Amsterdam Polaroids
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Selling Polaroid Portraits in the Bars of Amsterdam, 1979-80
The Red Light District
Marc H Miller & Bettie Ringma
Even artists on an idyll in Europe have to make money. Bettie and I found a lucrative gig selling instant photo portraits in the bars and clubs of Amsterdam. Every night we headed out for 4 or 5 hours seeking customers in Amsterdam's entertainment districts. Although at first we were not sure we would succeed, in retrospect I can see our success was virtually assured. Dutch art history is full of portraits done in bars and taverns, but apparently we were the first to update this tradition with instant photographs. Our Polaroid camera was a money machine fueled by alcohol; each photo sold for 6 guilders (approx. $3) and we usually took more than 50 pictures a night. We were soon a fixture of the city's nightlife with many regular customers eager to get new pictures whenever we happened to cross their path.
The Turkish Bar Camlica
Barmaid Christien
With boyfriend Mehmed
With costumers
The Turkish Bar Cascade
Mohamed, Ahmet and Mustafa
A young waiter
Bar Girls Along the Zeedijk
Hostess at the San Francisco Bar and Disco
Fifi the French Bar Girl at the Mexico Saloon
Tending the Bar at the Hotel Crown
Bar Girls at Café Mascotte
Nettie from Suriname
Ann
Café de Zon
Owner Johan and customer
Café de Zon regulars
An odd couple
The muscleman Ko
With Suzanne
Café de Zon Exhibitionists
Freddie
The Transvestite Bar Madame Arthur
Gigi
Ricky and Gigi
Portraits of Bar Goers
Café Emmelot
Café Zanzibar
Sister and brother at Café de Waag
Swedish sailors on the Zeedijk
Café de Zon
Bettie
Brigitte
Brigitte at Café Emmelot
With Marc
