How has it been two years since I last captured an image on film? Seriously, it feels like it was only yesterday that I broke out my SX-70 OneStep and captured my garden on very-much-expired, Impossible Project, Polaroid film. But the truth is, it was just shy of two years ago that I took those photos. Is it just me, or do the years in between the beginning of the pandemic and now seem like only yesterday?

With all the time I had on my hands my garden was nice and tidy, so I’d found plenty of subjects to immortalize on instant film. A month later, I did it again, shooting the last four frames in that OneStep for Garden Polaroids – Take Two.

But now the garden is a mess and certainly not further along; I haven’t planted any annuals and luckily my potting shed is still standing…supply chain issues having derailed my husband’s promise to rebuild. That’s okay though, because I’m working again-Hurray!-cleaning up the garden in ten minute spurts, and there will always be annuals ready and waiting.

Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done

Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988)

When I recently came across those polaroids captured two years ago, I remembered that I still had one last pack of Impossible Project film. 8 more frames of 600 color film that expired 7 years ago. That’s a long time to be living in my fridge! Remember the cute cards that came out of the camera with quotes?!!

But first I had to find my camera. Second I had to find the film! We have a new fridge and it was hidden away under the butter dish! But now the results are in! Four new frames that should deepen in color over time.

I was so excited to shoot the film, that I took it straight out of the fridge and into the camera running outside to capture my little Buddha statue on my deck!

Nothing happened for a long time.

I then read the directions: I was supposed to let the film come to room temperature first. Oops! It didn’t seem to harm things though! And since I’d remembered to push my slider all the way to dark to accommodate the sunny day, it ended up turning out great! However, I forget that this camera never shoots centered and everything tends to be a little to the left. Oops agin!

An hour later, I captured my 2-year old Aussie Gibson, who happily posed for treats!

You can tell I didn’t push the slider over to full dark when I captured these two shots though. The top is my favorite as it seems to have captured slightly more color. I expect the colors to deepen over time and get slightly creamier. I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

There was still one last frame, which I captured a few days later.

This time I remembered to push the slider fully over to dark before beginning. Had I been one second earlier, I would have caught Gibson smiling! I’m thrilled to see the greens coming out in my sedums in the foreground, and there is a nice hint of Gibson’s caramel fur, too. Like the others, I expect this capture will get nice and creamy with the colors deepening over time.

I still have four more precious frames to capture in my 600 OneStep. Maybe there will be a Garden Polaroids – Take Four!

Have you been shooting any instant film lately? What’s your favorite film and camera? I’d love to hear from you in comments!

Until next time,
Holly ~ Soupatraveler