|
|
Writer / Gary Auerbach
Photography / Gary Auerbach
Polaroid Image Transfer equipment - how Gary Auerbach works
The Polaroid transfer technique is both easy and fun - once you've figured out what equipment to use and where to find it. Gary shares his experience.
To send us your experience and information on which equipment you use and where you found it, email info and images to us.
Polaroid Image Transfers: |
Gary's images: |
Early in my career, at my first studio, I experimented with Polaroid image transfers. I was working with a 4/5 Noba Studio camera ($500.00) and a Heliar older style lens ($250).
Image left: The Noba stand shown in this photo has a 8x10 Rajah retrofited. Normally, the Noba body and Heliar lens would have been on it. The stand is on wheels, and has a crank which raises and lowers the camera body, allowing for fast portrait work... not having to deal with finicky tripods. This camera/stand is no longer in my main line of equipment.
Image left: Photo of the Noba 4/5 camera with 30CM, 300mm 4.5 lens.
Notice the air inlet for the pneaumatic bulb ( soft squeeze gives you 1/10 sec exposure and hard squeeze gives a 1/25 exposure. The electric cord gives me a X' sync.
The 300 Heliar gives a sharp focus on the image plane, but softens considerably in foreground and background. It has a special quality of diffusion. The shutter that works behind the Heliar lens is a packard shutter.
This is controlled by an air bulb... which will give a consistant speed shutter but is definately not mechanical.
I would encourage participation of clients on Downtown Saturday Nights the local arts walk. I offered to do three transfers for $15, they would keep two, and I would keep one. I got to make the first selection.
This was 15 years ago, so price was not too out of line. Doing it like this, I got to build a portfolio of polariod image transfers quickly. Two of them are showing here.
I would do a warm transfer on the back of a light box, using Arches paperfor a full laydown, or use Cranes stationary paper if I wanted a more abstract version, with more lift.
Shooting direct 4x5 type 59 film in a polaroid holder gave me a sharpness in the final image that I have not been able to get through enlarging a smaller negative.
|

Alice (1991) ©
Transferred onto Arches paper

Donine (1991) ©
Transferred onto Cranes paper
|
That's it! Hopefully you can now get started with the Polaroid techniques.
Gary Auerbach... having seen his early work deteriorate, Gary searched for the more permanent photograph. Platinum became his medium. He also works in Polariod image transfers
Recommended reading on Polaroid Emulsion lifts and transfers, and suppliers

Polaroid Transfers: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating Image and Emulsion Transfers
Kathleen Thormod Carr
Everything you need to know about Polaroid transfers.
Highly recommended
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Buy from Amazon.com

Polaroid Manipulations: A Complete Visual Guide to Creating SX-70, Transfer and Digital Prints
Kathleen Thormod Carr
Detailed hands-on instructions and step-by-step procedures.
Highly recommended
Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Buy from Amazon.com
Looking for chemicals or kits?
is one of our recommended suppliers and ships worldwide.
supply raw chemicals & ready made kits, film, cameras & artpaper.
For more suppliers, see the directory.
|
Interesting or useful article?
|
|
Got something to say?
|
|
Share it or save it!
|
|
We would really appreciate if you donate a dollar to help us out with keeping the site running and adding more articles like this one.
|
|
Discuss this article in the forum, just register, log in and start chatting:
|
|
Share easily by email, Digg, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter or save it in bookmarks:
|
|