Customer Reviews

The Polaroid Book

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My dad bought a Polaroid Land Camera (of the peel-apart type) before I was born... to take pictures of his chubby firstborn (that would be me, BTW).

Ever since, the sharp, colorful and amazingly stable little prints became part of our family's memory. My love for pictures was definitely boosted by the instant gratification offered by an SX-70 camera, which I still own and use after 25+ years, as well as a brand new Jobpro 600.

"The Polaroid Book" is a must for any hardcore Polaroid fan. Lotsa pictures, beautifully printed, with absolute respect for the authors' vision (Ansel Adams, Joyce Tenneson and Bill Allard, to mention only three of them). Nevertheless, the book's greatest virtue is to prove, without any doubt, that beautiful and creative work can be achieved with the simplest tools and the sheer power of imagination.

Polaroid is still alive and well, and this book is the best supporting evidence. Now, I'll just lay back and wait for that new new-old stock Polaroid Nightcam that I bought on the company's website. Let's see what that 600 film-munching baby can do.

WOW... words can't even begin to describe how much I love this book! It's about time they released a book like this! And the wrapper of this book is genius! It looks like a gigantic box of Polaroid film... I didn't even want to remove the cover at first... I fondled it for awhile and then I slowly peeled it off and curled up on the couch for an hour or two and looked at all the pretty pictures.
This book is highly recommended for any Polaroid enthusiast! And if you want to see some great 'roids on the net- check out Polanoid.net!

Visual eye candy compiled by Steve Crist from the archives of the "Polaroid Collections of Photography" are presented in The Polaroid Book, a delightful display highly recommended for photography collections at the college and public library levels. Most color and some duotone shots are presented one to a page for maximum impact. The artist index and polaroid model styles are in the back, so as not to detract from the image impacts. A delightful, detailed guide to what the camera can do at its best.

Honestly, at first this looked like something you could place on a coffee table or a dining room table, then forget about it having guests take 5 minute glances at it every now and again. What I didn't realize is how well the pictures are laid out in the book, the quality of the print, and the overall pristine wonder of the photographs inside. It still isn't really something you'd read over and over again, but if you want to be inspired, love classic photography, or maybe want a quick lesson on beginning to use polaroid photography, I'd definitely recommend this product. And let me tell you... for the price, this is easily one of the best deals on Amazon... 10 dollars for a 350 page book filled with a short history on the subject of polaroid photography, and hundreds of stunningly beautiful photographs, I can't describe how glad I am I made this purchase.

Most readers will likely be overwhelmed and delighted from reading the
"Polaroid Book, Selections from the Polaroid Collections of Photography" not only
because of the visual appeal and variety of technical use with the images, but in
discovering how Edwin Land, the inventor, and Ansel Adams, the photographer, met
and how Adams became an integral part of the Polaroid Company.

The two met in 1948 as the first Polaroid "Land" camera was introduced to the world
providing photographs that gave an instant image to the photographer. No more
waiting for photographs by sending film off for processing.

Land hired Adams as an artistic consultant. His assignment: test cameras, film and
related photographic paraphernalia in the field and in the studio and report back.

Edwin Land finds not only a colleague and life-long friend in Ansel Adams, but a most
admired artist--a label that Land felt suited him as well. Both were captured by the art
of photography.

Adams began collecting photographs to be used as the "standard" of which to
compare the "Polaroid" results. Work by famous photographers such as Minor White,
Eliot Porter, Laura Gilpin, and Margaret Bourke-White, and others, were purchased as
"the Library Collection". This collection grew as relatively unknown photographers'
work was added which evolved into what is now "the Polaroid Collections".

This body of work wasn't simply the routine, the established, the expected of each
photographers' particular style. It evolved into experiments with often breath-taking
outcomes.

Ink was added, the images were painted upon, chemicals were added, film was frozen,
dyes and pastels were played with, and actual piercing of the photographs occurred.
Just about anything that one could think of doing to the film and images was done.

