Polaroids 5 continues the idea of Polaroids 4. Straight shots with no video camera. This time with no Saint Anthony’s with the exception of Mary Margaret Burch. Although a lot of these people have ties to that fraternity.

I must bring up the soft focus of these images. In an age of digital photography, none of these would pass my professional editing criteria. Soft focus is a deal breaker in modern photography. It’s all or nothing. Five stars or one star.

The particular Polaroid camera I use has a portrait mode. This is a button you press that pushes a plastic magnifying glass over the regular lens. It’s total crap or total genius. Funny how dichotomies pair like that.

It works because it softens the images. Giving everything that Joan Collins Dynasty glow. It’s only missing a dollop of Vaseline.

Many of the people in this set have had a profound impact on me. The first picture is of Kari Cameron Coelho. A good friend who shared food and bed with me. We weathered dark breakups and had more than our fair share of amazing times.

But this set has been extremely hard to write. Most of the time I just look at the pictures and feel the absence of the person pictured.

Sure, I am still in contact with many of these people. Facebook friends with most. Viewing their current lives as they are tagged or post. But nothing underscores emptiness and longing quite like Facebook.

This is yet another reason to post these pictures. In hopes that they take a peek. To look at themselves and remember our wonderful youth. I guess it’s really about reaching out or back.

So reach out and forward. Write me if you love the pictures. Or if you hate them. Did I make you look fat or ugly? After all this time I guess I can hear that too.