Just days before the opening of the exhibition “Kodachrome Culture: The American Tourist in Europe,” Kodak announced that it would discontinue Kodachrome film.

First Polaroid, now this?!

The slide film, known for its rich colors and clarity, has been available commercially since 1935. It now accounts for less than 1% of Kodak’s still-film sales. You’ve probably seen this famous Kodachrome portrait:

Sharbat Gula, Afghan Girl, 1984. © Steve McCurry

The problem is, Kodachrome must be processed by a method so complex that only one lab in America is still certified by Kodak to handle the film: Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas. Dwayne’s said on its site that they would continue processing Kodachrome through the end of next year. Renowned photographer and Kodachrome lover Eric Meola seems to think the transition was inevitable:

Before digital, Kodak was already shifting gears–moving away from the boundaries of KODACHROME (long lab times, fewer labs, a more environmentally friendly, as well as constrained, chemistry)

Promised Land, © Eric Meola

Kodak said that it expects the current supply of Kodachrome to last until the fall. However, if what happened with Polaroid film was any indication, it will probably linger around longer than that.

The National Geographic Museum will open a sentimental tribute to the film today in Washington, D.C. Nat Geo’s photographers began using Kodachrome in the 1930s, describing the film as ‘a photographic medium that changed the way we document the world.’

Kodachrome photo from Flickr user hz536n

Paul Simon, any final words?