PolaCon NYC 2024
PolaCon NYC is BACK!
Ladies and gentlemen and everyone above and beyond: We are thrilled to invite you to the second annual PolaCon NYC! Instant Film Society, Brooklyn Film Camera, and Polaroid are joining forces to bring you the biggest and best PolaCon yet. Please join us from May 17-19 for three days of instant film delight!
So what is PolaCon? Well, quite simply, it's shorthand for "Polaroid Conference" but PolaCon has transformed to become so much more than that. While the core of PolaCon remains educational, the heart of PolaCon is in the community that it draws together. Every year, hundreds of us whose hearts flutter for instant-photography are pulled together like a vortex by the PolaCon call. We travel from all over the world to be there, we share long days and little sleep, we see old friends and we meet new ones, we learn tips and tricks from each other, we share cameras, we share stories, and we create memories and photographs to last a lifetime. PolaCon is a pilgrimage for those who cherish the tangible magic of instant film. We can't wait to see you there.
--
☞ Click here to join the PolaCon NYC WhatsApp group chat ☜
This will be the main channel for official updates, scheduling changes, and more. Participants are encouraged to share images, share plans, and connect! The Group will be administered by IFS and BFC. We strongly encourage all Polacon participants to join this group to stay up-to-date, make connections, and enhance the weekend!
--
TICKETS
► Click here to Secure your Tickets ◄
(250 available in total)
Can't afford a ticket but want to join? We don’t want anyone to be unable to attend PolaCon due to lack of funds. There are two ways you can join for free or cheap:
- Volunteer! PolaCon relies on volunteers and for just 3-hours of your time, you can get a full weekend pass to PolaCon. Click here to sign up!
- Request a discount. Don't have the time or ability to volunteer but want to attend PolaCon? No sweat! If you’d like a discounted or free ticket simply email info@instantfilmsociety.org, let us know how much you’re able to pay for a ticket, and we will get you set up with a full weekend pass.
--
PolaCon programming will take place throughout the city but will be primarily concentrated at Worthless Studios and Brooklyn Film Camera in the Bushwick, Brooklyn neighborhood. If you’re booking lodging, we highly suggest looking in/around this neighborhood *or* for anywhere near an L-Train Station. Other close neighborhoods are: Williamsburg, Ridgewood, Bedford-Stuyvesant.
What can you expect at this year’s PolaCon? Here’s a short list:
- Workshops
- Demos
- Artist talks
- Photo walks
- Scavenger hunts
- Community
- Revelry
- Dancing
- Giveaways
- The “State of the Emulsion” address
- All of the awesome nerds you know from the internet
- All of the awesome cameras you’ve always wanted to see
- Everything
- Nothing
PolaCon is a community-powered event! Want to lead a workshop? Set up a photo booth? Sell or trade your work? Are you a food vendor interested in selling? An entertainer interested in performing? We want to hear from you! Email us at info@instantfilmsociety.org
Posting social media content from PolaCon? Hashtag it so we can all see! #PolaConNYC
--
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS
Instant Film Society (IFS) was founded in 2012 with the mission of increasing awareness, accessibility and understanding of analog instant photography. For over a decade now, IFS has been a community pillar for the instant film community in the US, hosting get-togethers, photo walks, and (of course) PolaCons!
Brooklyn Film Camera (BFC) was founded in 2015 by former employees of The Impossible Project (now Polaroid). BFC is one of just a few remaining institutions to specialize in the restoration of vintage Polaroid cameras. They teach classes and workshops, curate a gallery of film photography that rotates monthly, and design accessories and optics for vintage camera systems.
--
VENUE GUIDE
855 Grand Street / Brooklyn, NY 11211
7 Knickerbocker Ave / Brooklyn, NY 11237
683 Grand Street / Brooklyn, NY 11211
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
☞ FRIDAY (Day 1)
.
11:00 - 7:00 | BFC Backyard Social
\\ Brooklyn Film Camera
\\ Slow things down and relax in BFC's backyard with other film photographers. Water will be provided by Liquid Death and vibes will be curated by Polaroid. Stop by to grab all the film you need, see who's around, and hang out for as long as you'd like in BFC's backyard oasis.
