>> it's hard to believe that you had an ansel adams lining a drawer. >> and your reaction? >> "wow." [ chuckles ] [ camera shutter clicks ] >> but it's not so black and white. >> did you say to yourself, "uh-oh -- legally, maybe i can't do this?" >> i was concerned about that. >> will this photo finish... bring riches...or regrets? >> i was also feeling like, if i sold too many, then i would lose that part of my mother. [ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] i'm jamie colby, and today i'm on staten island in new york city. so, picture this -- a packrat mom spends a lifetime stuffing her home. her kids wonder, "ma, when are you ever gonna get rid of all this stuff?" of course, she never does. and then a classic "strange inheritance" tale comes into sharp focus. >> my name is jaye smith. our mom, carol, had an expression -- "never forget to look in your attic." we thought she meant it metaphorically. now we know she meant it literally, as in, "there really is valuable stuff in our attic." >> hi, jaye. jaye, an executive coach, has invited me here to

. >> for ansel adams, it answered the call of the wild. william wegman thought it was force play. camera. when it came tohy photogr, it changed everything kinds surfaces and all kinds of wayof manipulating the materials. it probably drove some of the engineers at polaroid mad because the artists were ignoring the rules and making it up. >> at the m.i.t. meum in cambridge, a few blocks from where the polaroid camera r s invented, cades of polaroids. artists were given cameras and film to experiment, says the curator, starting with ansel adams. >> he was debate. he said, we should use itn the theate and astronomy. he gets really excited. >> the polaroid camera bypassed the process of developing film. for the first time, aists had an immediate look at their work. >> it was a small thing you could hold in the hand but you had to participate in the making of the picre. the picture came out and developed slowly, and that was described as magic. >> i'm going to take a picture >> would you like me to pose for you? >>es, please. it is going to tak probably 20 full minutes, but that blue sh

>> it's hard to believe that you had an ansel adams lining a drawer. >> and your reaction?ckles ] [ camera shutter clicks ] >> but it's not so black and white. >> did you say to yourself, "uh-oh -- legally, maybe i can't do this?" >> i was concerned about that. >> will this photo finish... bring riches...or regrets? >> i was also feeling like, if i sold too many, then i would lose that part of my mother. [ door creaks ]

from the day it was born, artists were given cameras and film to experiment says starting with ansel adams. >> he was the bait. ansel getstiery excited at s. he said, "oh, you should use this. you should use it in the theater! you use it in astronomy!" he gets really excited. >> reporter: the polaroid camera bypassed the entire ocess of developing film. ter the first me ever, artists had an immedook at their work. >> it was a very small thing yoo coul in the hand, but you had to participate in the making of the picture. the thing whirred and clicked. the picture came out and developed slowly. and that was described as magic. >> i'm going to take a picture now jared. >> reporter: do you want me to pose for you?>> es please. okay... okay. and it's going to take probably 20 full minute but that blue sheet is the opacificaon and in a couple of minutes this will emerge. so i'm going to--ep >>ter: 20 minutes?! all!now it's not an instant at >> reporter: deborah douglas is the purveyor of polaroid at the m.i.t. museum. land, owner of an innovation lab who conceived of an instant a camera in 19 la