Edwin Land

Edwin H. Land (1909–1991) was an American scientist and inventor best known as the founder of the Polaroid Corporation and a pioneer of instant photography. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he studied at Harvard University but left before graduating to pursue research in optics. In the 1930s he developed practical polarizing filters, leading to products such as Polaroid sunglasses and optical components. Land founded Polaroid in 1937 and later introduced the first commercially successful instant camera, bringing near-immediate photographic prints to consumers. Over his career he received hundreds of patents and remained a leading figure in applied science and innovation.