Just some websites that I wanted to share…
findyourspot.com: Take a survey and find out what spot in the US meets your needs and interests. It told me Little Rock, Arkansas is my #1 happy place (ugh!), but Portland, OR was #2 and I can dig that. I love Portland and have considered moving there.
everyblock.com: If you live in a major city, you can type in your neighborhood or zip code and find out the latest happenings in your neighborhood including crimes, restaurant reviews, restaurant health and safety reviews (quite scary!), photos, and much more! Apparently vehicle break-ins and stolen cars are the thing in my neighborhood since I’ve been checking in the last month. Of course, knowing my luck, I’ll post this and my car will go missing tomorrow.
aftercapture.com: New photography magazine called AfterCapture. Published by the same people who publish Rangefinder magazine, which has been around for a while now. Rangefinder magazine is free to photographic professionals and so is AfterCapture. Go to the websites and click on “subscribe” to get your free subscriptions!
For about 4 months, I’ve been hearing what sounds like an explosion in my neighborhood…followed by big white sparks. Of course, I’m never really looking out my window when this happens, but it’s bright enough that I’ve seen it out of the corner of my eye from my office. It started to be about once every other week…and then every week. Now it happens just about every day since it’s become warmer outside. It always happens at night…usually after 10pm.
I’ve posted on Philly Blog about it months ago after some police cars showed up down the street following one of the explosions. Someone else wrote about it again recently. No one knows what the hell this is or what is causing it. I’ve mentioned to a few of my friends. Some think I’m crazy and losing it (which I probably am), others suggested that it’s a meth lab, some think it’s the power grid down the street, or the Reading Viaduct. But no one really knows. There are other people who live in this neighborhood so surely I’m not the only one witnessing this crazy shit.
However, today on page 14 of the City Paper, a story was released about a man who actually caught on fire on June 20 on the Reading Viaduct that runs through the neighborhood because he came in contact with the live wires and 12,000 volts of electricity. It made a loud bang and sparks flew 40 feet into the air and he was running around on fire screaming for help. I highly doubt that each loud bang that I hear every night is another person getting zapped. In fact, the explosions that I’ve heard/seen aren’t even around the Reading Viaduct, but further west. There is a power grid just a block from where I live. I’m thinking that maybe the substation is emitting high energy waves through the electric lines here and causing these loud bangs/explosions. It’s quite frightening. I have power lines running right next to my window. I really hope that they don’t explode.
In the City Paper article, Steve Dufala, an artist who witnessed the whole thing happen on June 20 said, “I was like, Jesus Christ, it’s a fucking person. And that is not an image I’m ever going to forget.”
Those are some of my own Polaroid SX-70 manipulations above.
Although most people are already aware, Polaroid plans to discontinue the remaining lines of the Polaroid films this year. Type 600 and Spectra are among the most used Polaroid films. There are many of us out there who have found this distant groundbreaking photographic technology to be useful, fascinating, and incredibly beautiful over the years.
The latest news is that Ilford/Harman Photo has expressed an interest in Polaroid film. Their initial statement included that while they were hoping to work with Polaroid to continue production of the film, it is cost prohibitive to meet the declining demand. Now, Ilford/Harman Photo has sent out a survey to Polaroid because they are interested in feedback…so perhaps there is hope after all.
I am including the email from Ilford/Harman and the survey below. If you so desire, please take the time to complete the survey and email it back to them at the address below. You can also fill out the petition to Save Polaroid Film!
Dear Polaroid user
My name is Judy Wong and I am the Marketing Manager for ILFORD PHOTO.
Thank you for contacting HARMAN/ILFORD PHOTO regarding the ‘Save Polaroid’ campaign.
ILFORD PHOTO is very interested in your views on Polaroid.
To that end I have compiled a short questionnaire (below) to try and gain a better understanding of what it is about Polaroid that users particularly love and I should be very grateful if you could spare the time to complete it.
Please rate your responses to statements 1 to 7a (I love Polaroid because…….) on a scale of 1-10 (where 1 is high and 10 is low) and complete questions 7(b) and 8, number 9 is optional. If answering number 9, please be as precise as possible.
Question
1. … it allows the capture of spontaneous and instant images
2. … I like the feel, smell and tactile nature of a Polaroid print
3. … I prefer analogue to digital technology
4. … I use it as a proofing tool
5. … I like the size of the image it creates
6. … it allows me to print real b&w silver halide images from the negatives
7.(a) … I like the quality and look of a Polaroid image*
(b)* (Please describe what it is that appeals to you about the look of
Polaroid, eg its use as an artistic tool for expression)
8. What would you use to replace your current way of working when the supply of Polaroid film eventually runs out?
9. Any other comments (please be brief and explicit)
Please reply to this email address (Jane.crossen@harmantechnology.com)
Many thanks for your time, it is much appreciated.
Regards
Judy Wong
