Visa vie photo documentation of signings, a Polaroid is almost always original and the only copy. The Polaroid process was unique in that it was designed to make just a single photo minutes after it was shot. It wasn't designed to make 20 copies like with a Kodak snapshot or digital photo, and the image is substantially harder to manipulate or alter. Polaroids have traditionally been used in police detective work, in part because you can check the image quality on the spot (and retake it if it is poor) and in part because they are considered more reliable documentation of evidence.
I remember the episode of of the British historical comedy Black Adder where the protagonists blackmailed a 17th century (or thereabouts) bishop with a painting of him in a compromising position. "And don't bother trying to destroy the painting," the protagonist said, "We have the preliminary sketches."
Last edited by drc; 12-12-2009 at 01:38 PM.
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