kleinbatavia
13-Nov-2015, 10:05
Over the years, I have spent at least a few months a year in Australia. While I have extensively photographed many locations and worked for various conservation agencies, my commercial work has been digital. All the film I shot was private and I have been happy to take the risk of travelling with numerous boxes of sheet film. Aside from a very curious security official in South America, I've never even been as much as asked to see the boxes. Sometimes they pull my bag and ask me to open it, but they seem primarily interested in the lenses and what could be in them.
The long and short is that on a trip I will soon make, I have been asked to shoot film on a commercial basis. Mainly 4x5 in B/W and E6. Not wanting to take any risk here, I would probably send the exposed film to the EU (where I have my dark room) for processing. However, it may be better still to do some local developing. There are several options for this:
B/W: I bring a drum and locally source chemicals. Any advise on where I find Adox APH09 or Tanol, any stop bath and fixer (not so relevant which for APH09, alkaline in case of Tanol) would be most welcome. Photoflo or similar would be nice to have, but I can always fix drying marks or stains by washing the film again once I get home. Easiest would be in or near Cairns or anywhere along the coast heading down to Sydney. Mail order will also work.
E6: Impractical to develop under uncontrolled circumstances.
Alternatively, anyone who has a dark room I could use or rent would be great. Anywhere between Cairns and Sydney with a reasonable detour will work. If I do all the film, I'll be a while as I probably do 100-200 sheets B/W and 50-100 E6. 6 at a time if I work with a drum I bring, possibly more if you have something I can use. Of course I can only do a (small) part of this. I have a changing tent with me, so even just a working space would be fine, provided I can source the chemicals as per above.
Never looked into having my film developed in Australia, but a tip on a lab that does e6 on 4x5 well and affordable is most welcome too!
To anyone offering help, I am happy to return the favour if and when you travel anywhere near where I am. I have good facilities in Europe (Netherlands and Spain) and can advice on where to have film processed and scanned well and affordable in Hong Kong. Besides that, I know most of the large European (mainly German, a few Dutch and UK) suppliers quite well and can probably get my hands on most non-standard items or chemicals you would need when there. (odd ULF film sizes and emulsions, supplies, chemicals, possibly custom-mixed depending on quantity required, etc). The same goes for HK though there it would more likely be standard film sizes, but often at great prices and / or emulsions that are difficult to find (Velvia 50, som Pan film, etc).
Alas, not sure this thread will trigger many responses, but worth a try! Thanks to anyone who chimes in.
The long and short is that on a trip I will soon make, I have been asked to shoot film on a commercial basis. Mainly 4x5 in B/W and E6. Not wanting to take any risk here, I would probably send the exposed film to the EU (where I have my dark room) for processing. However, it may be better still to do some local developing. There are several options for this:
B/W: I bring a drum and locally source chemicals. Any advise on where I find Adox APH09 or Tanol, any stop bath and fixer (not so relevant which for APH09, alkaline in case of Tanol) would be most welcome. Photoflo or similar would be nice to have, but I can always fix drying marks or stains by washing the film again once I get home. Easiest would be in or near Cairns or anywhere along the coast heading down to Sydney. Mail order will also work.
E6: Impractical to develop under uncontrolled circumstances.
Alternatively, anyone who has a dark room I could use or rent would be great. Anywhere between Cairns and Sydney with a reasonable detour will work. If I do all the film, I'll be a while as I probably do 100-200 sheets B/W and 50-100 E6. 6 at a time if I work with a drum I bring, possibly more if you have something I can use. Of course I can only do a (small) part of this. I have a changing tent with me, so even just a working space would be fine, provided I can source the chemicals as per above.
Never looked into having my film developed in Australia, but a tip on a lab that does e6 on 4x5 well and affordable is most welcome too!
To anyone offering help, I am happy to return the favour if and when you travel anywhere near where I am. I have good facilities in Europe (Netherlands and Spain) and can advice on where to have film processed and scanned well and affordable in Hong Kong. Besides that, I know most of the large European (mainly German, a few Dutch and UK) suppliers quite well and can probably get my hands on most non-standard items or chemicals you would need when there. (odd ULF film sizes and emulsions, supplies, chemicals, possibly custom-mixed depending on quantity required, etc). The same goes for HK though there it would more likely be standard film sizes, but often at great prices and / or emulsions that are difficult to find (Velvia 50, som Pan film, etc).
Alas, not sure this thread will trigger many responses, but worth a try! Thanks to anyone who chimes in.