I think I’ve done it again. I’ve fallen. Hard. A new love affair has begun.

I know, I know. It might not have been the most prudent decision, buying a camera for which some of the film is currently being discontinued. And maybe rationalizing that not all of the film is being discontinued (yet) wasn’t the wisest of mind-games to play with myself. But alas, I took the bait. Hook. Line. And sinker. I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t pass up this beauty I had longed for, had wanted, had desired. I also had a few enablers who pushed me into this affair. How could they not?

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photo by Cory Verellen of Rare Medium

She’s beautiful, right? The Polaroid 195 Land Camera. A fully manual, controllable instant film camera. Dreamy. While I adore my SX-70 and my SLR 680 Polaroid cameras, I’ve been frustrated with them on many occasions because I have no control of their aperture or shutter speed. As fellow photographers, you can imagine that this is MADDENING. With the 195, I have the joy of instant film AND the ability to control the aperture and shutter speed. How could I not fall in love?

I’m still learning how to use the rangefinder to focus, and getting used to adjusting all the manual settings. But the first pack of film I shot with the 195, well, it had me at “hello.” Here’s a sampling.

A still frozen creek bed here in Lincoln, Nebraska…

Fuji100C_Tree River_195_rsLight and shadow in the state capitol building…

Fuji100C_Capitol Bldg_195_rsOh, and did I tell you the 195 has a built-in self-timer?!?! Not that someone like me would need that (HA!)…

Fuji100C_Self2_195_rs And this still life from my morning journaling ritual, it just makes me fall that much harder in love…

Fuji100C_Tulips Journal_195_rsSo, yeah. I got it bad.

Meghan of Life Refocused