PolaCon, the annual convention dedicated to all things instant film, is slowly developing into one of our favorite Denton festivals (see what we did there?). The annual convention centered on instant film photography will take place September 29th - October 1st) in Dallas and Denton. Read on to find out more about Polacon 2017 and how you can take part in our Polawalk/workshop next Saturday morning!
Organizers of Polacon 2016 shot by @ajleaps last year.
PolaCon is a free event that wants to share the love of all things instant film. Instant film is a photographic medium made popular by Polaroid in which images develop directly after shooting without the need for a darkroom.
So whether or not you have an old Polaroid (or new Instax) instant camera laying around, you'll want to stop by even if it is just to bask in the enthusiasm these folks have for this medium. Although, for folks with even the slightest bit of a ventured interest in photography history, this event is truly a must. They promise not to call you a "sell-out" this year if you don't practice film photography 24/7.
Photographers from well beyond the boundaries of Texas plan on coming down to Denton for the weekend and we don't blame them. The planned programming is pretty enticing even for those without an interest in instant film. This year, Polacon has really enlarged the amount of events happening. This year's festivities will feature a total of five PolaWalks (including the walk next Friday at the State Fair in Dallas and a walk next Saturday morning hosted by us!), several hands-on demos, panel discussions, a camera and film swap meet, an instant film exhibition, a pop-up Instant Film Museum, large format camera demos, photo booths, and an Instant Film Scavenger Hunt with cool prizes for the winners.
PolaCon officially kicks off at 4 p.m. in Deep Ellum on Friday, September 29th with a meet-up followed by the annual PolaWalk at The State Fair of Texas. However, the majority of the event will take place in Denton over the course of Saturday and Sunday (September 30th and October 1st) at both the Evers Hardware Building (where the Norman Roscoe pop-up shop is), Denton Camera Exchange, and the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center.
Shooting 8 x 10 instant film at Polacon 2016.
The Instant Film Society is one of the main organizers of the event. IFS was founded locally in 2012 to increase awareness, accessibility, and understanding of instant film photography which was at one point believed to be on the way out, but has seen a large resurgence in recent years thanks to companies such as Fuji, New55, and Polaroid Originals.
Saturday and Sunday of PolaCon are free to attend, however, some workshops, how-to demos, and guest speakers will have limited seating and be restricted to RSVP's guests due to venue limitations. Attendees are encouraged to register through Eventbrite to make sure that they have a spot for special events such as workshops and demonstrations.
So dust off your grandpa's old SX-70 camera, head over to Denton Camera Exchange to buy some film for it, and plan on geeking out with us about instant film next weekend in Denton. Your scanner is gonna get some heavy-duty work afterwards. We're hopeful that this event will be a big stepping stone to Denton having a museum of photography one day.
PolaCon's Denton days are September 30th and October 1st. Events are scheduled from 10am - 6pm for both days. Saturday, however, will also feature a PolaWalk hosted by We Denton Do It (that's us!) that begins at 8am at West Oak Coffee (we hear there will be discounted coffee for attendees, too). The various events will take place on or near the Denton square including the Evers Building, Denton Camera Exchange and the Patterson-Appleton Arts Center. For more information and to find out times for demos, workshops and PolaWalks, click here.
Want to purchase an instant film camera before next week, but not sure what to buy? Head over to Denton Camera Exchange and ask them or watch this video from Negative Feedback below: