In the digital world, people demand instant gratification. This feeling permeates through virtually everything we do. We want things now and we want them fast.

In photography terms, this is best exemplified by the 'selfie generation'. Easy-to-use digital cameras - and particularly smartphone cameras - mean that the images we take can be shared with the world on social media in a matter of seconds.

But intstant gratification isn't new when it comes to photography. Indeed, the Polaroid SX-70 - an icon of instant photography - dates back to the early 1970s.

Innovation and sophistication

Released in 1972 by Polaroid's co-founder Edwin Land, the Polaroid SX-70 was a revolution in the photography world. At the time Polaroid was a company that provided photography equipment, primarily, to professionals, artists and the rich and famous.

Seeing a blank square emerge at the front of the camera and turn into a developed photo - in an instant - made the Polaroid SX-70 one of the most innovative and sophisticated consumer products around.

The story behind the Polaroid SX-70

Legend has it that the model was inspired by an incident Edwin Land experienced while on holiday with his young daughter. She became frustrated that she couldn't see the photos her father was taking right there and then. This got Land thinking, and the end result (although the development took over 30 years) was the Polaroid SX-70.

Of course, Polaroid went on to virtually own the instant photography market for decades, but all its subsequent models were essentially based on the SX-70. But nothing stays the same forever, digital photography superseded instant photography and Polaroid went into steep decline.

In recent years, Polaroid has re-emerged and instant photography has enjoyed something of a resurgence. It is now an important niche market, but the Polaroid SX-70 is its forefather.