Catherine Sobredo: The Creationist

In this day and age of digital manipulation and “re-touching”, Polaroid image transfers have become somewhat of a lost art. Equal parts skill and a willingness to embrace its random qualities, the process involves exposing an image onto peel-apart Polaroid film and literally transferring the emulsion of the negative onto another surface. The resulting image is unpredictable, one-of-a-kind, and always magical.

Based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Catherine Sobredo’s Polaroid transfers match the earthen qualities of the desert that surrounds her. The feminine image is central to Catherine’s work; serving as a catalyst for the colors and textures of her prints to evoke other places, times, and memories only seen in long forgotten dreams. Her subjects are gently painted with soft warm toned light, like a brilliant and sad sunset over the plains, giving them an almost vulnerable look, enhanced all the more by the Polaroid transfer’s delicate qualities.

John Casado: New Vision

“This is not about the decisive moment. This is not about the obvious. This is not about sex. This is not about a place or time. This is about unleashing visions of the subconscious mind…”

So explains the artist statement of John Casado; an image maker on a sacred quest to urge the world at large to question if we've ever really been given a chanced to "see" a depiction of the human form.

Casado’s work is something of an enigma. It is stark, though largely in soft focus. It is emotional, though never bleak or despairing. It is cold, though never harsh or uncomfortable. His images, though revealing, are not overtly sexual but instead echo a reverie of respect to the human anatomy.

Over the course of his career, John Casado has been a prize winning graphic designer, an acclaimed commercial photographer, and these days, a pure studio artist.

Patrick Jan Van Hove: A Series of Steps

Patrick Jan Van Hove is a technician at heart. He jokingly states, “I like cameras and lenses and films and chemistry, and yes, even pixels, but I guess the fact that I work with models keeps me grounded in reality.”

Living in Brussels, Belgium, Patrick Jan Van Hove is careful to remember his photographic roots. His grandfather was the director of an Agfa factory for many years and his father proudly wore the badge of family photographer throughout his entire childhood. Using money earned through a paper route, Patrick purchased his first Minolta SLR which he used for over ten years before becoming hooked on Polaroid and large format film.

“Polaroid films have a quality that goes beyond sharpness or tone, a distinct personality which I feel fits my vision of photography very well.” For Patrick Jan Van Hove, the Polaroid medium is a chance to produce a unique original, complete works without even the possibility of touching up or modifying the image afterwards. For someone who readily admits to being a perfectionist this presents a unique challenge, and in case there was any doubt, a welcome one as well.

Martin Cooper: Beauty in Strength

“I think of my photography as complex, multifaceted, and deceivingly simple. It’s mixed with both the jewel setter’s delicate execution and an element of make-believe.”

So says Martin Cooper, a photographer working in the age old style of the “pictorial narrative”. Taken from such diverse worlds as astronomy and ancient sport, each project undertaken by Martin cooper begins with a prolonged period of research, where he absorbs myth, culture and civilization. The results seem visually simple, but the details are full of complexities and historic symbolism.

Martin Cooper works strictly with Polaroid positive/negative film (T55 and T665) to create his trademark rich and velvety like imagery. These films also give Martin the advantage of being able to share the image with his subjects within seconds while also having a perfect negative to make traditional prints from later. More then any other medium, Polaroid positive/negative film helps facilitate a relationship of collaboration with Martin and his models.

Martin Cooper has several works acquired by the Polaroid Collection.