Polaroid Pictures & Scrapbooking: What You Should Know

A few months ago, I resurrected an old personal hobby and started scrapbooking for the first time in years. Soon thereafter, I painfully realized that I quit taking pictures around the same time I quit scrapbooking in high school, and I have virtually no photos of the past 7 or 8 years. My entire time at college. My internship at Walt Disney World. My first boyfriend. All these memories pretty much gone forever.

I set out on the market for a new camera so I could start documenting my life with photographs once again, when I came across a deal on a website that caught my eye-a brand new, Polaroid instant camera for just $24.99. I remembered the (very) few times in my life that I had an instant photograph taken, I remembered how much fun it was, and I decided to take the plunge into the world of instant photography.

A few months after I got my Polaroid camera and took some great photographs, I was having a conversation about scrapbooking with my aunt (who is like the World Queen of Scrapbooking...you should see her supply room) when I mentioned that I had recently gotten into taking instant photographs.

I believe that her response was something along the lines of "You need to get out of the 1970s and get a real camera where the prints won't dissolve in 10 years." We laughed at the time, but it made me think....should I really be trusting my memories to be preserved on Polaroid pictures? How will these prints hold up compared to my traditional, 35mm prints? What makes me like instant photography so much? These are all questions that I'll attempt to provide some answers to in this article.

First, let's address the common belief that Polaroid pictures will deteriorate faster than traditional prints. This is simply not the case. Traditional prints can begin breaking down in just 15-20 years if not stored properly, and most experts agree that the majority of today's photographs will fade completely in just 60-100 years. According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), it will take more than 100 years for today's Polaroid pictures to fade to an unacceptable level. Therefore, we can safely say that the "shelf life" of traditional prints versus instant prints is roughly the same. Furthermore, Polaroid pictures have the advantage of a built-in protective outer layer made from polyester, making them easy to clean (think fingerprints, dust, adhesive, etc.) and providing some level of protection against water damage.

Many scrapbookers want to know if they can safely crop instant photographs. The answer is, it depends who you ask. The problem is that instant pictures contain a developing chemical which can be caustic and irritate the skin and eyes. Normally this isn't a problem since the chemicals are contained within the picture itself. The problem arises when you start cutting the pictures up and "break" the seal the picture itself provides.

I will warn you that there have been reports of people seeking medical treatment after cropping Polaroid pictures....they are few and far between, though, and no one has suffered any permanent injuries as a result. The irritating chemicals inside the picture start to neutralize themselves as soon as your instant print is ejected from the camera. However, this neutralization process may take several days to complete. Think of it as the inside of the picture needing to "dry out." Most people find that they can safely crop Polaroid photographs about a week after the picture was taken. I have safely cropped hundreds of Polaroids without incident. However, if you are concerned about the chemical issue, you can simply mount the picture in your scrapbook without cutting it.

Lastly, let me tell you about the many benefits of owning an instant camera. Did you know that over 90% of the pictures taken worldwide are never printed? They stay locked in a digital camera, or worse yet, a roll of film, never to see the light of day. With a Polaroid camera, you take a picture, you get a print....that simple, no questions asked. Plus, Polaroids are fun! You should see the smiles on peoples' faces when they see a picture pop out of the front of my camera. Everyone gathers round and wants to shake the picture and see it develop. Take one to your next special event and I guarantee you'll be the life of the party!

There are a few downsides, however. First, I find that my Polaroid works best for close-up shots...especially shots with people. Landscape shots and shot of distant objects are not ideal for the Polaroid...I would recommend a traditional or digital camera for those. Second, some people complain about the expense of Polaroid pictures. If you buy the film at retail, you will probably pay about $20 for 20 prints...or $1 per photograph. I find that if I look around on eBay and deal sites, I can usually get film for about $0.40-$0.60 per print. Not cheap, but remember, the Polaroid film includes your film, developing, and batteries (a lot of people don't know that a battery inside each film pack powers your camera....new film means new battery, too). When you factor in these costs, there is not such a big price gap between instant and traditional photography.

One other great thing....often now, when I come home from a special event, I can start scrapbooking immediately. Since I used my Polaroid camera, I already have all my pictures. Gotta love that!

Overall, I would highly recommend picking up a Polaroid camera, especially if you're serious about scrapbooking. It probably won't become your only camera, but you'll find it useful in more situations than you'd imagine and I'd bet you'll soon be taking more Polaroid pictures than you ever imagined!