An ode to Polaroid square format.

Instagram is huge these days and in some circles it has overtaken Facebook as the portal for engagement with friends, clients, interests and other areas and people. But this entry is not about Instagram or Facebook. It’s about square format, something I’ve come back to over and over again this winter whilst preparing for a busy wedding season ahead. 

 Why square? 

Honestly, I don’t know. But there’s something magical about it. Composition and most of its rules fade, let alone braking them. Imperfection is king here as one focuses on the moment more rather than, well, anything else. And moment is key, an aspect so important especially in a busy wedding photography setting or street and travel photography scenarios hence an excellent point of reference and practice. 

During a recent get away I went to London to pay requiem to one of my favourite directors, german born Wim Wenders who in the early 70s took a polaroid camera, a prototype SX70 with loads of film paper sheets and traveled the U.S. to both record moments of the Americans of the era as well as prepare the visuals for his films. One of these is “Alice in a city”, where the polaroid camera plays subsequent role to everything happening in the short. Wim Wenders polaroids have been exhibited in the Photographers Gallery, London since October and I highly recommend going, forgetting oneself in the timeless memories and moments captured by the format as well as simply getting inspired to shoot. And shooting was on the menu after the exhibition when I walked the streets of London recording those simple moments and enclosing them in the square format afterwards. Yes, I know, it’s cheating a bit as I do not own a Polaroid camera and the post-work was completed digitally, but my intention was to come close to the square this way. Enjoy! :) 

For more information about the WimWenders Polaroids exhibition click here. 

For more info about the recent Polaroid camera and format click here.

For more info on Photographers Gallery London click here.

To learn about Wim Wenders click here.