chris00nj
Young Luddite
Enough people in general still seemed interested in Kodachrome. Seeing the attached photo of "Yahoo Trending"
PARSONS — Freelance photojournalist Steve McCurry, whose work has graced the pages of National Geographic, laid 36 slides representing the last frames of Kodachrome film on the light board sitting on a counter in Dwayne's Photo Service in Parsons.
He placed a loupe — a magnifier that makes it easier to view film — over one frame and took a closer look at the film.
McCurry told Dwayne's vice president Grant Steinle how he had chosen to shoot the last roll of Kodachrome produced by Eastman Kodak by capturing images around New York.
"Then we went to India, where I photographed a tribe that is actually on the verge of extinction. It's actually disappearing, the same way as Kodachrome," he told Steinle.
Kodak announced last year that it would retire Kodachrome, a brand name of color reversal film it had manufactured since 1935. McCurry, well-known for his 1984 photograph of Sharbat Gula, or the "Afghan Girl," published on the cover of National Geographic magazine, requested from Kodak to shoot the last roll of 36 frames it manufactured.
National Geographic has closely documented the journey of the final roll of Kodachrome manufactured, down to its being processed. Dwayne's is the only photo lab left in the world to handle Kodachrome processing, so National Geographic Television producer Yvonne Russo and National Geographic magazine senior video producer Hans Weise found themselves in Parsons on Monday, along with McCurry, with the final roll of the iconic film of the 20th century.
As a professional freelance photographer, McCurry has used Kodachrome film for 35 years.
"It's definitely the end of an era," he said of Kodachrome. "It has such a wonderful color palette ... a poetic look, not particularly garish or cartoonish, but wonderful, true colors that were vibrant, but true to what you were shooting."
There are definite advantages to digital photography by comparison to film, McCurry said.
Regardless, digital photography is simply not the same.
"I like having something to hold in my hand," McCurry said.
For McCurry, a photographer since 1974 and photojournalist for National Geographic for 30 years, Kodachrome has been a part of his professional career.
Russo said they documented McCurry shooting the final roll of film in New York, then traveling to Bombay and Rajasthan, India, then back to New York, shooting along the way several personalities of the world of filmmaking.
McCurry said he spent about two months shooting the images, which also included scenic photos, as well as serendipitous moments on the streets of New York.
"And I actually shot the last three frames here in Parsons," McCurry said.
As Kodachrome is no longer manufactured, Steinle said that on Dec. 10 Dwayne's Photo will end its processing of Kodachrome.
"All this is going to be discarded," McCurry said of the processing equipment for Kodachrome,"... so it's just a piece of history. It's nostalgic. It's kind of sad. I have about 800,000 Kodachrome images in my lab and these will be the last."
If National Geographic does a spread on the journey of this final roll of Kodachrome, McCurry said it will likely come out in spring 2011 and will consist of only four to six images selected from the roll.
However, Weise said, "The entire 36 frames shot will be sent to the Eastman House in Rochester, New York, where Kodak is based, and live there."
PARSONS — Freelance photojournalist Steve McCurry, whose work has graced the pages of National Geographic, laid 36 slides representing the last frames of Kodachrome film on the light board sitting on a counter in Dwayne's Photo Service in Parsons.
He placed a loupe — a magnifier that makes it easier to view film — over one frame and took a closer look at the film.
McCurry told Dwayne's vice president Grant Steinle how he had chosen to shoot the last roll of Kodachrome produced by Eastman Kodak by capturing images around New York.
"Then we went to India, where I photographed a tribe that is actually on the verge of extinction. It's actually disappearing, the same way as Kodachrome," he told Steinle.
Kodak announced last year that it would retire Kodachrome, a brand name of color reversal film it had manufactured since 1935. McCurry, well-known for his 1984 photograph of Sharbat Gula, or the "Afghan Girl," published on the cover of National Geographic magazine, requested from Kodak to shoot the last roll of 36 frames it manufactured.
National Geographic has closely documented the journey of the final roll of Kodachrome manufactured, down to its being processed. Dwayne's is the only photo lab left in the world to handle Kodachrome processing, so National Geographic Television producer Yvonne Russo and National Geographic magazine senior video producer Hans Weise found themselves in Parsons on Monday, along with McCurry, with the final roll of the iconic film of the 20th century.
As a professional freelance photographer, McCurry has used Kodachrome film for 35 years.
"It's definitely the end of an era," he said of Kodachrome. "It has such a wonderful color palette ... a poetic look, not particularly garish or cartoonish, but wonderful, true colors that were vibrant, but true to what you were shooting."
There are definite advantages to digital photography by comparison to film, McCurry said.
Regardless, digital photography is simply not the same.
"I like having something to hold in my hand," McCurry said.
