We don't always keep our New Year's resolutions because we forget or we get lazy. This year I plan on keeping this one.
When I was younger my parents had a Polaroid camera that I loved and was obsessed with. Over Thanksgiving 2015, I made my mom go dig it up and bring it to me in Boston when she came to visit. I was very excited to see that it still works! It's beautiful.
This year, my overall resolution is to take more photos of things and people I love (which is one of the main reasons I enrolled in a photography course at Emerson this semester). I am so overwhelmingly thankful for the people in my life and I want to capture my memories with them.
That's why I've started Project Polaroid. I want to get use out of the camera and also have keepsakes that I can hold. Polaroid had quite a few taglines back in the day. My favorite one is "Right Now." Right now, these are the people who make life significantly better.
EDIT (2/1/2016): This project initially started as a photo project to showcase all the people in my life whom I love. I realized that there are a lot of people who have influenced me, though I may not "love" all of them. Instead, this project has transformed into a project for all the people who have impacted my life somehow.
I chose to highlight all the people who impact my life because there are many of them, near and far. Whether they have known me since I was 9 or have only known me for a few months, each person has contributed something that has been meaningful to me.
I think the people we encounter is an important part of our lives. A friend recently explained to me her concept of "bridge friends." Bridge Friends are friends who come into your life, for whatever duration of time, to help you get from Point A to Point B. They may stick around for a while or only show up once or twice. Either way, these Bridge Friends create some sort of meaning and help you grow in some way.
Project Polaroid is a photo project of the people who have helped me grow, whether signficantly or just in a micro kind of way.
EDIT (6/11/2017): I forgot about Project Polaroid after I ran out of film and didn't get a chance to buy more. I've missed opportunities to take photos of people who have impacted my life and have transformed the project to include places as well! My life is filled with wonderful people and wonderful adventures, why limit myself? I can't wait to see what photos will come from 2017!
