Polaroids from Afghanistan

From the mid-20th century to the late 1970s, Afghanistan – a country of breathtaking landscapes – attracted travellers from around the world. It was a time when the streets of Kabul echoed with the music of Jimi Hendrix, and the country was celebrated for its warmth and hospitality rather than defined by conflict.

Captured in 2010 with a Polaroid SX-70 – the iconic folding instant camera introduced in 1972 – and using Polaroid TZ Artistic film, these photographs from Kabul, Bamyan, and Maymana evoke the visual language of an earlier era. Their faded colours and analogue aesthetic recall an Afghanistan renowned for its hospitality, where fertile valleys, sapphire lakes, and golden mountains welcomed travellers from around the world. Together, they offer a glimpse into a place defined by the enduring kindness and generosity of its people.