A fail -the boy on the red motorbike

6th May 2017

I feel like hotels have become my shell. I have been lucky enough recently to jump from country to country; shooting, working and learning…. so once again a late post …

With such a rationed stock of two cassettes of Polaroid film I was precious. Often when shooting Polaroid it can feel like guessing game as the focal plane never matches up to the viewfinder. The decision to reshoot the same frame based on the inaccuracies of the first are always a decision.

1) Is it worth it? 2) Do I change the exposure?

With such precious extinct film these decisions are laden with guilt, insecurities and often regret.

There was a scene recently in Romania I wish I had re-shot. It nagged me for days. When shooting analogue I always shoot 3 frames to be safe if I feel the scene/subject has potential.

It was a fleeting collide but the boy and his father seemed keen to help. The red popped out like a beacon and without hesitation I approached.

The scene wasn’t perfect but the harsh light and vivid red were a Polaroid match. Those 60 seconds of waiting to peel the film should have been done in front of them; instead I thanked them as we walked to the car, the unpeeled film resting tucked into my pants to keep warm against my belly.

As soon as it was revealed I lamented, the composition just wasn’t right… it didn’t work. The beastly unpredictable nature of Polaroid had played me and won, once again.

OAO x