MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Who came up with the idea for the Polaroid camera?

Old style instant camera with blank photograph coming out, isolated on a white background.

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Who came up with the idea for the Polaroid camera?

Polaroid cameras were all the rage for decades. Get the photo immediately after you snap it? What a concept! Of course now with the invention of smartphones and digital cameras the entire photo world has be turned upside down.

But who first thought of the idea to invent the Polaroid camera and why?

A man named Edwin Land was inspired to create the Polaroid camera back in 1943. At the time his three-year-old daughter would always complain about how long she would have to wait to see a photo after taking it. Instead of hearing her say “I don’t want to wait” every time she took a photo, he invented the Polaroid camera concept. Which even now has kind of a retro popularity among young kids.

Photo credit: Getty Images