Gimme Some Luddite Juice [part I]

© Joe Ryan

“The old analog is going away. It's pretty sad, they took my Polaroids away and now they're taking my tape away. I just don't know what to do. I saw some petition the other day about trying to get Fuji or somebody to keep making the Polaroid film. I don't know if that's going to fly or not. It's the same thing, these technologies kind of fall out and stuff you were never able to afford hits rock-bottom prices. I mean, I found a Land camera probably 12 years ago, and it was $2 in some pawn shop that was being heated by an oven, in Lubbock or somewhere. And I'm like, ‘I can't believe this contraption is $2,’ because they're well-made. Then I wasn't sure I was going to find film and sure enough, that's where you ended up having to pay, the $20 for the 10 pictures. But the way they came out, if you nail a shot, there's nothing that looks like it” -- Jimmy Smith, April 2, 2008

After seeing this quote for the first time just two weeks ago, I thought about the Polaroids Jimmy used to take in the mid to late 90’s and emailed him to see if any had survived. I didn't hear anything back, though, and had all but forgotten about it when this reply turned up in my mailbox this morning, complete with some of those old photos attached:

'digi gonna take my poloroid, digi gonna take my poloroid, digi gonna take my poloroid away…digi gonna take my poloroid, leave this boy with no photo, digi gonna take my polaroid away.' so be it, maybe china will pick up the cuastic paste production, and feed my land camera. tills' that time here's a dozen keepers from album/archives past, con capciones.



Note: These photos can also be viewed as a slideshow

Special thanks to Joe Ryan for putting the video together.