AP Photographer's Polaroids Perfectly Capture Baseball's Nostalgic Spirit

No sport is wrapped up in as much history in the U.S. as baseball. What better way to capture baseball’s nostalgic spirit than with Polaroid pictures? That’s precisely what Associated Press photographer Erin Hooley did for the recent “Crosstown Classic” in Chicago, a clash between the city’s two MLB teams, the Cubs and the White Sox.

For many, thinking about America’s pastime conjures up memories of hot dogs on hot summer days, the crack of the bat, and the thrill of a walk-off home run. Baseball just feels like the perfect sport to capture on a Polaroid instant film camera.

Armed with a Polaroid Now+ camera and a healthy stack of i-Type film, Associated Press photographer Erin Hooley headed to the home stadiums of the Cubs and White Sox, historic Wrigley Field and Rate Field, to capture not only the MLB action but the festivities and traditions that surround baseball, especially these two clubs, each over 130 years old.

“Polaroids convey nostalgia, and nothing says nostalgia quite like baseball,” Hooley writes. “The film format requires a level of intimacy not often seen in modern photo coverage of baseball games, when speed and instant images are prioritized.”

Hooley’s typical setup of Sony professional cameras and lenses doesn’t attract much attention at a Major League ballpark, but her Polaroid sure did.

“Many people were excited by the camera’s familiar boxy case, the distinctive sound of the photos sliding smoothly out,” Hooley explains.

The process is challenging, and the Polaroid camera lacks nearly all the features and capabilities of a modern mirrorless camera.

“Shooting with a Polaroid requires patience, planning for the right moment. You need the right light and direct interaction with the subject. The result takes several minutes to appear, often with a soft or slightly faded focus,” Hooley says.

But the seasoned photographer says the experience “reflects baseball in many ways.”

“Major League Baseball was officially established 149 years ago, but the methodical work it takes to win, team traditions and a personal connection to the game are what keeps many fans engaged season after season.”

As time passes, technology evolves and society changes, but so much of baseball has remained the same. There are few better ways to capture baseball’s enduring spirit than with a camera similarly rooted in the past.

“It is a haunted game, in which every player is measured by the ghosts of all who had gone before. Most of all, it is about time and timelessness, speed and grace, failure and loss, imperishable hope, and coming home,” Ken Burns wrote of baseball for his celebrated epic documentary, Baseball.

Erin Hooley shared much more about her experiences and many more of her Polaroids as part of an AP Photo Essay. Her nearly 20 photos capture baseball’s soul and enduring appeal. May baseball never, ever change.

Image credits: Photos by Erin Hooley, provided by the Associated Press