The Last Roll of Kodachrome Film Ever Will Be Developed Today

Even if you don't give two f-stops about analog photography, it's always good to respect our elders. So today, we pour one out for Kodak legendarily beautiful Kodachrome film which after today in Parsons Kansas will never be processed again.

Kodachrome, which Kodak stopped manufacturing last year, has been prized by the world's most eminent photographers for its beauty and refinement—the way it captures light and color is unlike anything else, and has made possible some of photography's greatest visions.

But from a peak of 25 labs across the world, only one remains, in a small Kansas town. Dwayne's Photo, an unlikely photo lab in the relative middle of nowhere, has become a photographic Mecca, as film enthusiasts have rushed from around the world to ensure their stacked up analog rolls are processed before the lights go off. But today is the end of the line—Dwayne's Photo is simply dead out of the chemicals it takes to process the film, and there's nowhere else to get it.
Dwayne Steinle, owner of Dwayne's Photo, will have the honor of ending the 75 year run—the man with the last Kodachrome photo in history. The last snapshot? "A picture of all the employees standing in front of Dwayne's wearing shirts with the epitaph: "The best slide and movie film in history is now officially retired. Kodachrome: 1935-2010," reports the NYT.
Despite having the bejeezus knocked out of it by digital, the singular beauty of analog photography should never be forgotten—and thanks to groups like the 1,668 member strong Kodachrome Flickr pool, it probably won't be. I highly recommend browsing the collection. Even the most mundane shots—someone's grandma, a train station, the beach—show the warm charm of the film.