Polaroid or instant cameras have been the mainstream in the late 1940s when a Harvard University dropout, Edwin H. Land discovered it. For years, it has become the mainstream in many societies, paving way to more recent inventions. The device has been gathering acclaimed fame that within a few years after its discovery, Polaroid has already been distributed to 45 countries.

…Then came the modern era.

In the age of digitization and the invention of digital cameras, Polaroid has found itself near trash bins. Since images can now be saved in mobile devices, Polaroid has slowly lessened its usefulness. Nobody wants to store numerous photos in shoeboxes anymore.

Instant film has seemed to fade into the dark for a few years but is now making a comeback.

It started in 2008 when a group of eager young entrepreneurs reinvented Polaroid cameras making the design sleeker and the built more fit for stylish and modern feel. Numerous reviews were written for the new reinvention and the product has once again gained sensation. A different type of film was used. For different reasons, may it be nostalgia, just for the fun of it, convenience or just to keep up with the trend, people has started using it once again.

Because of the regained fame, Polaroid brand is not the only one manufacturing it. There are numerous numbers of Polaroids producing the same product with different features but instant still. The Peterson Group, a Taiwan-based company which distributes mobile phone accessories and laptop paraphernalia across Asia, reports at least 10 companies claiming their own brand in Polaroid Cameras.

Since it is popular nowadays, fraudsters are also taking advantage of the trend to create their own fake products but that does not hinder the profit granted for legitimate companies selling these products.

According to reports, Polaroid cameras are familiar mostly to women and have been reviewed by one of the most favorites in Working Mother’s Magazine.

These days, Polaroid Cameras are even available as accessories for mobile accessories. Countries from Asia have been recorded to use the most number of Polaroid this year as selfies have become a trend. Seoul, South Korea, Jakarta, Indonesia and Tokyo, Japan are the top of the list in most selfies taken through Polaroid. They have been using their smartphones in the process and have been featured in many television programs and events.

The instant cameras are fit for those who want a classic style of capturing a moment. Polaroid has done the trick and is still here to stay.

An overall beautiful and equally informative book that reignited my love for Polaroid photography. There were several images in particular that I thought were absolutely gorgeous, such as one of a mannequin in Paris where you can see the reflection of buildings in the shop window, or a pale woman lying down at the edge of a vibrant blue pool. It was a good range of new to old photographs, and the essay by Barbara Hitchcock in the beginning of the book worked well in establishing a context and general overview of the history of this kind of photography. 

According to the back of the book, it is a funny, laugh out loud story. I only laughed once, during the scary story time. 

Other then that, yes the book was miraculous, it was wonderful, it contained many mysteries, but funny, not so.

I really liked the fact that the book was made to look like a notebook, and I really enjoyed the polaroid pictures, they enhanced the story and made it more fun, but also more mysterious. 

I loved Julie, she was a really wonderful character, in her child form, or her adult form. I loved how serious she took her good guide role and how she tried so much to be friends with the 2 new kids.

Nergui and Chingis were really interesting characters to read about, I was quite curious to find more about them, and when the truth was revealed it was a bit of a shock, but also something I expected, given how much they avoided things, how their home was filled with bags and suitcases, filled and ready to be picked up.

What I like even more was the fact that we have parts now and parts then. The parts then are about Julie in school, and the now parts are about Julie grown-up and going to her old school and searching for Chingis.

In overall, a book I would recommend to everyone. :)

Regardless of bad choices in business practice, Polaroid and its cameras remain one of the best things that happened to Photography. Recently, with news of the company shutting down and new enterprises taking over the responsibility to perpetuate the film manufacture, there's been a revival of interest in the polaroid medium, specially for artists and photographers.

This book is gorgeous and of wonderful quality. The essays are interesting, if a little short and superficial. There's no shortage of images, and I felt like the book would have benefited from a tighter selection, as well as less literal pairings. However, there are some true gems throughout, and this is worth it for those who take interest in Polaroids.