expired Polaroid film

by Kaylah Stroup

Two days before leaving on my big road trip I was aimlessly browsing craigslist. I was checking out apartments in Phoenix (not that I’m actually considering moving but it’s fun to day dream, aye?), looking at free stuff in Cleveland, and going down the list of things I search for in the for sale section when I remember that craigslist exists. One of those things includes film. There was a post from eleven days previous for four packs of original Polaroid film, as well as two Polaroid cameras. The price for all those things was around the same price I’d expect to pay for one of those packs of film. I immediately emailed, not expecting too much since it had been listed for nearly two weeks already.

I got an email back almost immediately stating that someone else has already emailed and would be coming to get the film and cameras the next day. I emailed back, thanked them, and let them know if there was any more film I was definitely interested. No big deal. It was a bummer to get all excited about it only to hear it was already spoken for but it really did seem like too good of a deal to be true.

The next day, mid bike ride while taking a bubble tea break at my new favorite spot, I got an email – the person who had emailed before me didn’t want to make the hour drive to pick up the film. We biked home, and immediately hopped in the car to get the film. I was ecstatic, I couldn’t believe it. Right before we left I got nervous. There was just no way that I could be getting this good of a deal, and right when I would want the film. Whoever made the listing had to be a murderer, especially since we have to drive an hour outside the city to buy it.

The price was worth the risk but I wasn’t really expecting too much from Polaroid film that was ten years out of date. The first photo I took was in Saguaro National Park, the first photo in the post. I forgot how quickly real Polaroid film developed. I’m so used to Impossible Project film that takes around twenty minutes. Before even making it to the car I was squealing with excitement, the film worked and the picture looked dang awesome!

After the first photo I was SO excited to shoot with my Polaroid camera. Some photos turned out better than others but all in all I’d consider this a very very good purchase. The colors are so dreamy. I forgot how much I absolutely love real Polaroid film, even ten years out of date and this stuff is still amazing. I can’t believe the timing worked out so perfectly that I’d stumble upon the listing right before the trip. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world!
xoxo

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24 comments

B June 22, 2015 - 12:47 pm

I love how the photos turned out! I'm glad the 1st buyer backed out and you were able to score this awesome deal!

Kaylah June 22, 2015 - 7:13 pm

Me too! They missed one heck of a deal.

Pernille Franciska June 22, 2015 - 1:46 pm

Omg, these are amazing ! They look like a hazy summer dream captured in varm tones. I can almost feel the heat. what a buy !!

http://lycanter.blogspot.dk/

Kaylah June 22, 2015 - 7:14 pm

Thanks! I am SO excited!

Violet Roots June 22, 2015 - 2:22 pm

How lucky! I like how it all came out and I agree that the colors are really dreamy. It's kind of like making an art piece without as much work.

-M
http://www.violetroots.com

Kaylah June 22, 2015 - 7:14 pm

Yep!! 🙂

julia June 22, 2015 - 5:24 pm

that turned out nicely 🙂 such a dreamy effect

Kaylah June 22, 2015 - 7:14 pm

Thanks, Julia! 🙂

robayre June 22, 2015 - 6:35 pm

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this! A friend of mine just dropped off a huge stack of expired polaroid film. I was so excited at first but then started remembering one of the last times I tried to shoot expired instant and the pictures all showed up 100% gold and so muddy you couldn't make anything out. This gives me hope and now I want to rush home and start trying it out! I miss polaroid film so bad.

Kaylah June 22, 2015 - 7:15 pm

Uhhhh, how exciting! Hope it works for you!!! 🙂

Sarah Albertson June 23, 2015 - 12:52 am

Wow these turned out so neat! What a great lucky find! I hope one day I get lucky and score some original film for my camera.

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:00 pm

Fingers crossed for ya! 🙂

treehouseimagery June 23, 2015 - 1:35 am

awesome shots! I love them all, but the ones of the cliffs into the ocean are my favorite. I recently tried out Impossible film for the first time (shots are on my blog). It was fun, but doesn't compare to the original polaroid film, wish it was still made! Maybe I'll like the B&W impossible film better. Have you tried it?

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:02 pm

The coast is so amazing, and so easy to shoot. I actually wish I would have taken more polaroids there but I was trying to conserve film.

I haven't tried the B+W yet, but I'd really like to give it a shot!

Katie J. June 23, 2015 - 3:48 am

I had no idea old polaroid film could give such cool effects! I've been dying to get my hands on a lomo camera for years…I actually ordered one from Urban Outfitters in 2008 but they canceled my order. I was so bummed! Thanks for sharing your great find, I'm inspired to start looking for some cool old cameras!

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:02 pm

Yes! Everyone needs to play around with cameras at some point! Film photography is just the best.

Tara Hammond June 23, 2015 - 4:23 am

Such good luck! I love the photos and now I'm inspired to look around craigslist more often.

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:09 pm

Definitely always something interesting to find on there… 😛

Christina Huerta June 23, 2015 - 1:07 pm

These make the desert look a thousand times more cool! (no pun intended.)

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:09 pm

Hah!

hello haha narf June 23, 2015 - 5:12 pm

incredible! thrilled that the universe came together for you. love when that happens.
🙂

Kaylah June 23, 2015 - 7:09 pm

I know! It's really exciting. 🙂

Dawn Champine June 24, 2015 - 5:58 am

I can so relate! My fiance used to sell a lot of SX70s and expired Polaroid film online. Not so much any more, but man, when he comes across a batch of expired film, its pretty darn exciting!

Charlotte May 11, 2016 - 1:59 pm

I have just ordered 2 packs of original film, expired in 1999 so I have no idea what the outcome will be but I'm very excited to try it! Yours look absolutely amazing!! X

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