We have the perfect opportunity if you are looking for a new open call to submit your work. Photography icons Polaroid and Magnum Photos have announced their first-ever collaborative venture, an open call that will benefit numerous individuals in this vocation. The endeavor has brought on board three Magnum photographers whose craft and storytelling are renowned in the industry and across the globe. Without taking much of your time, let us reveal the elements of Polaroid x Magnum Photos’ open call.
The lead image by Jim Goldberg, courtesy of Polaroid x Magnum Photos. The Photographer has the permission to use the images.
So, Who Are The Stalwarts?
The partnership features exceptional visual narrators known for capturing everyday life’s intricacies: Jim Goldberg, Newsha Tavakolian, and Enri Canaj. Interestingly, the mentors also took the challenge to photograph three varied series using Polaroid I-2, the world’s first instant camera with built-in manual controls, to highlight the ease of instant photography in forging new narratives. So, having toiled on long-form series themselves, the judges are conscious of the constraints and challenges posed by such an endeavor and, thus, will have more nuanced experiences that could help the mentees. The movement also sought to encourage emerging instant photography storytellers through their Polaroid photo series.
“Photographing with the Polaroid I-2 is a unique experience. Its slow process requires time to interact with the subject, light, and angle before pressing the button, making it special to me”, says Canaj, who explores the cultural, societal, and economic shift in his Albania Homecoming project. Tavakolian took a different approach for her Mount Damavand community series, where she documents the reality of local life around the Middle East’s highest plateau. As for Jim Goldberg, his focus is the two small Arkansas Delta communities, which he believes are two small Arkansas Delta “microcosms of what is going on socially and politically in the rest of the States.”
Polaroid x Magnum Photos’ New Way of Photography
While photographers are continuously trained to have the “perfect frame,” Polaroid x Magnum Photos’ open call will teach you otherwise. As per Magnum photographers, this new movement is called “imperfections”, where one can reconnect with their subjects and lives using instant photography without the limitation of achieving exemplary results. “There’s no such thing as a perfect life, nor a perfect image,” says Tavakolian. “Analog and instant photography evoke that feeling because they can’t be photoshopped or filtered.”
Mastering the craft’s art is essential, as is the ability to recognize and accept mistakes. Your real experiences and the moment’s authenticity are far more valuable than a photograph tweaked or tinkered with to get a visually compelling shot. Due to the necessity to reframe our understanding of the tool of the medium—or rather the medium itself— Polaroid launched an I-2 instant camera with built-in manual controls. As Goldberg succinctly states: “Beauty isn’t just in pretty moments; it’s in the moments you can’t plan for, in mistakes, in our everyday. It’s everywhere. That’s what I truly believe.” And we believe him, too.
What is The Open Call And How to Apply
Photographers worldwide can apply to Polaroid x Magnum Photos’ open call with their portfolio (created with digital, analog, or Polaroid cameras). The prerequisite is that individuals have to submit two separate photo stories per the prerequisite, with up to 15 images per story. However, they must also submit a 50-word write-up of “an empathy-building, perspective-changing story” that can help the audience witness life’s challenges across the gamut. The narratives can concentrate on themes of subcultures, professions, beliefs, or movements that often go unnoticed. They could also be around misunderstood communities or topics that benefit from compassionate coverage.
The project could be ongoing, but it must be feasible to shoot if it’s new. Upon selection, participants will acquire a Polaroid I-2 camera and enough Polaroid film to document their project. Furthermore, three online group critiques with Magnum-represented photographers (approximately two hours each) with the other winners when they commenced their projects.
Polaroid will begin accepting submissions on July 15 and close on August 13. There is no entry fee, so one should take advantage of this golden opportunity. Winners will be unveiled on August 26. Upon completion, the projects will also be showcased and accredited globally on Polaroid and Magnum channels.
For more information about Polaroid x Magnum Photos’ open call, visit Polaroid’s website.