Shake it Like a Polaroid Picture

When I was growing up, almost everyone had an instant Polaroid camera.  As a kid, there was nothing better than having a Polaroid at the obligatory family gathering.  Someone would snap a picture, pull a square piece of film from the camera and lay it down on the table.  With bated breath, we would wait for the image to appear.  To speed things up, we’d grab the photos on the “safe” edge and start shaking them. 

I’m not sure if it helped speed up the process or not, but it was fun.  Eventually, you would begin to see colors appear from the darkness….then finally…the finished image.  It wasn’t the best picture, but it was instant gratification. 

Photography has come a long way since those days, and after 60 years in the business, Polaroid announced last week that they are walking away from instant film.  So, save those old Polaroids because one day they may be antiques.