Physical Media

In a world of digital, real products, real film, physical media, continues to stand out. Like playing a vinyl record there is a visceral, emotional connection to the physical media that is tactile and ignites the senses. The ability to hold a piece in your hands, or hear the hum of and pop of a stylus across the vinyl, and smell the materials used in production is an oft-forgotten luxury in our digital world. Going analogue, is punk for today. 

Polaroid films hold a special place for that sensation. When my oldest was a middle-schooler, I let her take a Polaroid camera to class and take pictures of all her mates for a school project. Almost everyone of those kids had never seen a film camera before let alone an instant film camera. They were mesmerized and giddy that they each got to have their very own picture, developed in front of their eyes, to take home with them. 

Instant film photography continues to have that magical effect on me, so many years into my career as a creative professional. Capturing an instant, a slice of the world, and seeing it in pictures only moments later; albeit longer than the original Polaroid films, but still…

Certainly, there are limits to instant films but that is what makes art a statement – working within those constraints and finding a way to break out of them when necessary. Sometimes, you have to think bigger when you are trying to capture the essence of a place, a person, or a theme. 

Ultimately, however, the ability to break out of those constraints entirely and use that still image as a basis for a larger piece to capture a thought or vision for your viewer may be necessary. 

I have used traditional mediums (e.g. film, pencil, pastels, etc.) all my life. In university, I began to integrate the burgeoning MacOS into my Artbin. I have never stopped using the tools and techniques I felt necessary to convey the statements I try to make with my work. More often than not, those techniques cross the digital divide in order to come up with a final piece that makes the statement or answers the question being asked. 

If you have a project you would like to discuss that requires a broad understanding of the industry and some great ways to connect with our customers, please contact us.