A Very, Very WET #PolaWalk at the Texas State Fair on 9/29

Phew!  I’m sitting at my desk right now, 3 hours after my arrival back home, and I can’t help but to keep grinning at all of the things that happened today.   What an amazing experience.    I can’t begin to stress how great it was, to see such happy pepole on a day like today.  On any other day, we probably would have been miserable!  The non-stop rain .. the endless, torrential downpour that pummeled the group today … But you know what?  EVERYBODY was smiling.   Not one person was unhappy about making the trek out to the fair to meet fellow instant photographers.    I say it all the time, but it’s incredible the type of people that this medium attracts.

Photo: Synthia Goode – Polaroid Spectra SE – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

My day began, with knowing that it would be wet … REALLY wet today.   The forecast was 80%-90% rain throughout the duration of the day with thunderstorms likely ALL day.    What do you do, when you’ve organized an event and promoted it for a month.   Do you abandon ship?  No.   You go through with it as planned and hope for the best.   I can’t stress enough, that “the best” did occur.

Synthia and I left the house at noon, so we could make our way down to the Texas State Fair and grab a Fletcher’s corny dog before we hooked up with everybody else.  Parking was fairly easy (plenty of spaces) and of course, there weren’t the usual crowds that normally accompany the fair’s 2nd day. We made our way in and I snapped off a couple of photos as we made our way towards Big Tex.

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Daniel R. and Catherine met up with us first and they were both smiling.   They rain hadn’t affected their moods in the slightest (i wouldn’t have thought so, they are really kind & cool people).   After some chuckles and small talk, a fellow photographer I met online, Richard, made his way towards our group and introduced himself.  He jumped in with both feet; pulled out his cameras, started gabbing photography, it was greatness!  It seemed like he was really happy to be around other instant photographers.    Unfortunately, for whatever reason, he had to split early and didn’t end up hanging out with us.   Hopefully he can make it out to the next event that gets organized.   Before, he left I snapped a quick picture of him with his 680 SLR …

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

At this point, Christian & Elaine showed and were grinning from ear to ear as well.   Christian helped promote this event and it was definitely appreciated.  He mentioned that he had been so excited about this event that he could hardly sleep.  Truth be told, I had been tossing and turning most of the week.  A few minutes later, Jeremy & Amber showed up.  I introduced them to everyone, passed off one of the Spectras I brought for them, and got them up to speed on the ins and outs of the camera.   One of Daniel R’s students arrived, Adriana, and all of us introduced ourselves to her. She walked up holding this super cool pink, black and yellow neon Polaroid Cool Cam.   It looked awesome!  We waited around a little while longer for two more guys that I had met online; Daniel P. & Matthew.   They drove in from Tyler and once they arrived, they were already soaked, but again nothing but smiles.   I handed Daniel a Polaroid Automatic 100 with a few packs of FP-100C that I had promised him and we quickly organized a group photo.

Polaroid Spectra SE – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Daniel R. spotted an interesting looking character walking towards a streamliner that was parked near Big Tex and asked him if he could take his photo.   The moment I saw the guy, I knew it was “the voice of Big Tex”.  I ran over there with my camera and once Daniel was done shooting this image on his Instax …

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Fuji Instax Mini

I snapped off a quick triptych on the SX-70 .. .

– CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER SIZE – 

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

We all snapped off a few more photos, while we waited around a little while longer for any stragglers …

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-600 Old Gen

Photo: Synthia Goode – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX600 Old Gen

Photo: Christian Oliveria – Polaroid SX-70 – Impossible Projet PX-70 CP

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX600 Old Gen

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-600 Old Gen

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 CP Film

Then we started making our way towards The Midway area and commenced burning some film!

