Anyone who grew up in the 70s and 80s will fondly remember the magic of taking a picture with a Polaroid camera, and then watching the image as it gradually developed and appeared. I remember seeing people blow on their freshly taken pictures, while others would shake them back and forth – all things that were supposed to make them “develop faster” – even though they were completely unnecessary steps.
Polaroid cameras are a huge part of our Pop culture, the cameras or their pictures have featured prominently in more movies than I can recall (No Way Out, Sixteen Candles, Memento, Amelie, RoboCop, St. Elmo’s Fire, Clueless, Lost In Translation, and Diamonds are Forever – just to name a few), the cameras or pictures themselves are featured in songs (“shake it like a Polaroid picture!“), music videos (Heart Shaped Glasses), and Andy Warhol used them extensively as part of his creative process.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the very end. “700 hand-numbered kits containing a deadstock Polaroid ONE600 Classic camera and a pack of Type 779 film” will be available to purchase at Urban Outfitters stores in North America and London along with extra packs of the 779 film. When they are gone, they’re gone.
But if you own an iPhone, you can enjoy taking Polaroid-style photos forever. The application is ShakeItPhoto, and it simulates the experience of taking a Polaroid – from the distinctive sound of the snapping camera to the finished square product complete with white frame.
Take a picture from within ShakeItPhoto, decide whether you’ll use it or try again…
Watch as the “Polaroid” slides down…complete with processing sound
Now watch as the picture starts “developing”…
it’s getting clearer…
and here is the finished product!
You can even Polaroid-ize photos already in your library…
Existing photos not only get the developing process, they actually “shake” on the iPhone’s screen…
You can get really cool photo effects by using other iPhone picture editors like the excellent ColorSplash first…
How freaking cool is that?
No, it’s not quite the same as lugging around Polaroid camera…
But with no extra gadget to lug around and no pricey film to buy…
the results are completely satisfying.
ShakeItPhoto is brilliant, and it’s only 99¢.
Polaroid Cameras at Urban Outfitters info was from Dazed Digital via Engadget.
