Photographs by Melissa R. Bernazzani, emulsion lifts using Impossible 600 film, Polaroid Onestep Closeup camera.
Being a stay-at-home mom of an infant and a 4-year-old is not very conducive of photography-lead field trips or on-location photoshoots. So, I had to look inward for what inspires me at home. Using an instant camera provides me ease of creativity without being stuck at a computer screen or in a darkroom for hours. I don’t have the time to collect images to fiddle with later. Smile, click and move on! Parents of small children know the daily routine of picking up toys often found in the most unlikely of places, which must have been so inspiring during play though a child’s eye. This dino toy study was inspired by agony, annoyance and love. Unexpectedly stepping onto one of these creatures evokes un-mommy-like language, yet when you stop to really look, you see the beauty of play with limitless inspiration.
These toys represent a moment in time that will soon fade as my children grow. It brings me joy to get a glimpse of such creativity and imagination, yet also brings sadness knowing these toys will soon be replaced with the next year’s treasures. These moments don’t last forever, and in a blink of an eye, childhood is over. Instant film lets me record these little memories. I can pause in my daily mommy life to admire the beauty in these small moments before they are gone, leaving only a small square shadow imitating life’s little wonders.
