"When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder I can think at all
And though my lack of education
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's
a sunny day
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away"
Paul Simon - Kodachrome
Wow, Eastman Kodak is going to stop selling cameras. I'm heart broken. My whole childhood seems to have swirled around that company. My uncle (he was really only my father's best friend, but I didn't know that until I was in high school) must have filmed every moment possible of our lives on reel to reel tape. Pictures were taken at every family gathering. Our entire family was chronicled growing up lined up on my grandparent front porch steps. My prize possession as a 12 year old was the Instamatic camera that I was given at Christmas, as my brother with a similar camera sent us pictures from Ben Hoa Air Base. Five years of high school Graphic Arts classes spent in the dark room developing film and pictures (high school where I lived started in 8th grade). Summer camp and car washes and bake sales all duly photographed. Pictures of the beach at college and friends, of my wedding, of my parents and friends and family. Pictures of my children as they grew up. Pictures of my dog, Sammy. And now it will soon be all gone. Future generations will have to find another way to commemorate the lives they led. I wonder if Youtube will be as lasting as the scrapbook that Granny put together. I shudder to think. Now Kodak is taking my Kodachrome away? Goodbye Kodachorome, it's been a hell of a ride. Say it ain't so Kodak, say it ain't so.
2 comments:
My daughter is studying photography at NYU, we've been having a ton of conversations about film cameras and the phasing out.
With digital photography, mostly stored on a computer, there will be no photos for our kids to look back on and laugh. The ability to instantly delete the photos that aren't "perfect" has left us with only perfectly posed pictures. Kind of boring if you ask me!
I got my first camera the same Christmas I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid. I've been snapping pictures ever since. My kids will have plenty of memories to look at because I love making digital scrapbooks! I have visions of all four of my adult children sitting around with their spouses, looking at all the photo albums mom made. Hopefully I'll still be around to see it!
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