BY: KAILEE MANDELĀ
I took a trip to Kenya to photograph the wildlife with my family and we were told to bring presents for the children. I did not want to bring the typical candy or toys; I wanted to bring something that would make a memory, not an afternoon, so I decided to bring a Polaroid camera. For many of the people I photographed, seeing a camera alone was something completely alien. A portrait of them sliding out from the camera was something most of us could barely comprehend. As a photographer, watching their satisfaction was something that had become so second nature to me. As humans caught in the march of progress, developments that impact our lives through convenience or luxury often become a birthright as they are normalized by time. Seeing the mark of joy left by a piece of technology that most people today would consider no longer relevant reminds me of the transaction between possession, and perspective.
I left the Polaroid photos with the models, documenting the result as a reminder to myself.