For McCurry, a photographer since 1974 and photojournalist for National Geographic for 30 years, Kodachrome has been a part of his professional career.
Russo said they documented McCurry shooting the final roll of film in New York, then traveling to Bombay and Rajasthan, India, then back to New York, shooting along the way several personalities of the world of filmmaking.
McCurry said he spent about two months shooting the images, which also included scenic photos, as well as serendipitous moments on the streets of New York.
"And I actually shot the last three frames here in Parsons," McCurry said.
As Kodachrome is no longer manufactured, Steinle said that on Dec. 10 Dwayne's Photo will end its processing of Kodachrome.
"All this is going to be discarded," McCurry said of the processing equipment for Kodachrome,"... so it's just a piece of history. It's nostalgic. It's kind of sad. I have about 800,000 Kodachrome images in my lab and these will be the last."
If National Geographic does a spread on the journey of this final roll of Kodachrome, McCurry said it will likely come out in spring 2011 and will consist of only four to six images selected from the roll.
However, Weise said, "The entire 36 frames shot will be sent to the Eastman House in Rochester, New York, where Kodak is based, and live there."
Attachments
swoop
Well-known
I hate that guy. He's spent his whole life trying to recreate his one hit wonder.
Mister E
-
Are you on crack? Steve McCurry to me is probably my single favorite photographer out there. Larry Burrow might be a close second. Steve is incredibly talented.
haziz
Member
Hardly a one hit wonder. Have you seen some of his other work? I would not mind making a tenth of his images, even if you ignore the "Afghan girl."
wray
Well-known
swoop
Well-known
I bet you wouldn't.
Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario. I would say those are my living photographic idols.
FrankS
Registered User
It's a pity that a wonderful product like Kodachrome is discontinued!
mackigator
Well-known
You can buy some Kodachrome 25 in the classifieds right now though, and shoot your own little project with it... wink. wink. 
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...duct/23123/cat/6/limit/recent/date/1258763937
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...duct/23123/cat/6/limit/recent/date/1258763937
PKR
Mentor
Having worked as an assistant to a NGS photographer, I can tell you that at their worst, they are in a class far above most working location photographers. I can't think of one that isn't a class act. When did you work for NGS?
pkr
Issy
Well-known
Taking nothing away from Steve, I would have given it to Paul Simon.
... or maybe, have Steve, shoot Paul, in NY.
... or maybe, have Steve, shoot Paul, in NY.
jan normandale
Film is the other way
I've got 10 rolls left. I'm shooting them because it was made for taking photographs. Sadly I don't know about any of the photographers listed. I'll check them out.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
andersju
Well-known
"Hate" seems like a very strong word in this context. And I find it hard to believe you would make such an unfair statement about his life if you had actually followed some of his work.
(Check out bits and pieces at his excellent blog)
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Low comment.
Create your own one hit wonder that's even worth trying to recreate, than check back in here.
Jamie123
Mentor
I think that's a bit harsh even though I don't like his work very much. I don't think he's any more of a 'one hit wonder' than most other photographers out there that have a distinctive style. I just don't like his style. A bit too much of everything.
Had a look at Tyler Hicks' and Lynsey Addario's work. I find it boringly generic. But maybe that's because I'm bored by most photojournalism.
robert blu
quiet photographer
2 rolls left, just shot 10 rolls in Arles and surroundings a few days ago. Actually on the way to development. I'm thinking what to do with "my last" roll of Kodachrome!
robert
robert
martin s
Well-known
Taking nothing away from Steve, I would have given it to Paul Simon.
... or maybe, have Steve, shoot Paul, in NY.
Taking nothing away from neither of them, I would have voted for Alex Webb.
martin
Nelson Tan
Established
Steve McCurry is one of the best photographers in the world today, and while he's largely defined by his iconic "Afghan Girl" image, his portfolio has an incredibly diverse range of work that stands out even among NG photographers. You can't blame Steve for shooting an iconic piece of work, especially if you've seen his work post "Afghan Girl". Although I'm not personally acquainted to Steve, I've attended his talks before and my friend (whom didn't know him personally) gave Steve a call when he was in NYC and met up for coffee with him. Steve's an affable and humble guy, and I'm sure he's equally anxious to shake off the shadow of such an iconic shot.
The "Afghan Girl" defined Steve McCurry's reputation, but that didn't stop him from creating wonderful imagery that defined the world for the rest of us in the pages of National Geographic. For example, check out his work in India, which I felt was incredibly intimate.
The "Afghan Girl" defined Steve McCurry's reputation, but that didn't stop him from creating wonderful imagery that defined the world for the rest of us in the pages of National Geographic. For example, check out his work in India, which I felt was incredibly intimate.