Recall that moment of instant gratification. The one where a photo magically appears before your eyes. That’s the legacy we honor here at the National Historic Chemical Landmark – Edwin Land and Instant Photography Plaque. This plaque commemorates Edwin Land’s revolutionary invention instant photography.
Edwin Land was the brilliant mind behind the Polaroid camera. He compressed darkroom processes into a single film unit. With this innovation, a final photograph appeared seconds after the shutter clicked. The National Historic Chemical Landmark – Edwin Land and Instant Photography Plaque stands as a testament to this achievement. It’s located at the former Polaroid Corporation Laboratory in Cambridge Massachusetts.
Land’s fascination with light began in his childhood. He was particularly drawn to light polarization. Natural polarizers were large and expensive. Land envisioned synthetic polarizers for improved vehicle safety. He imagined placing them in headlights and windshields. This would prevent glare from oncoming vehicles.
In 1926 Land enrolled at Harvard to study physics. However he left to pursue more practical opportunities. He moved to New York City to study physical optics independently. There he secretly conducted experiments at Columbia University. Land worked to develop a synthetic polarizer. His experiments built upon those of William Herapath. Herapath sought to produce large synthetic crystals. Land instead worked to arrange a mass of microscopic crystals. He created fine polarizing crystals and suspended them in liquid lacquer. Land aligned them using an electromagnet. He then pulled a sheet of celluloid through this solution. The result was a thin transparent and pliable polarizing sheet.
In 1932 Land and George W Wheelwright formed Land-Wheelwright Laboratories in Cambridge. They manufactured polarizers. These polarizers were used in photographic filters sunglasses and 3-D movies. In 1937 Land-Wheelwright became Polaroid Corporation.
During World War II Polaroid contributed to the war effort. They delivered anti-glare goggles gun sights viewfinders and cameras. Land also consulted for the National Research Defense Committee. He played a role in synthesizing quinine an antimalarial medicine.
The idea for instant photography came to Land in 1943. During a vacation his daughter Jennifer asked why she couldn’t see a photo immediately. Within an hour Land had conceived the camera the film and the physical chemistry. Polaroid’s expertise with crystals dyes and polymers proved invaluable. Land’s instant photography system was a radical departure. It compressed all darkroom components into a single film unit.
The film unit contained the negative film a positive receiving sheet and a pod of chemical reagents. When released from the camera rollers broke the pod. Reagent spread across the film coating the image area. Chemicals removed unexposed silver halide and released it onto the positive layer. This produced the final image.
In 1947 Land demonstrated instant photography to the Optical Society of America. The first Polaroid camera the Model 95 went on sale in 1948. It sold out in minutes. Though it required precise operation customers loved the nearly instant results.
Polaroid continued to innovate. They released a black and white version in 1950. By the 1960s they developed instant color film. In 1972 the SX-70 camera and film offered ultimate simplicity. Users simply pressed a button and watched the image develop.
The National Historic Chemical Landmark – Edwin Land and Instant Photography Plaque commemorates Land’s legacy. From his workplace in this building Edwin Land revolutionized photography. His work made instant memories a reality.