\\ Open to the public
.
12:00 - 6:00 | Check-in to PolaCon
\\ Worthless Studios
\\ Check-in to PolaCon, get your wristband, and join the fun!
.
12:15 - 12:30 | Opening Address
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ A welcoming address from the organizers. Get oriented to PolaCon and the flow of the weekend's festivities at this short opening address.
.
12:30 - 1:00 | Workshop: Instant Film 101 with Martin Souza
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Learn the ins & outs of instant film. Martin will cover instant film history, currently available cameras and film stocks, and tips and tricks for shooting to get the best results.
\\ Class Size: 10-25
.
1:00 - 1:30 | Demo: “Instant Optics” with Brooklyn Film Camera
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ In this workshop, BFC staff will demonstrate their new line of lenses, filters, and prisms for Polaroid SX-70 and 600 cameras. The release of “Instant Optics” marks the first time that high-quality glass optics have been manufactured for the Polaroid ecosystem in over 40 years!
\\ Class Size: 20-35
.
1:00 - 1:45 | Demo: 8x10 Polaroid photography with Nick Collingwood
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Join film photographer extraordinaire and instant film guru Nick Collingwood for a demonstration of large format Polaroid photography! Go big or go home. Or just… go to this workshop because you’ll probably learn a lot. Nick's demo last year was a HIT! Highly recommended.
\\ Class Size: 20-35
.
2:00 - 2:45 | Talk & Demo: The Democratization of Camera-making with Mario Machon
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Join engineer and camera hacker/builder Mario Machon for a brief overview of the increasing access to, and evolution of, DIY camera-making techniques and materials. A short talk will be followed by a demo and portrait session with Mario’s latest creations.
\\ Class Size: 20-35
.
2:00 - 3:30 | B&W Portraits with the Polaroid I-2 Camera with Polaroid
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Polaroid in-house photographer Hatti Browse will talk about her experience with the Polaroid I-2 camera and how she’s able to take advantage of all its manual controls. Hatti will also share some of her latest B&W portraits project. Get your B&W portrait taken by Hatti and get a real-life example of the latest chemistry improvements, comparing old and new B&W Chemistry.
\\ Class Size: 30-45
.
3:00 - 3:45 | Talk: Shooting Polaroid Film Behind The Scenes with Joan Michel
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Join photographer and YouTuber Joan Michel for a discussion and Q&A about her experience shooting Polaroid film behind the scenes on film sets, and at the Met Gala. If you want to get better at shooting Polaroid film in high-pressure and fast-moving situations, this is for you!
.
4:00 - 4:45 | Talk: The 12:12 Project with Cromwell Schubarth
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ The 12:12 Project is an international collective of artists that consistently pushes the bounds of creativity on the medium of instant film. Learn all about the 12:12 Project from its lead coordinator, Cromwell Schubarth, along with collective members of past and present, Ben Fraternale, Rhiannon Adam, and Anna Marcell. They will be discussing the topic of AI in photography among other things.
.
4:30 - 5:00 | Workshop: Polaroid Hacks + Things with Chris Erickson
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Join Chris (aka "Just Another Chris" on YouTube) to learn a slate of various tips and tricks that he's learned and innovated over the years. Temperature-control of images, shooting i-Type film in 600 cameras, custom transparencies, and more. Learn some "hacks + things" from the man himself!
\\ Class Size: 20-30
.
5:00 - 6:00 | Workshop: Natural Light Portraits with Bret Watkins
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Join Bret for a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn how to make the most out of natural light and take your Polaroid portraiture to the next level!
\\ Class Size: 10-25
.
6:00 - 7:00 | Dinner Break
\\ Make some friends and grab food at one of the many great nearby restaurants.
\\ Open to the public
.
7:00 - 10:00 | Karaoke!
