My Last Roll of Kodachrome: Family Memories From Tenby, Wales
Kodachrome was a popular colour film produced by Kodak from 1935 until 2009. Production stopped due to the difficulty of processing, high cost and declining sales. Below is a selection of photos from Tenby (Wales) from the last roll of Kodachrome I shot, and like in the Hollywood movie “Kodachrome”, it contained some fond family memories. Moreover, Dwayne’s Photo—the last processing facility in the world processed the photos (as in the movie)!
About Kodachrome Processing
Kodachrome quickly gained popularity and became one of the most iconic and widely used colour films in the history of photography. Its high resolution, true-to-life colour reproduction and long archival life made it a favourite among amateur and professional photographers.
It was unique because it used a complex development process that created a positive image on the film rather than a negative image to make prints. This technique made for greater colour accuracy, depth, and increased durability/resistance to fading.
The price of Kodachrome film covered processing. In Europe, you put the exposed film in an envelope and posted it to a Kodak processing facility in Lausanne, Switzerland. But, when the Swiss facility closed, they sent it to Dwayne’s Photo in the United States to process, who then shipped it back to the sender.
When I think back, the mounted slides took about four weeks to receive (and view). Not bad, considering they’d travelled halfway across the world and back again! However, waiting this long to see your photos is inconceivable today.
Dwayne’s Photo Processed “The Last Roll of Kodachrome”
Dwayne’s Photo is a film processing facility in Parsons, Kansas, founded in 1956. They processed the last roll of Kodachrome on December 30, 2010. Later, they donated it to the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York.
The lab played a significant role in the history of Kodachrome and the world of photography. Their dedication to keeping Kodachrome’s legacy alive for as long as possible has earned them a special place in the hearts of many photographers and film enthusiasts.
“Kodachrome”: A Movie About a Photographer’s Wish to Process His Last Roll
In 2017, the movie “Kodachrome” premiered. It’s about a renowned photographer and dying father (played by Ed Harris) and his estranged son (played by Jason Sudeikis) who take a road trip to the last lab in the US (i.e., Dwayne’s Photo) that can process his last roll of Kodachrome.
As in the Hollywood movie, the last roll of Kodachrome I shot also included family memories, but from an Autumn break in the harbour town of Tenby in southwest Wales.
My Last Roll of Kodachrome
I shot the pictures below in October 2010 and sent the rolls of film to Dwayne’s Photo (via Switerzland), who processed them in November—a few weeks before they processed the last-ever roll of Kodachrome! And I have the T-shirt to prove it!!
Where
Tenbury, Wales.
When
October 2010.
What
Contax G2 35mm film rangefinder camera and Kodachrome colour reversal film.
How
I scanned the slides using the Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 scanner and VueScan software.
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