Polaroid Hotel Pays Tribute to Art of Polaroids

Recently, OhWow gallery and Lead Apron bookstore in Los Angeles hosted shows featuring the unfiltered work of Patrick Hoelck. (You may remember him as the photographer who took some dark celebrity portraits of Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci and Katie Holmes.) The photos can be found in his newest book Polaroid Hotel where Hoelck pays tribute to the art of Polaroid photography by capturing intimate moments of his life and career throughout his 17 years.

Though Hoelck's images may seem random, they actually provide an interesting look at contemporary urban life.

These shots make you think that no matter the medium, the talent lies in the person taking the shot...

Patrick Hoelck's website

Tags: Polaroid Hotel, patrick hoelck, photo, photography

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Comment by Alessandro Casagli on June 21, 2011 at 2:39pm: ok let me be more specific: I do trust that this photos have not beem altered. There is proof that the polaroid border (or frame, or whatever you may wanna call it) are the same in different images, like the 3, 5 and 7. This little thing makes me think that the photos were not taken on a actual polaroid and then applied a typical border, it's a very easy operation. The fact that the photos have been blowned up helps my theory. I'd like to see somewhere different pictures of the photographs, ideally being held in hand, with the real size.

Comment by alice on June 21, 2011 at 2:31pm: @Alessandro I just got word from Patrick Hoelck's representative that should put this issue to rest. "The polaroids have not been altered," said Christina Jeffords. "We do scan the images in so that we can enlarge them and print them at larger sizes, but nothing is altered."

Comment by Alessandro Casagli on June 20, 2011 at 12:50pm: Thank you Alice, but trust me, I'm not frustrated, only disappointed.

Comment by alice on June 20, 2011 at 12:48pm: @Alessandro Point taken. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Thanks for yours. I see your point and understand your frustration.

Comment by Alessandro Casagli on June 20, 2011 at 12:45pm: I don't think I'm missing any point. Doctoring?! It's call alteration. And it's not fair trying to fool readers offering "doctored" (mediocre, to my humble opinion) photographs presenting them as something that by definition is unaltered. Exposure should be granted to someone that uses actual polaroids, celebrating the media for what it is.

Comment by alice on June 20, 2011 at 12:35pm: There may be some doctoring up, Alessandro, I don't dispute that. However, I think you're missing the point. His book and show is about celebrating Polaroids. Even if he did doctor some up (which I can't confirm), shouldn't we just be celebrating Polaroids as an art form (or tool) instead of challenging something as real or not?

Comment by Alessandro Casagli on June 20, 2011 at 12:23pm: Because it's part of my job, and also i've already told the reason. Check it by yourself the stains on photo #3 with the ones on photo #5 and #7.
I'd really like the series, if only would have been presented for what it is, not faked just because it's hip.

Comment by Alyssa Anda on June 20, 2011 at 12:01pm: @Alessandro-how can you be so sure?

I love the series :)

Comment by Alessandro Casagli on June 18, 2011 at 7:41pm: based on the repeated stain patterns on the frames, those are NOT actual polaroids. Those pics do not exists.