The 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. Here are some photos from the last roll of Kodachrome I shot, which includes family memories from Tenby, Wales. And like in the Hollywood movie “Kodachrome”, the pictures below were processed by Dwayne’s Photo—the last processing facility in the world!

About Kodachrome

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 and 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 and then shipped it back to the sender.

Processing 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.

The Last Roll of Kodachrome: Tenby Beach, Wales

A Movie About a Photographers Wish to Process His Last Roll of Kodachrome

In 2017, the movie “Kodachrome” premiered. It’s about a dying father (played by Ed Harris) and his estranged son (played by Jason Sudeikis) who take a road trip to the last lab (i.e., Dwayne’s Photo) in the US that can process his last roll of Kodachrome.

As in the movie, the last roll of Kodachrome I shot includes family memories from a 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 them in November to Dwayne’s Photo (via Switerzland) to process a few weeks before the last ever roll. I have the T-shirt to prove it!