The results are more than surprising. At first blush, it would be inconceivable to think
that the use of instant photography was able to produce such a collection. So many of
the techniques emulate a standard, manually controlled camera with timed images,
double- and multiple-exposures, and unique lighting. Many are surreal.

In addition, the book provides a brief historical timeline of the Polaroid cameras and
milestones made with different types of cameras, film and processes.

I highly recommend this book as a guide, a resource, and an inspiration, to all who are
stirred by visual medium.

The images in this book will certainly spark a reaction.

This is a classic which sold out its first printing. BUY THIS NOW! You will have, preserved on your bookshelf the essence of what Edwin Land envisioned over 65 years ago distilled in one BEAUTIFUL volume. How can the Petters Group (who now owns Polaroid) dare to banish such a beautiful art form from humanity? That's right, Polaroid has stopped making instant film and the supply may barely run through the end of this year, and all expire by the end of next year. THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST ART AND HUMANITY!! Buy the book, then go to savepolaroid.com and join us all to save this incredible art form. JUST LOOK AT THE PAGES OF THIS INCREDIBLE VOLUME!!! You will be amazed!

My husband loved getting this book for Christmas. Very nice art book & not pricey. It's also interesting because it explains the history of the polaroid.

On my desk at the moment is a cherished copy of "The Polaroid Book: Selections from the Polaroid Collections of Photography", published by Taschen. This book is a delightful ode to a fantastic art medium that is, unfortunately, fading out.

The immediacy and intimacy of Polaroid photography simply cannot be replicated by digital photography. Sure, you can pick up a digital camera and point and shoot all you like, but you won't have a completed, printed image sliding gracefully out of the camera and developing before your eyes. You will also not get the opportunity to dismember the image during its development and experiment with such delights as transfer printing.

Don't get me wrong, digital photography definitely has its merits and its vast possibilities - I'm a fanatic and practitioner myself. However, there is no other photographic medium that can possibly compare with the inimitable Polaroid - and it is sad to see it slowly diminish and disappear from the shelves.

The Polaroid Book is, in my opinion, a most fitting tribute to the Polaroid technology. Edited by Steve Crist, and with an introductory essay by Barbara Hitchcock (Director of The Polaroid Collections and written in September 2004), the book includes 254 images and a brief overview of some of the more significant cameras sold by the company.

One of the downsides of this book, like all great photographic books, is that you are left feeling somewhat let down by the fact that it is not the original works that you are looking at. The temptation to pick the image up off the page, feel it and hold it is, in my case, quite overwhelming. It is difficult not to have your browsing completely arrested by images like Joyce Tennyson's "Suzanne in Chair", Danilo Sartoni's "Landscape", Rien Bazen's almost Rothko-esque "(Blue Chair)", Bill Burke's "Family, Kermit, W. Va." - in fact there are too many to list here, but you get the point.

The book also contains images by Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe, Ansel Adams, Harry Callahan, Paul Caponigro,David Hockney and Helmut Newton, to name but a few. Of particular interest to the book's Australian audience is "Sisters 1" by Mark Power, an image made in 1970. Is it because that photo was not taken by Bill Henson that the book has not attracted the ire of that country's wowser's?

All in all, a great reason to turn off the TV, get comfortable, and immerse yourself in the pleasures of a disappearing art medium. Maybe, hopefully, books like The Polaroid Book will trigger our collective consciences into doing what needs to be done to make this medium the giant it once was. After all, compared to the opportunities available to digital photographers, the Polaroid is quite limiting. However, isn't it limitation that is the mother of creativity? This book argues a convincing "YES". Thankfully, it has been reprinted by Taschen and is currently available at a very reasonable price. Do yourself a favour and add it to your collection today.

I recently purchased this book and must say that this is a beautifully created masterpiece. Give it up to Taschen for yet another exquisite piece of documentation; this time showing the love and art of the polaroid instant medium. This book provides a visual history of art created through the polaroid lens by some of the great photographers. If you love polaroid you will love this book. Simply a must-have for any enthusiast.

This book shows very fashion collections of polaroid photos. These photos are beautiful and give me some ideas of taking photo.