Let's Talk About Polaroid Cameras

This past weekend, some of my best friends in the whole wide world from college came to visit. We had SO much fun. The weekend consisted of Pitch Perfect, nail polish, candy, the mall, Guardians of the Galaxy...and polaroid camera snaps.

I whipped out my Polaroid camera one night and suggested that we try taking a few pictures with it. The results were some hilarious and sweet pictures that we all got to cherish.

Polaroid/Instax cameras have been around for awhile, but I love that they've recently come back. I love having an instant physical copy of the picture I take. So, I thought I'd share what polaroid camera I use, what film I like, and a few tips I've discovered along the way.

Tools of the Trade

The camera I use is a Polaroid 300 Instant Camera. I got it for Christmas a couple of years ago, and it's been a great one.

As far as film goes, I can use both Polaroid 300 and Fujifilm Instax Mini film, just so long as it's all in the 300/mini size.

Here's what film I've used so far:

• Polaroid 300 Instant Film
• Fujifilm Instax Mini Rainbow Film

I LOVE Urban Outfitters' Cameras + Film section. They have cameras, different kinds of film, and more. I'm storing my polaroids in an album so that they stay vibrant and all in one place.

I also happened upon MochiThings' selection of Instax goodies. They have supplies, albums, and so much film - including Cath Kidston!

A quick search on Pinterest can help you find the supplies you need.

Tips for Polaroid Photography

1. To get a good feel for where your lens is, take pictures of objects or - I can't believe I'm saying this - selfies. On my camera, my viewfinder is slightly higher than my lens, and it's altered the way I see the composition of my photos some. I've found that taking pictures of people is a little bit easier than taking pictures of objects for that reason. Just play around with it to see what works for you.
2. Watch your lighting. If there's too much light - especially with your camera's flash - it'll alter the exposure and the way your picture turns out as a whole. Play with your settings to see what results you get, but don't worry if it's blurry or too bright - that sometimes makes for some really cool shots. This leads me to:
3. Don't worry so much about getting the perfect picture; leave that to your Instagram. Some of the pictures my friends and I took are amazing because of the fact that we didn't plan them, whether they were candid shots or a pose that wasn't exactly the way we originally wanted it. Not being able to delete the imperfect pictures is actually a relief when you only have so much film - it feels more genuine, especially when you look pack at the pictures you took later.