Garden #2: Butterfly

Both Polymer Photogravures in Editions of 8. These were the first tests I did with the new Caligo Water Wash up inks, in this case with the Carbon Black. Both were printed “dry” – without first dampening the paper. I found that the ink would run a little with the dampened paper and I also liked the contrast range better printing dry. Both were exhibited earlier this year at a show out at Red Opus, and a few of them went to some print exchanges. The rest of them I have stowed away, for now.

Well, that was all unnecissary. Try it yourself, but it really makes no difference when you peel the film. The development process used for polaroid film is what’s called a monobath. A very very complex and well designed monobath, but a monobath. It means that it contains a very quick acting developer coupled with a quick acting fixer, mixed into one. The image is developed by the developer components, and the fixer takes over not long after, finishing the process. So development is stopped by the chemistry itself. Which means it doesnt matter when you peel the film at all, the times listed are just the minimum development times.
So don’t stress about it.

EDIT: Looking back this was a bit of a blanket statement to make. I believe some of the earlier polaroid peel apart emulsions could be damanged by developing for too long, but with Fuji FP100B/100C and FP-3000B, the only peel apart film currently available new, I’ve noticed no ill effects by extending development by up to an hour. After 8 hours, FP-100C has shown the emulsion to soften though. So, dont stress about it, but exercise some cuation.

HARMAN officially responds

Dear All,

We have received many, many e.mails from photo enthusiasts the world over regarding the possibility of our manufacturing monochrome POLAROID product. We have no idea whether this will be possible or practical, what I can tell you is that our Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Philip Harris has written to the CEO of POLAROID with the intention of discussing the possibility, should anything develop from this contact I will let you know.

Simon : ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

[source]

That’s Simon Galley, Marketing Director of ILFORD/HARMAN. He’s the antidepressant of the analogue photography world.

And, with news from Polaroid itself, the phase-out timetable for Polaroid products has been released.

Last updated 18th of February, 2008. [source]

So there looks to be a safe supply of 600 film for the next year, but I wouldn’t put money on it. The larger the format, the more depressing the situation, it seems. Many have noted that 8×10 products are already hard to come across.

So, who could take up the slack from Polaroid? Many have suggested Fuji, and I’m leaning towards them too, as they already make a range of Polaroid-compatible instant products. But someone on the Film Wasters forum actually [took the time to email Harman], the benevolent parent company of Ilford, and got a response;

HARMAN technology Limited thank you for your email. It is nice to know that you consider us to be the natural home of Black & White.

We will be in touch with Polaroid as soon as possible to discuss the licensing of the product. We will be in contact with you to keep you up to date with the situation.

In the meantime please keep in touch with our website (www.harmantechnology.com)

So, an interesting suggestion. This is in regards to Polaroid’s black and white products, of course, which are still extensively used by artists. No words on products like 600 format film, which you’d think has the largest market (everyone has a Polaroid 600 camera stowed away somewhere). Perhaps we’ll hear more in the next few weeks.

In the mean time, if you’re so inclined, you can sign the ["Save Polaroid" Petition]. I don’t imagine it will get Polaroid to reverse their decision, but it shows support for the product, which helps suggest how viable it is to other companies.

There has been speculation about the demise of Polaroid for years now. Between the propaganda or honest belief of it’s leaving the marketplace, it’s never really been backed by anything from the company. Polaroid, of course, doesn’t talk to us much these days. Product discontinuation notices have come in the form of stickers in the past, and as they try to compete in a digital world, while their name is tacked onto crappy TV’s and digital cameras, their film range isn’t what it once was.
But this, it seems, is the end.

Polaroid shutting 2 Mass. facilities, laying off 150

Polaroid Corp., the Massachusetts company that gave the world instant film photography, is shutting down its film manufacturing lines in the state and abandoning the technology that made the company famous.
more stories like this

The Norwood and Waltham plants make large-format films used by professional photographers and artists. Polaroid also makes professional-grade films in Mexico, and its consumer film packs come from a factory in the Netherlands. All these plants are slated for closure this year. Polaroid chief operating officer Tom Beaudoin said the company is interested in licensing its technology to an outside firm that could manufacture film for faithful Polaroid customers. If that doesn’t happen, Polaroid users would have to find an alternative photo technology, as the company plans to make only enough film to last into next year.
[continue here...]

Seems like the end of an era. No more tacky “Christmas ’94″ photos.
Time to go start buying up stows of film…

It’s interesting to note FujiFilm still produces pack film (peel apart), which you can [buy from megaperls webshop here].