat episode is cute and funny and romantic and made me obsessed with the tv series. This laundry mat was right across the street from my very first apartment and I found one of my very best friends right next door. We would come to this laundry mat and do our laundry, play Scrabble, and laugh until we cried. While I haven’t had a Ross and Rachel moment yet, I always have a good time doing laundry. 

Shot on an Instax Wide with 300 Film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

PLANT DADDY 

These plants were featured in Jurassic Park. Parts of the Jurassic Park movies were shot in Fern Canyon. Every time I am in Fern Canyon I picture giant herbivores going to town on the plants that grow in the Pacific Northwest rainforest that exists in California. Did I mention I’m obsessed with dinosaurs?

Shot on a polaroid OneStep+ with color frame 600 color film.

[thepolaroiddiaries]

ON THE HORIZON

Pictures of the sunset in black and white look creepy and timeless.

Shot on a Polaroid OneStep+ on black & white I-Type film.