\\ Haven Lounge
\\ Come and sing your heart out with us to kick off the first night of PolaCon! Karaoke is a years-long staple of PolaCon and we can't wait to let it all out with you. Bonus points if you pull off a song with "instant" in the title *or* a song that references analog film. This year's karaoke kickoff is being hosted by our one and only Mala! It's spring, let's sing!
\\ Open to the public
.
10:00 - ??? | Choose Your Own Adventure
\\ Enjoy Bushwick’s many nightlife options within walking distance from the event. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and more!
\\ Some Suggestions: House of Yes (night club), MoonRise NYC (night club), Carousel (groovy bar), Jupiter Disco (funky bar), Left Hand Path (cozy bar), The Johnson’s (hipster dive bar).
\\ Open to the public
.
.
11:00 - 7:00 | BFC Backyard Social
\\ Brooklyn Film Camera
\\ Slow things down and relax in BFC's backyard with other film photographers. Water will be provided by Liquid Death and vibes will be curated by Polaroid. Stop by to grab all the film you need, see who's around, and hang out for as long as you'd like in BFC's backyard oasis.
\\ Open to the public
.
12:00 - 6:00 | Check-in to PolaCon
\\ Worthless Studios
\\ Check-in to PolaCon, get your wristband, and join the fun!
.
12:00 - 5:00 | Zines & Things Swap Meet
\\ Worthless Studios
\\ Shop handmade zines, art, merch and more throughout the day. A handful of vendors will be set-up and ready to serve you their delectable creations.
.
12:00 - 12:45 | Workshop: Self Portraits & Photo Shoot Conceptualization with Sophia Love
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Join experimental photographic artist Sophia Love who will guide you through her process for making the perfect instant film self portrait. Discover how she conceptualizes shoots, and get a chance to snap your own self portrait in one of her created sets.
\\ Class Size: 10-25
.
1:00 - 2:00 | Demo: Get to know the Polaroid I-2 Camera with Polaroid
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Join Polaroid and try out the I-2 camera for yourself in a studio setting! Participants will each be given 1 pack of B&W 600 film and Polaroid in-house photographer Hatti Browse will be there to assist and provide tips.
\\ Class Size: 30 (participants will be drawn by lottery if more than 30 attend)
.
1:00 - 1:45 | Talk: Restoring a Polaroid Photo Booth Q&A with Wesley Landson
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Find out how Wesley beautifully and carefully converted a vintage Polaroid Spectra photo booth to shoot Polaroid i-Type film. Each part of his machine has been lovingly restored and is truly a magnificent sight to behold. Hop in and have your instant photo captured in this fully functioning Polaroid photo booth.
.
2:00 - 2:45 | Talk: Polaroid History with Christopher Bonanos
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Join Christopher Bonanos, author of "Instant: The Story of Polaroid" for a conversation with John and Mary McCann who met and married while working at Polaroid in the 1960's. They spent their long careers at Polaroid as part of Edwin Land's inner circle of trusted advisors and worked on many of Polaroid's most successful projects. They'll talk with Chris about the company, their work and involvement within it, and about building the very first Polaroid 20x24 camera over one very busy weekend.
.
3:00 - 3:45 | Talk: Polaroid Creativity and Manipulations with Rhiannon Adam
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Join us for a chat with London-based photographer, author, and soon to be passenger to the Moon, Rhiannon Adam. Rhiannon is the author of the indispensable book "Polaroid: The Missing Manual, The Complete Creative Guide".
.
4:00 - 4:30 | Demo: Polaroid Film-Pack Masking with Carlton Bright
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Join photographer and artist Carlton Bright for a step-by-step demo on the art of Polaroid film-pack masking. Carlton has been working creatively with Polaroid film since the 80's and will show you his techniques for turning instant film into instant art!
\\ Class Size: 10-25
.
4:00 - 4:45 | Workshop: Instant Film Arts & Crafts with Lora O’Shaughnessy & Alexas Monroe
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Try your hand at an assortment of instant film arts & crafts. Lora and Alexas will guide you through everything from Polaroid manipulations to destructions to emulsion lifts. Join in the fun, bring some Polaroid images that you'd like to manipulate, and transform your instant film photos into unique works of art.
