Fellow Photographers:
I've been a hard core user of Kodachrome 25 since 1972. However, over the
last couple of years my results have become increasingly disappointing.
On a trip to Colorado in September '96, I shot may scenics (yes, I just don't
shoot railroad photos) in the Colorado River Canyon while following the
former DRG&W Dotesoro Cut-Off. When I got the results back from Kodak, it
sure wasn't what I had pictured. Then a few weeks later I ventured to New
Hampshire's White Mountain's at peak foliage season to shoot Conway Scenic's
Crawford Notch Line. Again, the results were disappointing, those red,
oranges, and yellows were dull to say the least.
I checked out some of my old Kodachrome's from the 1970's and they look
great. Like Mike Del Vicchio said "Did any of you ever notice that
Kodachromes of the 1970s look better than they do today? What happned Kodak.
So I decided to kick my "buy America" habit and gave Velvia a try. I didn't
expect much from my first "experimental" roll, however the results were very
pleasing. Colors seemed to the come from out of nowhere from the stark
November landscape with the Velvia.
This past fall I decided I would shoot Velvia exclusively during the fall
foliage season and the results were spectacular to say the least. The reds,
oranges, and yellows were brilliant. Some may say too brilliant. But that's
what I want in my fall foilage shots.
I have not give up on Kodachrome 25, however. From early May until the fall
colors start to appear I still use Kodachrome 25. In my opinion, green
foliage and grass looks fake with Velvia.
On the down side, for processing Velvia I use Fuji's Pheonix lab, which I am
currently getting a three week turn around time. But I can't lay all the
blame on Fuji. The last roll I had processed took a week to be returned by
the US Postal service. Despite the long turn around time they do an excellent
job, which is worth the wait. On the other side, I get a one week turn around
for my Kodachrome 25 from Kodalux's Fair Lawn, NJ lab via the US Postal
Service.
Enough said,
Jack Armstrong
--> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