Photo: Christian Oliveira – Polaroid SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Daniel Poe – Polaroid Automatic 100 – Fuji FP-100C

Photo: Daniel Poe – Polaroid Automatic 100 – Fuji FP-100C

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Synthia Goode – Polaroid Spectra SE – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 Rainbow Frame

Photo: Adriana Salazar – Polaroid Cool Cam 600 – Impossible Project PX-680 Old Gen

Photo: Adriana Salazar – Polaroid Cool Cam 600 – Impossible Project PX-680 Old Gen

Photo: Adriana Salazar – Fuji Instax

Photo: Christian Oliveira – Polaroid SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 Rainbow Frame

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 CP Film

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 CP Film

Photo: Synthia Goode – Polaroid Spectra SE – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 Rainbow Frame

Photo: Jeremy Minnerick – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

The rain was relentless!  It just wouldn’t stop.   I’m still in awe, that all of these people came out in such high spirits, despite the rain.   Nothing was going to stop this group!! Rain?!? Pshaw!! Whatevs!  After a while, we decided to make our way into the Food Court to dry off a little bit, relax and get to know each other a little more.

Photo: Amber Minnerick – Polaroid One Step – Impossible Project PX-680 Rainbow Frame

Photo: Catherine Downes – Instagram – Part of the slew of equipment we rolled with 😉

Photo: Christian Oliveira – Polaroid Spectra 2 – VERY expired Polaroid Spectra film

Photo: Synthia Goode – Polaroid Spectra SE – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Photo: Christian Oliveira – Polaroid Spectra 2 – VERY expired Polaroid Spectra film

For Synthia and I, this was the first time we had met most of these people.   I’m usually not the type to go out and seek the company of strangers for events, and for that matter, I really don’t like talking to strangers.   It’s funny.  My passion for using instant film is helping me turn a new leaf in my life.  Many of you have never met me, and don’t know that I stutter.  Sometimes it can get the best of me, but most of the time, it’s not that big of a deal.   Sure, it doesn’t define me, but it has shaped me into the person that I am.  For a guy like me, meeting strangers and talking to new people is a thing that I try and avoid most of the time.   When I started thinking about hosting this PolaWalk, I knew that I would killing a few birds with one stone: 1) I’d get an opportunity to “break the mold” so to speak, and get out there and meet strangers and force myself over this hump. 2) I’d get the chance to spread the love of Impossible to other shooters.  And 3) I’d be able to make new friends in the area that share the love that I feel for photography.  All in all, it was a winning idea all around.

Anyhow, at this point Jeremy, Amber, Synthia and Adriana all had to bolt.  So we packed up our things and made our way back outside.   We started walking along and WHOOMFFF!! A huge gust of wind ripped apart my umbrella, haha!  It was hilarious!  Daniel R. snapped a quick pick while everybody was laughing.   Later on, Amber wrote something about it being an UNbrella.  Very fitting Amber …

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid Spectra SE – Spectra Soft Tone Film

We headed indoors to the petting zoo.  Walked around a little while and eventually made our way back outside.

Photo: Daniel Rodrigue – Polaroid Spectra SE – Polaroid Spectra Soft Tone Film

Most of us were pretty tired and fairly soaked (COMPLETELY) so we decided to call it a day.   We all parted ways and made our way out of the park.  I snapped a couple of images on the way out, but by this time it really started pouring some heavy rain.   I had no umbrel … UNbrella at this point, so I got even more soaked!  Luckily, I had some plastic bags in my backpack and saved my gear & film from getting completely drenched.

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Photo: Daniel Poe – Polaroid Spectra AF – Impossible Project PZ680 Old Gen

Polaroid Sonar SX-70 – Impossible Project PX-70 CP Film

Overall, an incredible experience!  I can’t wait to schedule more of these around the metroplex and help spread the word about the greatness that is Impossible Project film.  If you are interested in learning more about this medium, please get in touch with me.  I’m an open door and would love to help you get into this medium.   There’s nothing better for personal photography.  Even more so, it’s a fantastic medium for the professional photographer.  Offering this sort of “out of the box” photography is giving your clients something you can’t get anywhere else.   There’s only ONE company making integral film.  Get off your butts and support them!  Doing so, gives the gift of “the polaroid” back to this generation and hopefully the next.

-Justin

www.goodephotography.biz

To buy Impossible Project film, CLICK HERE.