World’s Biggest

Wednesday September 8th, 2010

Though there can be no doubt that an image of a skilled camera technician dwarfed by her own camera is eye-catching, what drew my eye to the recent article “Land Grab” in Forbes was the mention of Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan. You may not have heard of him, but Newsweek has described him as “the world’s biggest movie star.” (If you want to catch up with the world, I suggest starting with this one.)

Shahrukh Khan (Photo by Suresh Natarajan/India)

The world’s biggest movie star has been captivated by what might be the world’s biggest camera. The 20×24 Polaroid Land Camera, first produced in 1977, which weighs in at 235 pounds and produces nearly two-foot square pictures. Only seven of them were built; one has been lost, two are on exhibit at MIT and Harvard, and four are used commercially for prices starting at $3,500 a print. It requires a 10,000-20,000-watt flash, and the distance between the lens and the lens plate makes for a uniquely unstable focus.

The Forbes article describes the three-person process of taking a picture, and their unique character:

Because of its sheer size, the 20×24 delivers an unparalleled level of detail and clarity. People love the results for their imperfections: As each photo is taken, the camera’s titanium rollers burst pigment pods within the film, spreading color across the image. Excess fluid produces a gloppy, irregular border prized by admirers of the form.

Most famous are Chuck Close’s and William Wegman’s pictures with the camera, but the recent bankruptcy of the company and their subsequent auctioning-off of the work has brought new attention to the camera. Polaroid, during earlier economic troubles in 1981, had abandoned abandon the Land Camera project.

Khan wants to use the camera for what Forbes describes as a “photographic tribute”; the magazine also notes that designer Vivienne Westwood is interested in taking some 20×24 shots of her friends. (One can only hope that the aesthetic will be closer to Johnny Rotten than Sarah Jessica Parker.)

-Asad