AS society becomes increasingly more high tech, inventions that were once considered revolutionary, like instant camera film, are now facing certain extinction. By the end of this year, Polaroid, the company that first produced the instant camera and the film it uses, will cease all production of the film by the end of 2008, beginning of 2009.

While this may be of no consequence to those who have converted to digital or to those who weren't alive when the instamatic cameras were the norm, others are buying supplies in bulk, nostalgic for bygone times.

Artist Carrie Zenti, the education coordinator at Masterworks, is one of those individuals longing for yesteryear. As a tribute to the "end of an era" for Polaroid instant film, Ms Zenti is displaying her collection of instant photographs artfully taken to allow a glimpse into the past.

"This collection of images represents a glimpse of my own love and appreciation for antiques, mementos and nostalgia," said Ms Zenti. "Many are sweet reminders of loved ones or treasured antique mementos.

"Other images are from travels near and far including those captured in New Mexico, Colorado, Bermuda and remote Easter Island, Chile."

At one time a medium that was pursued by famous names such as Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol, interest in instant photography has now dwindled to a small community of artists worldwide exists who are still creatively using the last bit of instant film available. The fashion, dermatology and archeology industries are also among the few fields that still use the film professionally.

"Artists are stock-piling film in their frigs and certain hard-to-find film was on eBay for ridiculous amounts the past few months," explained Ms Zenti, who resides here in Bermuda with her husband Dyrone Minors. "I even placed a bid on some expired large-format film that I was dying to use, but had to stop my bidding - too expensive! A box of film that usually costs $10 for a sheet of film was going for eight times that!"

Ms Zenti's fondness of all things vintage stems from a strong family bond filled with recollections from the past.

"I grew up in Northern Michigan in a house filled with lots of family heirlooms and photos passed down through generations that hold very special memories and was instilled with an appreciation for preserving these things and the stories they hold," she said.

Educated in interior design, her interest in photography blossomed when she relocated to Colorado, obtained a certification in art education and took several photography classes with Albert Chong, a Jamaican-born American photographer. Under Chong's tutelage, Ms Zenti was introduced to the traditional darkroom techniques as well as shooting black and white film with a manual camera. A camera she still uses today.

"I learned all about the history of photography and was very drawn to work by female photographers like Tina Modotti and Ruth Orkin and more contemporary photographers such as Joyce Tenneson, Sally Mann and Lorna Simpson," she said.

Her curiosity of utilising Polaroid film was first sparked by a visit by a sales representative to one of her classes and the ease of experimenting with instant film since it didn't require the use of a darkroom, which is cost-prohibitive.

"Over the last ten years I have been exclusively working with Polaroid 669 and 809 sheet film creating original Polaroid transfers," Ms Zenti explained. "Each photograph is first shot with a standard 35 mm camera onto slide film. Then with the use of a Vivitar slide printer I am able to convert the images onto Polaroid film. This unusual printing process allows the emulsion to develop directly onto watercolour paper. The muted colours, rough edges and slight imperfections make each transfer unique."

While she has begun to move to digital photography, Ms Zenti's passion for the preservation of the latter days is clear.

"I most treasure an old album of photography shot by my father," she said. "He was an avid amateur photographer in his younger years, from the 1940s and 50s of his close-knit Italian immigrant family and even wartime shots in training camps and abroad.

My father's album is such a beautiful document of life in that area and of that generation."

Ms Zenti's exhibit, along with Masterworks' current artist in residence, Daphne Stephenson, opens October 30 until November 19 in the Rick Faries and Rose Garden Gallery, respectively. For more information visit www.bermudamasterworks.com.