Mama, They Took My Kodachrome Away
Posted in: film, Today's Chili
It would be hard to find a film as iconic as Kodachrome. Imagine another emulsion that that garnered so much emotion that songs were written about it. Sadly, the film is no more, retired by Kodak after 74 years of service.
The slide, or reversal, film was making up a fraction of one percent of Kodak’s film sales — most photographers have moved on to either Kodak’s E100VS film (which can be dropped off and processed at any lab instead of sent to Kodak in the little red and yellow envelope*) or digital. But the advantages of the legendary film remain. First, the resulting slides would, if you kept them out of bright light, last practically forever, or at the very least for much longer than you.
Second was the color. Kodachrome renders colors in a very particular way, although it is at the same time very natural. This, mostly, is what caused its popularity.
It’s certainly sad to see it go, but in practical term not surprising. I love film, but I haven’t shot it seriously for years now, and I suspect most of you would say the same.
A Tribute to KODACHROME: A Photography Icon [Kodak via James Duncan Davidson]
Photo: pizzodisevo/Flickr
*In the US, Kodak was obliged to supply labs with appropriate chemicals.
Post a Comment