Kodak Toronto, Building 9
Building 9 of Toronto's Kodak Factory housed the staff gym, cafeteria, theatre and darkrooms.
What kind of photographer are you if you're not nostalgic for film!?!?!
When i was exploring the factory last year (all but bld. 9 is gone now), building 9 had been untouched by vandals and this had been a trophy room decorated in images of Olympic athletes. Now it's been totaled by vandals and fire bugs.
The fall in the sale of film and consequential closure of film processing plants across the world frightens me. I shoot film regularly and every year another film bites the dust.... I miss Agfa and Polaroid.
I was reading a photoblog debate about why one should bother with film at all.... call me old school, but if you can't shoot film, how can you be a photographer? Digital may be slick and fast (I shoot it for commercial work). I just think you have to earn a photo.
The digital camera lets you know immediately if you don't know what you're doing, (save file size fuck-ups and the like). If you shoot film, you either know what you're doing or you don't get the shot.
It pains me to see beautiful buildings torn down for generic box structures.
Building 9 is slated to be restored (Why it had to be ruined first is beyond me), but it might be years before it's restored to it's former glory (the entrance stair case is curved and marble).
UPDATE! Sept. 09. Kodak has leaked that production of all E6 and Tri-X films will cease at the end of 2009. I miss the good ol' days of film.
9 responses
-
Brian Betteridge gave props (12 Sep 2009):
well captured!
-
Elia L. Alamillo gave props (12 Sep 2009):
Very nice! I love film too!!
-
Ana Magalhaes said (14 Sep 2009):
Amazing capture of light and a great document too.
My vote for Nostalgia =) -
Alexis Gerard gave props (14 Oct 2009):
Awesome image, my vote
-
Liana said (18 Oct 2009):
great picture. where exactly in toronto is this building located?
-
Richelle Forsey said (22 Oct 2009):
Liana: Thanks. the location is not a secret that Google doesn't share with you in the first search result... however it's just off Photography Drive in the North West end of Toronto.
-
Norm Levin gave props (22 Oct 2009):
You must be aware of the subtle irony of this photo... a faded color shot that symbolizes the dying of color film itself.
-
Megan Green gave props (18 Nov 2009):
No more Tri-X? ::panics::
-
Richelle Forsey said (18 Nov 2009):
As far as i've been informed, Tri-x and E6 are the films on the chopping block... but it's from my supplier who called Kodak to get the skinny on the bad news. :(