\\ Class Size: 10-25
.
5:00 - 6:00 | Talk: The State of the Emulsion Address with Daniel Rodrigue, Ben Fraternale, Joan Michel, Bret Watkins, Sophia Love, Cromwell Schubarth, Brian Brooks, and Kyle Depew
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ A PolaCon tradition! Join this wonderful cast of characters for a panel discussion and Q&A covering a variety of instant and non-instant film related topics. Got a question you'd like to ask the panel? Bring it on! This crew is ready for you. God bless the United States of Emulsion.
.
6:00 - 7:00 | Dinner Break
\\ Make some friends and grab food at one of the many great nearby restaurants.
\\ Open to the public
.
7:00 - 8:00 | Instant Photo Booth with featured photographer Ryan Rudewicz
\\ Worthless Studios - THE STUDIO
\\ Get your photo snapped by one of New York’s hottest instant film photographers! Ryan Rudewicz is a two time Glam Award winner for NYC’s Best Nightlife Photographer. Dress to impress, join the party, and make some instant memories!
.
7:00 - 9:00 | Closing Party
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Drinks, dancing, entertainment, and a sumptuous surprise! Grab a beer and celebrate the end of PolaCon's main event with a bang!
7:00 - 7:30 | Harley Deville
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ A photograph-able performance piece by electronic glam dream pop artist Harley Deville! Harley’s performances explore the intersection of masculine and feminine, the ego and the soul, and the divine and the diabolical. See it to believe it. Feel it to integrate it.
.
8:00 - 8:45 | Torture and the Desert Spiders
\\ Worthless Studios - MAIN STAGE
\\ Liverpool-based band Torture & The Desert Spiders is a rising project lead by singer/songwriter Anna Kunz. The band crafts left-field garage rock with captivating vocals and dense, nervy guitars. Grab a beer and rock out as they bookend our Closing Party!
.
9:00 - ??? | Choose Your Own Adventure
\\ Enjoy Bushwick’s many nightlife options within walking distance from the event. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and more!
\\ Some Suggestions: House of Yes (night club), MoonRise NYC (night club), Carousel (groovy bar), Jupiter Disco (funky bar), Left Hand Path (cozy bar), The Johnson’s (hipster dive bar).
\\ Open to the public
.
.
☞ SUNDAY (Day 3)
.
12:00 - 2:00 | Photo Walk: DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park with Ben Fraternale
\\ Meet at Pebble Beach + Bridge Park (near the Manhattan Bridge)
\\ Shake off your hangover and meet-up with fellow bleary-eyed PolaPals in Brooklyn’s beautiful DUMBO neighborhood. The Brooklyn Flea Market will be there to enjoy and some of the most iconic views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline are visible from this neighborhood’s vantage point.
\\ Open to the public
.
1:00 - 7:00 | BFC Backyard Social
\\ Brooklyn Film Camera
\\ Slow things down and relax in BFC's backyard with other film photographers. Water will be provided by Liquid Death and vibes will be curated by Polaroid. Stop by to grab all the film you need, see who's around, and hang out for as long as you'd like in BFC's backyard oasis.
\\ Open to the public
.
2:00 - 4:00 | Photo Walk: The Fabulous 5th Ave Fair with Rick DeMint
\\ Join photographer Rick DeMint for a photo walk through Park Slope's annual "Fabulous 5th Ave Fair", a huge street fair spanning 18 blocks along 5th Ave (from Sterling Place to 12th Street). Vendors, music, performances, and more! Meetup location TBD.
\\ Open to the public
.
5:00 - 7:00 | Wrap Party
\\ Brooklyn Film Camera
\\ Gather together, share the work you made over the PolaCon weekend, and relax around a cozy fire in BFC's backyard. PolaCon is over but the friendships we made will endure! Stop by for one last beer and say goodbye to the beautiful people you met over the weekend.
\\ Open to the public
--
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
Polaroid
Worthless Studios
Liquid Death
Brooklyn Brewery
--
Contact us: info@instantfilmsociety.org