Why I Love Shooting Portraits on Polaroid — Imperfect, Instant & Intimate
Using the Polaroid Now with these ones :)
There’s something magical about capturing a person on Polaroid. No filters. No editing. Just light, time, and presence.
I love using my Polaroid for portraits because it brings people into the moment. The click. The wait. The reveal.
Every shot is one of a kind — perfectly imperfect, with dreamy tones and raw emotion.
I even experiment with emulsion lifts, creating layered, handmade artworks from instant photos.
📸 What is an Emulsion Lift?
The Emulsion Lift Technique involves carefully separating the delicate image layer (the emulsion) from its original Polaroid backing. Once removed, this fragile layer can be transferred onto new surfaces like watercolor paper, glass, wood, or even fabric, giving your Polaroid portraits a dreamy, vintage look that is impossible to replicate digitally.
✨ Why It’s Perfect for Portraits:
Soft, Dreamy Textures: Emulsion lifts add an organic feel that enhances the softness of skin tones and the richness of shadows.
Creative Freedom: You can stretch, tear, and manipulate the emulsion during the transfer process, giving each portrait a hand-crafted touch.
Unique Keepsakes: Each emulsion lift is completely unique—no two are alike, making your portraits truly one of a kind.
💡 Want to Learn How?
I teach the Emulsion Lift Technique, and I’d love to share my tips and tricks with you! Drop your email in the comments, and I’ll send you exclusive tutorials and insider secrets!
There’s a raw honesty in instant photography that no digital filter can replicate. With Polaroid, every portrait becomes a tangible memory — one-of-a-kind, perfectly flawed, beautifully fleeting.
📷 Here’s what I love the most:
It slows me down. Each frame matters, so I connect deeper with my subject.
It’s tactile. The texture, the chemistry — the photograph becomes an object, not just an image.
It invites play. I manipulate the emulsion, lift layers, experiment. Each piece becomes a small artwork.
It’s personal. My portraits feel less like documentation and more like emotion captured on paper.
Polaroid taught me to embrace imperfection — and in that, I found something timeless.
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