Nur in der dunkelkammer offnen!

Where have all the good times gone?

Agfa Brovira has been my preferred darkroom paper since the early 70's. The bright orange box with their cool logo was as familiar to me as Corn Flakes or Crackerjacks. Their paper was superb - great black and white tones. I used it to print all my vintage CBGB's night photographs.

And now, gone - real gone. The company went under last December, and for me it was like a death in the family. Hey - Ilford's ok -just not my type, Kodak - I don't miss their paper a bit; dull grey paper in a mustard yellow box.

But Agfa - that was a company with style. No more evident than in the inscription on their label - "NUR IN DER DUNKELKAMMER OFFNEN." Don't open shmuck unless you're in the darkroom. You gotta love how they say that - the darkroom - der dunkelkammer.

So let's all raise a glass to Agfa. An unsung casualty of the digital revolution. Man I'm gonna miss that paper...