Gone forever. Film. Yes, Kodachrome will never be made again. After almost 75 years, the Kodak film corporation has decided to stop manufacturing good old wonderful color film of magazine quality thanks to the digital age of photography. It was a film so popular it had its own song “KODACHROME” recorded by Paul Simon. The pictures from this type of film was known to be the most brilliant. It was an important part of history of all photography.

Most professional photographers have switched to digital photography because you can instantly see your shot however, their hearts are still with Kodachrome film because the colors are vivid and they last forever with a density and great dynamic range. In secret many photographers have kept their old cameras along with rolls of film for special occasions. This film was so popular once, that a song was written about it and a state park was named after it. Yes, a type of film. It was considered the film of choice of photographers documenting history as well as amateurs treasuring their families every expression. Kodak has a Museum in Rochester N.Y. that plays tribute to the film. It was presented to society shortly after World War II when families were together, things were getting better, people were now on vacation and would put the images on slides and proudly show their images on a slide projector.

Technology caught up with the film. With digital cameras everywhere, there was no longer demand for Kodak to keep producing film. You might as well throw out whatever film you have left. After December 30^th that recently passed, there will be NO PLACE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD to process the film. In order to develop the film, you needed the special chemicals to soak the film in that Kodak no longer makes or distributes. It was such a special film, you couldn’t develop it in your ordinary dark room because the dyes that you have to create the color don’t get into the film until it is actually developed.

A particularity famous image taken by Steven McCurrey of a Afgan girl printed on the cover of National Geographic in 1984 still remained famous when he found the same girl 17 years later and managed to film her again on the same type of film. Steve was known throughout the years to have taken thousands of images of the people of India. Kodak gave him the honor of having the very last box of film to shoot.

Good By Film. Some of us still remember you.