No sport in America carries as much historical weight and nostalgic appeal as baseball. For Associated Press photographer Erin Hooley, there was no better way to capture this timeless essence than through the vintage charm of Polaroid instant photography during the recent Crosstown Classic in Chicago, featuring the city's two Major League Baseball teams, the Cubs and the White Sox.
Baseball has always been deeply connected to America's collective memory, evoking images of hot dogs on sweltering summer afternoons, the sharp crack of a wooden bat, and the electrifying moments of walk-off home runs. These nostalgic elements make baseball the perfect subject for Polaroid instant film photography, a medium that itself carries an old-school charm.
Armed with a Polaroid Now camera and plenty of i-Type film, Hooley ventured to both historic ballparks - Wrigley Field, home to the Cubs, and Rate Field, where the White Sox play. Her mission extended beyond simply documenting the on-field action; she aimed to capture the rich traditions, festivities, and cultural atmosphere surrounding these two franchises, each boasting over 130 years of baseball history.
"Polaroids convey nostalgia, and nothing says nostalgia quite like baseball," Hooley explained. The instant film format demands a level of intimacy and deliberate approach that contrasts sharply with modern sports photography, where speed and immediate digital images typically take priority.
The experience proved notably different from Hooley's usual professional setup. While her typical array of Sony professional cameras and telephoto lenses blend seamlessly into the modern Major League ballpark environment, the distinctive Polaroid camera drew considerable attention from fans and players alike.
"Many people were excited by the camera's familiar boxy case, the distinctive sound of the photos sliding smoothly out," Hooley noted. The nostalgic appeal of the instant camera created spontaneous interactions and moments that might not have occurred with conventional digital equipment.
However, working with Polaroid technology presented significant challenges. The vintage camera lacks virtually all the advanced features and technical capabilities that photographers rely on with modern mirrorless cameras. "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 described.
Despite these technical limitations, or perhaps because of them, Hooley found that the Polaroid process perfectly mirrors baseball's own character. Major League Baseball was officially established 149 years ago, yet the sport's enduring appeal lies not in technological innovation but in its methodical pace, rich traditions, and the personal connections fans develop with the game season after season.
The photographer captured intimate moments throughout the Crosstown Classic series, including players warming up between innings, Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson preparing to take the field, and young fans eagerly waiting for players before the game. Each Polaroid tells a story that connects the present moment to baseball's storied past.
"As time passes, technology evolves and society changes, but so much of baseball has remained the same," Hooley reflected. "There are few better ways to capture baseball's enduring spirit than with a camera similarly rooted in the past."
This sentiment echoes the words of acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, who wrote about baseball in his celebrated documentary series: "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."
Hooley's complete photo essay, published by the Associated Press, features nearly 20 Polaroid images that collectively capture what she describes as "baseball's soul and enduring appeal." Each photograph, with its characteristic instant film aesthetic, serves as a bridge between baseball's rich history and its continuing relevance in contemporary American culture.
The project demonstrates how sometimes the oldest technologies can reveal the most profound truths about subjects we think we know well. In an era of high-definition digital imagery and instant social media sharing, Hooley's Polaroids remind us that some experiences are best captured through methods that require patience, intention, and a willingness to embrace imperfection.
For baseball purists and photography enthusiasts alike, Hooley's work represents more than just creative documentation - it's a celebration of authenticity in both sport and art. The soft focus and faded colors of Polaroid film don't detract from the images' power; instead, they enhance the nostalgic quality that makes baseball America's pastime.
As Hooley concluded her reflection on the project: "May baseball never, ever change." Her Polaroids serve as both a documentation of the present and a love letter to the timeless qualities that have made baseball a constant in American life for nearly a century and a half.
