Photo by Rodney Alan

My name is Kelvin Wang, and I am a photographer in high school, currently shooting on film.

To get my film processed, I have to travel downtown - a 2 hour commute. I spend a lot of money on public transit alone to get my film processed. I doesn't have to and shouldn't be this way. I live right near a costco, a mere kilometer away.

For many years, Costco was THE place to go to get your film processed. At around $1.59 per roll, it's probably the cheapest you could get, as most other places run you around $10.00 per roll. However in 2015, right in the beginning of a film renaissance, with movements like lomography getting off the ground, and people realizing where their instagram filters came from, Costco shuttered it's film processing service. It's film processing was not only cheap, but was of great quality and was the choice of many photographers. Killing this service would make sense in 2009, at the height of the digital craze, but statistics show that film in fact is making a comeback. People used to be able to go right to their local Costco to get their film developed, and now most people have to drive sometimes hours, to town, to a camera store. Most of these camera stores also develop 120 and other specialty films. Killing this developing service not only turns a lot of people away from film, but makes 35mm colour negative no cheaper nor economical to shoot than other films. Killing this service made many people who still shoot film very upset, and also made them think, "Now What?!" I, myself, have to travel more than an hour downtown to go to one of two places that I know of near me that still processes film.

As photographer Rodney Alan Says,

"As I share the last rolls of film developed at Costco. I’m going to miss the days of inexpensive 35mm film processing. Where else can I find a “lab” that I can get my film processed with a 20 minute turn around and a hot dog and soda combo for $1.50?"

-Rodney Alan

Film Photography Is In No Danger Of Dying Out

It has a very dedicated community, and in fact film is rising in popularity.