Kickstarter

The Project

For this project I will travel to Marrakesh, Morocco to join 12 like-minded instant photographers, including my personal instant photography gurus and authors of Instant Love: How to Make Magic & Memories with Polaroids; Susannah Conway, Jen Altman, and Amanda Gilligan. For an entire week I will document my travels, participate in 5 workshops for instant photographers, and soak up all the knowledge and inspiration these ladies can dish out.  Upon my return I will turn my photographs into a collection worthy of exhibition and present my work to a number of galleries in California.  In addition, I will create a book documenting these images and a few notes from my travels.

More details about the retreat here: http://www.instant-love.com/

About Me:

1. I'm a HUGE fan of instant photography.  Polaroid cameras combined with The Impossible Project's amazing new film simply rock my world.  I can't get enough!

2. I spend all my money on film.  ALL of it.

3. I have a little (well, ok BIG) girl crush on Susannah, Jen, and Amanda.  They rock instant film like John Wayne rocks cowboy flicks!

4. Something is telling me that this project is going to change my life in some way and I just have to listen to what my heart is telling me. (I could write an essay on this alone, but I'll save you the time.) ;-)

As a northern California girl born and raised, I never had much opportunity for travel.  I grew up here, got my degree here, and promptly got a full time job; buying myself time to prepare for my next grand adventure.  

Once I graduated college I traveled outside of the USA for the very first time.  As a graduation gift to myself, my partner and I spent 6 amazing weeks backpacking around Europe and I was the happiest I have ever been.  Once we got home I realized the things I missed most about my travels were the differences in culture and the nearly constant flow of inspiration.

In order to harness this inspiration once more, learn more about myself and the world around me, and pick up valuable instant photography skills along the way, I have set my heart on joining Susannah, Jen, and Amanda at their Instant Love Polaroid Retreat in Marrakesh, Morocco.  I simply can't imagine a better opportunity for me to experience a completely different culture and people while learning valuable instant photography skills from the people who inspire me most.

How much will it cost? Where is your money going?

In order to participate in the Instant Love retreat, photograph Marrakesh, create an exhibit-worthy body of work, and manifest my very first photography book I will need your help!

The expenses break down as follows:

*$3,200 - Instant Love Retreat and Workshops 

$1,500-$1,900 - Round Trip Flight from San Francisco to Marrakesh, Morocco

$500 - 20 Packs of Instant Film from The Impossible Project

$500-$600 - Frames and Matting for Photo Exhibit

$500 - Miscellaneous Expenses

$41.00-$51.00 - Per Book from Blurb.com (7"x7" Square, Hardcover, 21-80 Pages)

I am expecting this project to cost a total of $6000-$6500 (including backer rewards) and am only asking for the initial $5000 to get me started, the rest will come out of my own bank account.

*$500.00 Deposit to secure my spot already paid by me.

Links of Note

The Impossible Project: This is where I will be getting my film.  Wonderful, amazing, beautiful film! In 2008 the Impossible team saved the last Polaroid production plant in Enschede and started the process of reinventing instant film.  In March of 2010 their first film became available to the public and I've been a fan ever since.

Susannah Conway: A Polaroid genius, Brit *love*, writer, instructor of the Unravelling e-course, and co-author of Instant Love: How to Make Magic and Memories with Polaroids.  Also, one of the instructors at the Instant Love retreat in Morocco. *My thanks go out to Susannah for providing some of her beautiful images of Morocco for this project space.

Amanda Gilligan: An Australian born Polaroid genius living and working in Canada,  author of the blog Mocking Bird, and co-author of Instant Love: How to Make Magic and Memories with Polaroids.  I love her work and am always watching for latest blog post.  *She's got some amazing photography advise on her blog for those of you who are interested.

Jen Altman: Another Polaroid genius!  Jen is the author and illustrator of self-published books Feather & Bone and Little Italy, co-author of Instant Love: How to Make Magic and Memories with Polaroids, and is currently working on a book about gems (for Chronicle Books I believe) that I just can't wait to see.  She also has a beautiful blog called Nectar & Light. :-)