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March 29: Week in Photography
Your lens to the internet's most powerful photographs. 📸 MOST POWERFUL PHOTO OF THE WEEK 📸 Ted S. Warren / AP Religious services across all creeds, many of which are held in intimate quarters alongside fellow worshippers, are dealing with the new reality of social distancing in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
For Don Giuseppe Corbari, parson of the Church of Robbiano in Giussano, Italy, socially distant does not have to mean spiritually apart. To help bring his congregation closer during these difficult times, Corbari asked his parishioners to send in selfies to be displayed during his Sunday mass. In this emotional picture taken during a livestream of his service March 22, empty pews are filled with faces of hope amid an Italian community hit hard by the current pandemic.
📸For Your 👀 Only: A NEW 🌈POLAROID FOR A NEW ERA
For professional and amateur photographers alike, the news that Polaroid was to abandon its film production in 2008 was devastating. For a group of forward-thinking entrepreneurs and photo enthusiasts called the Impossible Project, it was a call to action. In the years that followed, the Impossible Project continued to produce the iconic instant film that Polaroid had made famous, as well as a wide range of compatible cameras and products. In 2017, the Impossible Project was renamed Polaroid Originals, and in 2020, Polaroid Originals has officially reclaimed the iconic name — Polaroid.
We spoke with Polaroid's CEO, Oskar Smołokowski, on the future of the company and its new camera released this week, and he set the record straight on what Polaroid is really about.
Can you tell our audience a bit about yourself and your active role at Polaroid?
My name is Oskar, I’m 30, and I’m from Poland. I have the privilege of overseeing this incredible brand with over 80 years of history and heritage. I’ve always been fascinated with how products operate, which led me to study mechanical engineering in London before leaving school to join a young team focused on remaking the iconic Polaroid film that went out of production. Back then, we were the Impossible Project, and eight years later, we proudly stand under the original Polaroid name. In this role, I focus my time on our international teams that are growing and evolving this incredible brand and its products.
Dr. Edwin H. Land holds up a color photograph he took moments earlier with the new Polaroid SX-70 film, circa 1972.
Can you talk a bit about Polaroid's legacy? How did this technology develop and who were some of the artists who made use of it?
Polaroid was founded in 1937 by Edwin Land, a design genius, to produce his patented polarizer technology, which is still used to this day. The first instant film camera came 10 years later in 1947, as one of his 535 patents. The story goes that Land's daughter asked him on a holiday why she couldn't see the pictures they were taking on their camera right away.
Fast-forward to the 1970s, and the legendary SX-70 Polaroid camera gave us the iconic Polaroid film design. The SX-70 film launched the original white frame border format in 1972, with a highly technical design known the world over. It was light-years ahead of the competition and proved to be a favorite among many artists over the next decades: Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, David Hockney, [Jean-Michel] Basquiat, and Maripol are some of the most influential Polaroid photographers.
How did Polaroid Originals, now rebranded as Polaroid, pick up the torch from this legacy, and what does the future of the company look like?
Polaroid’s roots have always been at the intersection of art and science. The company inspired an entire generation, including some incredible companies that are now household names, with its distinctive approach to product engineering, design, and marketing.
People walk outside Union Station in Washington, DC, on August 11, 2013. The image was taken with a Polaroid SX-70 camera using the Impossible Project PX 70 Color Protection film.
Our brand history impacts each decision we take as we continue developing products focused on human connection. Our ongoing mission is bringing people together in the real world, and we see a huge need for this in our increasingly distracted and digital lives. We’re pretty excited about the future and evolving this beautiful brand and company.
Why is the preservation of this analog technology important in an increasingly digital world?
I think the magic of analog lies in the experience. The innate limitations, compared to digital, bring out the best in the moment. The focus shifts from distractedly capturing the moment on a screen to slowing down and limiting the time spent taking each picture. That experience of care and intent is the reason why analog is here to stay. Analog technology supplements the digital world that none of us can (and shouldn’t!) fully escape. But for our moments of human connection, nothing compares to the magic of an analog experience with a Polaroid camera.
It’s important to remember that photography used to be a craft that required a knowledge of working with light. Smartphones compensate all of this with incredible algorithms and computational photography. It can be a welcomed challenge to onboard someone into this unique technology because, as with anything, the more you pour into the process and learn the craft, the more rewarding it is. Especially when you hold the amazing final product of a Polaroid picture in your hand. And of course, the best part is knowing that no one in the world will ever have the exact same photo as you.
The Polaroid Now camera. Can you tell us more about the new Polaroid Now camera? How does it stand up to some of the iconic Polaroid cameras from history?
The Polaroid Now is the best of both worlds when it comes to experiencing the essence of instant photography. On the outside, we wanted to respect the Polaroid heritage with a fresh approach while creating an honest, pure, and playful design that's just as easy to use as former Polaroid models. On the inside, we managed to use new technology in the aspheric lens and autofocus system. That means sharp photos and portraits as close as almost a foot away — down from 3 feet in the vintage cousins. It was also important to us for this camera to be super approachable and affordable. The Polaroid Now is the essence of the Polaroid experience — simple, analog, magic.
📸THE WEEK'S PHOTO STORIES FROM BUZZFEED NEWS 📸 This week saw the coronavirus continue its spread across the globe as every government, community, and individual grapples with this escalating threat. For some Americans, this threat was ignored, as many turned out in large crowds this past weekend to enjoy the spring weather. Next we travel the globe to witness the unprecedented sanitation measures being enacted to ensure streets are safe and clean. We leave you with messages of hope from communities hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.
Find more of the week's best photo stories here.
AMERICAN FAIL: LARGE CROWDS IGNORE THE WARNINGS Michael Heiman / Getty Images As states issued stay-at-home orders to stem the coronavirus outbreak, many people chose instead to congregate in public places. SEE THE FULL STORY
DEEP CLEAN: SANITATION MEASURES AROUND THE WORLD Laura Lezza / Getty Images Around the world, nations are enacting unprecedented sanitation measures to help combat the spread of the coronavirus. SEE THE FULL STORY
MESSAGES OF HOPE AMID THE PANDEMIC Mark Humphrey / AP As businesses shutter and residents continue to distance themselves from their neighbors, messages of hope and solidarity are springing up in unusual places. SEE THE FULL STORY
📸YOUR WEEKLY PALATE CLEANSER 📸 Danny Lawson / PA Images via Getty Images For those of us locked tight in quarantine, here's a lovely reminder that spring is in full bloom in all of its beauty and color. In this macro shot by photographer Danny Lawson, a bee carrying a full load of pollen makes its way to a freshly bloomed cherry blossom in Munich's Olympiapark on March 19.
"That's it from us this time — see you next week!" —Gabriel and Kate “The mystery isn’t in the technique, it's in each of us.” —Harry CalahanWant More? Go To JPG Homepage
📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by the News Photo team. Gabriel Sanchez is the photo essay editor based in New York and loves cats. Kate Bubacz is the photo director based in New York and loves dogs. You can always reach us here.
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