Let me take a selfie / Polaroid

Have you ever walked down the street, looked at something, realised you like it and immediately thought 'Yes, that. I need to have that. That is awesome'. Well, this is exactly what happened the moment I first laid my eyes upon an instant camera. Up until then I had known they existed, but didn't really give much thought to it, believing that the only ones available/existent were the classic vintage ones, which(so I thought) were only found in vintage shops and there is a great chance that the one one actually does buy is broken i.e. dysfunctional. Plus, the film would be a pain in the ass to find.

Boy was I wrong. Polaroid AND Fujifilm, the cupcakes that they are, revived the vintage instant camera and made a new, smaller and more affordable(and cuter) version. Which I undoubtedly had to get. And I did. A whole year later. But that doesn't matter. 

What makes an instant camera great, besides the cool looking photos, is the fact that it's small and doesn't require a professional photographer in order to be used. There are 4 options for taking photos, dependent on light. The Polaroid that I have can hold 10 films/foils. The film is quite expensive, which is in a way good, because it really makes you think twice when wanting to photograph something, it makes you think about what matters more to you, and thus the photos you actually do take are more special and hold more meaning. It is without a doubt a great advantage if you have people to take these photos with, because, see, I am a very lonely person and only get to take photos of the nature, buildings and some sunsets(they're pretty cool this time of year). Though my lack of selfies with friends might also be because I'm overprotective of my Polaroid, but I like to keep that fact to myself, I'm strange enough already. The only downside to instant cameras in my opinion is the lens. There are many times when a photo turns out super bright, because the lens isn't capable enough to capture a good photo in broad daylight, because the sun shines too brightly. However, after a photo or 3 you get used to it and start looking for ways improve these photos, which isn't impossible.

Before I send you off to feast your eyes upon and shape your opinon based on some of my favourite photos, I'd just like to say that if you do, or already have purchased an instant camera, please don't freak out over the warnings and safety notices written in the instructions. Yes, they do matter, but just don't get yourself too preoccupied about your and the camera's safety(like me). They were made to capture good times, not the ones where you're looking at the person taking the photo, instructing them how to hold the camera properly or cursing them for doing it all wrong. With that said, here are some of my favorite photos that I have taken so far.

What is your opinion on instant cameras? Don't hesitate to share your thoughts below!

x, Valens