Charlotte, 2005

Richard,
photographing people with a view camera, you're brave. I recently made my first portrait with the 8x10 and understand many of the challenges involved. I think you've really nailed this one. She literaly has her back against the wall and is being squeezed into the outside world. Her dark but serene expression combined with the softness of her skin and the subtle greens and yellows of the sun and foliage make me think this girl at ease in spite of the pressures of life. I'll bet the print is just beautiful. I can't wait to see more from this series. Great work, Rich. doc

Thank you, Doc. I can't wait for more of this series too. I have 2 boxes (40 sheets) of this film left and have maybe 5 or 7 good ones from the first box of 20---I do plan on posting more. There is a small sequence of these photographs, I just wish it were a big sequence.

I am now looking at this on an IBM laptop. It was scanned on a Mac, and I wish everything could be seen on a Mac---someday right? Well, this is flat and lifeless compared to what a real Polaroid is like. There is something about the instant film that has a quality that is unlike what you get with ather types of color---chemical or digital. Digital is the ultimate instant gratification. With Polaroid there is still just enough time (about two minutes) to wait that gives the process the right amount of aniticipation and gratification.---

One more thing. Working with the 8x10 here was quite a chalange. It was a small room and the only light was from two small windows---one of which she is in. I used a 12-inch lens and was up agianst the wall with tripod legs sliding on the wood floor for most of the two hours we were working.