all is not lost

by the end of 2008 polaroid will be no more. i am in the process of gathering as much film as i can but that won't solve the inevitable question: is this really the end of instant film?? many polaroid enthusiasts all over the world, myself included, are finding this to be a hard reality to grapple with. the response: incite a movement to get the formula for instant film licensed to another party so that the art of instant is not lost. at first i felt like this was slightly futile. change is inevitable and the death of polaroid should be no different. but after reading an article in the new york times magazine,(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/magazine/16wwlnConsumed-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=polaroid&st=nyt&oref=slogin)
i realized how detrimental this change is. instant film is its own medium - it's not digital, it's not 35mm. it is unlike any other form of photography. instant film captures a moment without haste and leaves no negative, no remnants of its existence. in my travels across the united states i have found polaroids to be a sharply direct and honest way to capture space and land. the transitory nature of polaroid photography allows the immediacy of the moment and memory to be solidified. and unlike a memory card full of digital photos you can delete and duplicate at will, instant film is something to be savored and appreciated. on a roll of polaroid 600 film you are limited to 10 shots; each photo you take is a one time opportunity for greatness. you do not have the luxury of shooting something ten times to pick out the best shot later. there is a certain deliberateness to polariods that makes the whole experience that much more valuable.
with that in mind i have decided that all is not lost in the future of instant film. the new york times article led me to this wonderful site: http://savepolaroid.com/ where a number of other polaroid lovers have put together an effort to urge the higher ups to live and let live. go to the site, download an action pack and start making a ruckus.

on another note:
climbing haystacks may result in tiny cuts on the palms of your hands.