Polaroid quietly stopped making its eponymous cameras a year ago. Come 2009, you won't be able to buy instant film.  Am I and André Benjamin the only old school shutterbugs who love this stuff?

Yesterday I went to see my grandfather in the nursing home where he lives.  I wasn't sure what to bring, so I called my cousin Robert. Could I bring some muffins or a bottle of sparkling lemonade? Maybe a little basket with both?   "Well," said Robert, who is nothing if not diplomatic.  "He is diabetic, so maybe you could bring him some sugarless candy."  Oh yeah. I'd forgotten that Grandpa was diabetic. "Does he like sugarless candy?"  I asked.  "Well..." Robert said and I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was just trying to appease me.

That said, I was determined not to show up empty handed.  I went to Starbucks and bought my grandpa a mug that said "Good Day" in a dozen different languages.  Then I went to Aveda and bought a calming shower gel gift set because I figured nobody likes institutional soap.   Then as I was driving along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, I stopped at a cool garden store called Dig.  Of course, I thought.  I volunteered at a nursing home throughout college, almost all of the residents really appreciated a low maintenance plant. So I got my grandpa some lucky bamboo.

When I arrived, with my baby and husband in tow, I found that my grandfather was thrilled to just spend time with us -- especially my daughter, his "great grand" -- as he called her.  For close to an hour, she smiled and gleefully squealed to nurses and residents alike. I couldn't help but think that Grandpa's shortening of the traditional appellation was so fitting.  She is pretty great.  She is truly grand.

I gave Grandpa the gifts we'd bought for him and he kindly demurred. He liked the nursing home soap.  He wanted us to keep the beautiful plant.  He wanted the mug to go to my aunt's for him to use over there.  What he wanted was a picture of me and my daughter.

I almost didn't have one to give him.  In the rush to make the three hour drive to the nursing home, I'd forgotten my photo album.  It was only because I'd also forgotten my cell phone that I'd turned back after loading the baby and all our baby stuff into the car.  The album was sitting on the counter and  I quickly grabbed it, along with two or three of the many Polaroids I have scattered around my apartment.  For me, Polaroids are the quickest way to update a photo album. 

I took the Polaroid above on the first day my daughter saw snow.  We've got other, better, pics on our digital camera.  But I've yet to get them printed.  While I add that to the ever growing list of things to do, it's nice to be able to enjoy this snap -- nothing to do but sit back and remember how wide her eyes opened when she first saw snow, how excited she was to be out in it and how quickly she fell asleep, exhausted by the pure effort of wonder.

At the nursing home, my grandfather went through the little photo album once, then twice.  When he'd selected a photo he wanted to keep, he held onto it as if it was a handful of gold.

I love taking pictures with my camera phone.  I'm amazed by the speed and crispness of today's digital camera.  But I have to say that I have a special affection for my old school Polaroid.  I lost the last one in a move, so my current one was purchased six months ago at a CVS.  Now that I've learned that Polaroid is going to stop making instant film, I don't know what I'll do.   Someone suggested I stock up.  But Polaroid film is expensive.  I'd love to buy a grocery cart full of instant film but that would be hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I guess I'll keep buying what I can, when I can, putting it away for future memory making moments the way certain animals horde food for the winter.

How about you?  What's your favorite way to take pictures?  Am I the only one out here still shaking it like a Polaroid picture?

I'll be blogging more about photography in the months to come: fine art photography, cool frames, collectible photo books, fun things to do with family photos, photo organizing tips.

As always, let me know what you're most interested in.  And thank you to all the Nesty readers who've been posting comments and have subscribed to the Nest by clicking the RSS button below.  I'm getting comfy in this virtual coffee klatch and hope you are too.