These tips help you avoid overexposed Polaroid photos

With your Polaroid camera, you naturally want to capture your most precious moments. You decide on your composition, take the photo at exactly the right moment and wait for your Polaroid to develop, and then… Overexposed.

A real shame, of course. Not only because a film is wasted, but above all because you didn't manage to capture the moment. We're happy to help you take good Polaroids and share a few tips here to prevent overexposing your Polaroids.

Tip 1: Develop in the dark

Make sure you can let your Polaroid film develop in a dark place. The film is very sensitive to light during the first few minutes of the process. It also helps to place the Polaroid face down, so it's shielded from light and can develop optimally.

Tip 2: Use (or don't use) the flash

If you want to use the flash on your Polaroid camera, make sure your subjects are at a suitable distance. If you photograph with flash from too close, your Polaroid will be overexposed. The minimum distance to your subject can differ per Polaroid camera, but keep at least one metre between you and your subject.

Tip 3: Don't shoot into the sun

Always take the direction of the light into account. Shooting into the sun, for example, is not a good idea. In bright sunlight, always make sure you stand with your back to the sun as much as possible.

Tip 4: Shoot in the right conditions

Weather conditions can also affect the exposure of your Polaroids. You'll get the best results between 13 and 28 °C. If you shoot in lower temperatures, your Polaroids can become overexposed.

Tip 5: The right settings

Make sure the exposure of your Polaroid camera is set correctly. Some Polaroid cameras have an exposure slider. In most cases, it's best to leave it in the middle. Is your Polaroid still overexposed? Then compensate by moving the slider towards underexposure.