The Beauty of Instant Film Photography

MiNT TL70+, Fujifilm Instax, and the rich history of Polaroid.

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All images were made with the MiNT TL70+ unless noted otherwise.

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I’ve been an avid user of instant film for three years now. I love the uniqueness of the prints, the sensational colors, and the “wow” factor of the development process.

Instant film has also been a foundational aspect of the programs I taught for the last two years with the Cleveland Print Room (in collaboration with Cuyahoga Community College), University Circle, and Urban Community School. It made for a special way of getting an immediate result, quick evaluation of the student’s processes, and making souvenirs to take home.

I utilize instant film as an alternate method of everyday street photography, making images of loved ones and documenting my own life. My instant camera of choice, the MiNT TL70+, offers handsome looks that continuously captivate strangers, and a captivating photography process that’s a callback to the era of the Rolleiflex.

Mint Camera sent me the TL70+, allowing me to keep it in exchange for a YouTube video (that’s still in the works, long story). I’ve enjoyed this camera so much that I’m writing this piece to sing its praises and advocate for the instant format. Keep reading to see why I feel this way.

A New Process

Words cannot express how lovely it is to photograph using a waist-level viewfinder. No EVF I’ve ever used (and I’ve used some great ones) compares to the magic of seeing the world through that 1:1 beauty.

Having full manual control with a built-in light meter allows me to immerse myself in the world fully, only focused on the camera and the scene. Watching my field of focus crystalize as I adjust for these moments resonates differently because it truly culminates into a one-of-one piece.

The sense of joy that comes from holding instant prints has been spellbinding for amateurs and professionals alike since the early days of the Polaroid SX-70. Today, it captivates me, countless people I come across, and many more to come. This format encompasses all of the magic of Photography.

During my first weekend of photo walks with the TL70+, thirteen people stopped me on the street! They were either excited to see a “vintage camera”, simply interested in what I was doing, or asking me to be photographed. It was wonderful.

While I can get sharper, more accurate, easier-to-categorize images on my digital cameras, the instant film process creates a sense of fulfillment where those factors don’t matter.

People can say “Go buy a Hasseblad, C330, Yashica” or something else, but they’d be missing the point. The spellbinding nature of instant is something that roll film and digital can’t compare to.

Charm

The first weekend with the TL70+ introduced me to thirteen new people. Here we are nearly a year later, I’ve completely lost count. I can’t afford to be on the introverted end of my ambient spectrum when using this, because it’s guaranteed to grab at least one person’s attention.

On the aesthetic front, I love a camera with flair. I don’t know when philistinism became so rampant in photography, but this idea that each camera is merely a cold, lifeless “tool” that exists solely for a transactional function is a movement that I can’t get behind. Cameras are special. They’re tokens that embody our tastes and are emblematic of our passion.

For example, this camera caught the attention of a girl named Yunha, whom I met during a gorgeous afternoon in Cleveland. While our initial conversation was about our respective cameras, I learned that she was only in town for a little while longer as she was on a study abroad program.

She took an interest in the design of the TL70+. After offering to take a picture of her with it, I surprised her with the fact that it prints out images after pressing the shutter.

She loved it! After another photo, we exchanged autographs. She kept the one that I signed, and I have the one that she signed. It was getting late, so my friend and I offered to (and did) walk her to her transit stop, took a few more pictures during our walk, and she was on her way.

Yunha and I.

I’ll probably never see Yunha again, but the fact that we each have a piece of that time we shared means more than any megapixels ever could.

On the usability front, I love intricate controls. Manual focus, clicked dials, give me all of it. With this camera, there finally exists a full manual, TLR-style instant camera with a glass lens that resolves (arguably) the full power of Fujifilm Instax Square. This means that romantics like myself (and probably many of you) get to engage in our favorite parts of the photography process while maintaining apex quality.

Fine Art Photography

There’s a special quality to the mystique of instant photography that elevates it to possessing fine art value. When most people think of “fine art photography”, images of black and white, minimal nature scenes may come to mind. While that’s certainly part of it, it’s also work like these:

Polaroid, Andre Kertesz

Polaroid, Helmut Newton

Polaroid, Andrei Tarkovsky

Fine art photography in the sole sense of appealing to museums is not my goal (though it would be nice). Rather, fine art photography for creating images that turn the dial and express a unique conception is the aim. The instant format is perfect for exploring these concepts.

Even when metered perfectly in ideal temperatures, it’s embedded in the process to relinquish a bit of control to allow the film to work its magic. From there, infinite opportunities manifest into existence, and you have a process that takes your creativity and transforms it into “the beyond”.

Additionally, the scarcity of instant film’s one-of-one nature infuses a special value. While I treat all of my “keeper” images as precious, there’s something different about having to wait until I get home, open up my photo albums, and flip through the pages to find the unique image made on instant film. One isn’t better than the other, they’re just different.

In Closing

I could go on forever about how much I love instant photography. This medium has brought me, my students, and millions around the world so much joy, and I hope that the format continues to grow.

Do you use instant cameras? Or perhaps, do you have any important friend or family photos that were made on Polaroid or Instax? I would love to read about this in the comments.

If you are not already subscribed, visit my YouTube Channel. I’m making an official review of the MiNT TL70+, and I have an entire catalog of Street Photography videos for you to peruse.

Click here to visit Mint’s website. Not an affiliate link, this piece was written out of love.

I can promise that I’ll have some sponsors someday though. That way we can keep this publication free for the people.

Thank you for reading this edition of Camera Flow!