The Polaroid Book

Defining Moments. Shots from the world’s greatest collection of Polaroid images

The unique tones and spontaneity of Polaroids have made them a beloved photographic format for decades. Brimming with all the warmth and nostalgia of a family album, this ode to the instant camera presents hundreds of images from the Polaroid Corporation’s own collection. A chronicle of the experimental and innovative ways Polaroids have defied the digital age.

The Polaroid Corporation’s photography collection is the greatest portfolio of Polaroid images in the world. Begun by Polaroid founder Edwin Land and photographer Ansel Adams, the collection now includes some 23,000 images by hundreds of photographers throughout the world, including pieces by the likes of David Hockney, Andy Warhol, and Jeanloup Sieff.

The Polaroid Book dives into these archives, paying tribute to a medium that continues to defy the digital age. Like an oversized Polaroid film pack, this collection curates works by luminaries and unknowns alike, celebrating the boundless possibilities that develop inside the white borders of the original instant photograph.

Features:

- more than 250 works from the Polaroid Collections
- an  essay by Polaroid’s Barbara Hitchcock on the beginnings of instant photography and the collection’s history
- a chapter featuring the various types of Polaroid cameras.

The author:

Barbara Hitchcock is the director of cultural affairs for the Polaroid Corporation in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is responsible for acquiring artistic photographs for Polaroid and managing its travelling exhibitions and multi-million dollar art collections. She has curated several national exhibitions and currently collaborates with the Photography Collection Committee of the Harvard University Art Museums in Cambridge.

The editor:

California-native Steve Crist's TASCHEN titles include André de Dienes's Marilyn, William Claxton's Steve McQueen, and The Polaroid Book.

About the series:

Bibliotheca Universalis — Compact cultural companions celebrating the eclectic TASCHEN universe at an unbeatable, democratic price!

Since we started our work as cultural archaeologists in 1980, TASCHEN has become synonymous with accessible, open-minded publishing. Bibliotheca Universalis brings together more than 100 of our all-time favourite titles in a neat new format so you can curate your own affordable library of art, anthropology, and aphrodisia.

Bookworm’s delight — never bore, always excite!