“In
the past 10 months we have seen a 75% increase in the 18-25 demographic, with
teenagers turning their backs on digital for something more tangible. Over the
past six months, we have doubled the volume of films we sell and refurbished
more than 30,000 classic Polaroid cameras. Next year, we expect these numbers
to double.”
CEO of The Impossible
Project, Creed O’Hanlon commenting on the resurgence of interest in Analog
Photography and Polaroid Cameras
Polaroid
look set to make a comeback.
All thanks to the Fappening incident, that
infamous hack that so rattle Apple that they cut the price on their Cloud
Storage as stated in my blog article
entitled “US$19.99
1TB Cloud thanks to Apple iCloud Price Drop – Apple iCloud for Windows out to
counter Bad Press from Celebrity Hacking”.
This
as oddly a new trend is developing among Celebrities; taking pictures using
Polaroid Cameras instead of with their smartphones as reported in the article “Why
stars love Polaroid’s retro chic: no risk of embarrassing uploads on the net”,
published Saturday 8 November 2014 14.19 GMT by Tess Reidy, the UK Guardian.
As
The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco said while endorsing the trend towards Analog
Photography, quote: “Polaroids are the
way to go. No one can get those.”
Now
to be fair, dear reader, I usually ignore whatever these self-obsessed
Celebrities in the US of A and elsewhere do. But since their world ever so
often intersects with Technology Trends ever so often, I’m forced to
acknowledge their existence.
Especially
if the trend they’re starting is one that I’d predicted way back in May 2011,
when I’d predicted an increase among Millennials (ages 18 to 28) in Analog
photography due to the more original and authentic feel of the photograph as
predicted in my blog
article entitled “Analog
Photography a hit with Millennials - Digital Cameras in Katy Perry's Teenage
Dream”.
Analog Photography back
in Vogue - Passion for Analog Format among Millennials gets a boos from
Privacy-loving Celebrities
Polaroid,
the company founded back in 1937 that popularized the Snap and instant print
camera that developed the picture after it was taken, died a slow death along with
Cameras that used Film in 2001. Bankruptcy at the hands of Digital Cameras, however
was a mask for the continued desire to print film yourself, just with more control
over the creative process.
So
to me, it’s no surprise that Polaroid’s and Analog Photography in from the 70’s
up to the 90’s are making a slow comeback. Just like Anonymous chatrooms in the
form of Facebook Rooms as described in my blog article
entitled “Facebook
launches Facebook Rooms - The 90’s Return as Facebook faces competition from
Anonymous Mobile Social Networks”.
Or
even the US$450 Blackberry Classic, that set to land this Wednesday September
17th 2014 as declared in my blog article
entitled “US$450
Blackberry Classic coming December 17th 2014 – What the Blackberry Q20 has
become with QWERTY Keyboard and Android Apps”.
But
as far back as 2011, Millennial (ages 18 to 28) began taking an increasing
interest in Analog Photography Techniques, possibly fascinated by the variety
of Analog effects that give pictures that glamorous look from the 1940’s that Digital
Filtering Techniques just can't duplicate. Polaroid’s and cameras with film are
expensive and so is the developement kit needed to make them work.
But interest in doing Analog Photography courses
among students at Wiltshire College in England as an example is duly noted by
Wiltshire College Curriculum Manager for Media, Visual and Performing Arts,
Paul Bryant as an example of this trend, quote: “For me, there is still something
about them. They [Polaroids] cost a lot more and this makes people think
carefully about how they are composing or structuring an image and so you are
actually thinking a lot more about what you’re doing.”
In
so doing, many Photograph students are rediscovering the love for Analog
Photography that popularized the art of Andy Warhol, David Hockney, William
Wegman, Chuck Close, Lucas Samaras and Marie Cosindas in the 90's.
Aside
from actors like Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco, singers like FKA twigs, Lana
Del Rey and Miley Cyrus are into the 90's Nostalgia to quote freelance
photographer Stephanie Sian Smith: “Young people today are more nostalgic than
ever and they love the old film look – hence the rise of Instagram. The cameras
look cool and the pictures remind us of something from the past.”
Polaroids making a
Comeback – Millennials leading the Charge yet again as Celebrities go Retro
So
it's ironic that the Privacy concerns of the Celebrities of the 21st
century thanks to the smartphones with Cameras that are now killing off Digital
Cameras is reinvigorating a return to Analog Photography and Polaroid’s. Interestingly,
leading the charge is Grammy award-winner Taylor Swift and her latest offering,
1989, which has artwork that feature a photographs taken using a Polaroid
artwork and CD's that sport imitation Polaroid’s splashed across their visible
surface.
Polaroid’s
are beloved as they are the most convenient form of Analog Photography.
Not
to mention original and a slight throwback to the 70's, the same era that the
Bellbottom Jeans came from according to the observations of CEO of The
Impossible Project, Creed O’Hanlon, the company that's resurrected the
Polaroid, quote: “The classic square white frame is probably the most instantly
recognizable printed photographic format. A new generation of photographers is
embracing it because – unlike digital photos – they’re distinctive, one-off,
and tangible.”
This
love for nostalgia among the Millennials that's been bubbling since 2011 which
the Celebrities like Taylor Swift are adopting is fanning the flames of desire
for Polaroid.
CEO
of The Impossible Project, Creed O’Hanlon that took over the production of Polaroid’s in
2007 as reported in “The
Polaroid revival”, published Monday 5 April 2010 15.52 BST by Sean O'Hagan,
The UK Guardian states that he's
actually noticed a 75% increase in Polaroid Sales among Millennials (ages 18 to
28) and more than 30,000 requests for refurbishing of Older model Polaroid
Cameras.
So
is this a Celebrity Fad or genuine Trend that the Celebrities have adopted from
their Millennial (ages 18 to 28) counterparts? When I start seeing Polaroid
Cameras back in Jamaica I'll declare it's the latter; right now this is all
just a throwback to the year 1989 as per Taylor Swift's Album cover!
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