Developing Love Loss

Kodachrome is gone, too

Over the weekend I shot three color rolls of 120 film (120 is about twice the width of 35mm). All pinholes. I eagerly went to Chromatics Monday (yes, I knew they would be closed for Labor Day) so I could deposit the film in their drop box. I was shocked when I read a sign on the box of order envelopes that Chromatics stopped developing C-41, Black & White and another type of film in July. Most color film is C-41 process. No, not shocked. Dismayed and remorseful.

I admit it's been a minute or two since I shot film. While I know I wasn't the only one keeping Chromatics developing in business, for Chromatics is a mistress to many, I felt sudden remorse over my brief amorous entanglement with camera apps on my phone (Moto Droid). Did that affair somehow translate to the end of film processing at Chromatics? I'm such a jerk for neglecting my true love and now she is gone.


Thankfully Chromatics is still in full swing. They are devoting their business to the other side of imaging--prints from digital, display services, banners and whatnot. I will always get my enlargements from film done at Chromatics as long as their still handling film.

I called them today, my voice filled with remorse and panic at the sudden loss, and asked, "Ummm, where now?" I'm not certain who answered the phone--I think the woman who took the picture to the left--but with a kind voice she replied, "Dury's, ya freak."

Slight sigh of relief. So, there is still a local option albeit a slightly uglier one. Thus is the pain I should suffer for my negligence. Durys is actually a great local photo supply shop with equipment, film, paper, chemicals, and apparently, 120 film developing. I stopped using Dury's for developing a few years ago and moved to Chromatics. Maybe it was the excitement of a new experience, or the sleekness of the shop or the hot piece of gallery upstairs, but reality is, Chromatics did a better job processing. I will gladly use Dury's again because they did a decent job and something's better than nothing.

I also plan to gain a little patience and try Dwayne's Photo, based somewhere in Kansas, which does mail-order photo processing.With the patience comes better prices. Even after shipping the cost will be about half of what Chromatics charged. I don't expect the same level of service but cheap can be good, right?

A final note, Chromatics does process E-6 (slide film) but Thursday is the last day. Yes, Thursday, as in TOMORROW. If you have any undeveloped slide film left I suggest you drop it off ASAP. They're saying film developing prices will be from the '80s, a going away gift to all the film Johns out there.

A Walk in Greenwich, England: