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'Mr. Polaroid' takes a look at the story behind the iconic camera
Edwin Land was always a dreamer.
At 14, after a near-accident on a dark road, he made a plan to invent a solution for headlight glare. He later figured out that polarization would do the trick.
By the age of 28, in 1937, he was already at the helm of his own company.
At the time Polaroid made sunglasses, glare-free windshields, headlines and camera lenses.
It wasn鈥檛 until a trip to New Mexico that the idea for the Polaroid camera popped into his head.
鈥淓dwin was on vacation with his daughter and she spent the day taking pictures at the resort in Santa Fe,鈥� says Christopher Bonanos, the author of 鈥淚nstant: The Story of Polaroid.鈥� 鈥淪he turned to him and asked why can鈥檛 she see the pictures now. He spent that evening walking around the streets of Santa Fe thinking how to accomplish this. His patent lawyer was also on vacation in Santa Fe and staying at La Fonda. That night, they made sure there was going to be a disclosure on file.鈥�
American Experience is deep diving into Land鈥檚 life in the documentary, 鈥淢r. Polaroid,鈥� which will air at 8 p.m. Monday, May 19, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. It will also be available to stream on the PBS app.
Land鈥檚 contribution to the world is having a resurgence as the Polaroid camera is having a moment 鈥� again.
鈥淵es, we have instant access to taking a photograph with our phones,鈥� Bonanos says. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 no way to print them instantly. A new generation has found the Polaroid camera and understands what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
According to American Experience, the Polaroid camera would launch not only instant photography mania but also become the model for Silicon Valley鈥檚 tech culture. And it began with the Polaroid Model 95, which was first offered for sale in the fall of 1948.
Land was aided in making his dream a reality by female researchers and scientists. Eudoxia Muller, who would make the first successful Polaroid instant photograph in 1943, and Mero毛 Morse, who ran the Film Research Division for almost 30 years, were among that pioneering group.
Bonanos 鈥� who has written a book on Land鈥檚 life 鈥� said Land was dreaming up the camera long before anyone else.
鈥淓dwin is influential and was successful on his own terms,鈥� Bonanos says. 鈥淗e was much more interested in the science behind everything. It was more to him than simply making money.鈥�
Bonanos says Land was an interesting character.
鈥淎t a time when it seemed like Polaroid was done, it seemed like technology was finished with it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 was recently at a party in Brooklyn where this group is devoted to analog photography. The amount of energy in the room for something that is supposed to be obsolete was felt. You have these young, cool people that are shooting with cameras. There was a guy shooting footage on 16mm color film. This goes right to the appeal of Polaroid photography. You don鈥檛 really have to wait, you get instant feedback. It also helps make you a more conscious photographer.鈥�
Bonanos says Polaroid was known for more than its instant camera.
鈥淚t was really the place you wanted to work as a scientist and chemist,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was a really cool place to do interesting work and they advanced technology all on their own. Kodak did briefly and Polaroid sued them for patent infringement. The business was so successful because of Land鈥檚 ideas.鈥�
As the documentary is gearing up to air on PBS, Bonanos hopes that the story will resonate with audiences.
鈥淓dwin Land was on the cover of magazines,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hile he鈥檚 not the figure that Steve Jobs became, he belongs there. I would like people to know more about him. He really wanted to understand the science of the invention. He delighted in the demonstration of the science that he made.鈥�
Bonanos says the Polaroid camera made people more judicious about what they were taking photos of.
He says there was a little more effort in making each photo.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it makes you a better photographer or if it makes you think about the moment,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he great thing about a Polaroid is that you take a photo and you give it away. It鈥檚 a small gift. It can be an icebreaker if you don鈥檛 know the person. There鈥檚 an act of generosity when you give a photo away. It is an edition of one.鈥�
'Mr. Polaroid' takes a look at the story behind the iconic camera
