Nostalgic Moments Captured Through Polaroid Transfers

Brooklyn-based artist Matt Schwartz, founder of She Hit Pause Studios, has been photographing with Polaroids for the past eight years. The studio name stems from his idea that each photograph is a way of hitting pause on a moment forever, and he does just that in this retro series Girls & Dreams. In the images, Schwartz captures women in sweet and nostalgic moments that feel like a dreamy memory.

The fuzzy scenes and rough edges are created through a process called Polaroid transfer, where Schwartz photographs with large format Polaroids, pulls apart the film, and then rubs the negative onto watercolor paper. Schwartz says, “I am trying to capture the uncapturable. I want to add smells and sounds to photos to make them come alive.” The results of his technique, combined with the use of timeless props like records, typewriters, and classic toys, create a vintage and grainy aesthetic that will surely mesmerize any viewer lucky enough to come across this work.