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Polaroids as Wall Decor

Yesterday, Beth pointed out the impact of a single basket as wall decor. Here's a 180 from that look but the impact is just as strong. While we've seen this done before, we've never seen it as well done as it is in photographer Luciano Noble's home. Not only is it a great decor but a fun way to document visitors (and a great backdrop for many of Luciano's photos)...

 
 

Though old-school Polaroid film is no longer being manufactured (and hard to find what's still available), there are many substitutes that mimic Polaroid's look in digital format though the repetition of any small size photo will be just as effective. To do it yourself, start small -- a single line across a room, a section of wall -- and keep your camera handy to photograph "head shots" of visitors as they walk in the door. It's a great way to keep track of who visits you and bring some life to your walls.


[images: From the Flickr page of Luciano Noble, used with the permission of the photographer]

Tags

inspiration, photographs, Polaroid, simple decor

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Comments (20)

I must be jaded and have watched too many movies but this looks like it could be a stalkers wall, a neat and organized one.

posted by LoriSF on August 11th 2009 at 1:14pm
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As a recovering stalker I find this very appealing

posted by leadingedge on August 11th 2009 at 1:21pm
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Heh. It's just like the wall of the Satan character from Highway 61. Which reminds me: I have to re-watch that movie. It's awesome. :)

posted by TammyE on August 11th 2009 at 1:28pm
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That's very cool. I wonder if something could be done to equal effect with my collection of postcards.

How are those held up? Thumbtacks? Glue? It would be nice if it were a solution that wouldn't hurt the photos, or the wall...

posted by criv227 on August 11th 2009 at 1:30pm
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Something a little creepy about this.

posted by suzy8track on August 11th 2009 at 1:35pm
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I have to say, I have friend who moved in with someone who does this (meaning documents in film format everyone who enters his house, even for 5 seconds), and I find it really unsettling. It actually makes me want to visit the house less often, since I'm sort of shy and don't like mugging for the camera. It sucks that seeing my friend now means trading in a bit of my privacy and comfort.

In short, a cool project, but not if you take everyone's consent to participate in it for granted.

posted by peahenn on August 11th 2009 at 1:47pm
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I did a triple row of postcards around the top of my cubicle and loved it. Used museum putty to hang the postcards on the drywall side of my cubicle. Used a piece of regular tape on the cloth side of my cubicle with museum putty on the postcard.

posted by haysworld on August 11th 2009 at 1:57pm
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it just seems a bit overboard and a slight bit creepy. having all those people look at you!!! yikers!

posted by pseudodesigns on August 11th 2009 at 2:00pm
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i like it

posted by kahlil19107 on August 11th 2009 at 2:10pm
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yeah but if you can do any picture with a digital camera it wouldn't have to be people it could be a load of abstract pictures or landscapes. i agree the people one is a bit weird.
but maybe it they were like club photos, people dancing, hand on a drink etc it wouldn't be so weird as just a bunch of surprised faces

posted by Landmark on August 11th 2009 at 2:10pm
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lol I enjoy this, very reminiscent of "One-Hour Photo" with my boy Robbin Williams... so eerie!

posted by dunklekatze on August 11th 2009 at 2:17pm
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I'm actually doing something similar to this for my dorm room - I'm going to have a wall of black and white photos. Only mine will be not of people, but of places - so a little less creepy.

posted by nick0326 on August 11th 2009 at 2:23pm
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my friend moved in with someone that has this kinda thing going on. it's super sweet. not at all creepy, as most of the people were posing for the pics. i mean, if you're posing... wouldn't you rather be in a fun display than hidden in an album?

also, boohoo on the death of the polaroid. maybe this will mark a comeback!

posted by aregularmess on August 11th 2009 at 4:40pm
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Funny what nick0326 says because I was just about to say it looks like a teenager's room or a dorm room. And that's not good unless you're a student.

posted by webherring on August 11th 2009 at 5:13pm
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I've always loved polaroids--which is why I love love LOVE this free download for mac and windows:

http://www.poladroid.net/

:)

posted by malizindie on August 11th 2009 at 5:17pm
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criv227,
try using those glue dots that come on cardboard in a package. neat, removable and photo-safe. or try an old school graphic designer's trick: brush rubber cement on wall and on back of photo, let dry til just tacky and put up your photo. makes a good but easy to remove bond.

posted by abby on August 11th 2009 at 6:44pm
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I Like it. I did this a few years ago, but after a few months all my pictures sort of folded in on themselves. How does one keep that from happening?

posted by orchidday on August 11th 2009 at 8:34pm
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OK, but what about cleaning the wall? Do you try and dust around all of them? Or maybe you leave that to the hired help...

posted by Ginna_D on August 11th 2009 at 11:53pm
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I don't find this in the least creepy - I might if these actually were "surprised faces", but I am familiar with this photographer's work, and I know that every single one of these images is a stunning close-up Polaroid portrait, taken with time, care, and sensitivity....

posted by *lynn* on August 12th 2009 at 2:32am
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@malizindie if you really loved polaroids I'm surprised you like poladroids - they're ghastly. the colors are completely wrong and the program adds a an obviously fake vignette to each image. If you have to create fakes the Shake It app for the iphone does a much better job.

But even better, wait until later this year when The Impossible Project factory begins churning out REAL instant film and shoot that instead: http://www.the-impossible-project.com/

posted by scintillescent on August 12th 2009 at 7:45am
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