ADVICE NEEDED: TRAVELING TO CUBA W/ DARKROOM CHEMS

Hello all,
I have the amazing opportunity to collaborate with a Cuban photographer in Havana next week at the ISA, the premier arts school in Cuba. I asked him about the possibility of film developing and darkroom printing, and he replied that the ISA has excellent facilities that go unused because there is little to no access to darkroom chemicals.
With this in mind, I am planning to bring darkroom chemicals with me in my checked baggage.
I am hoping that the esteemed members of this community might be able to give me some advice.

Has anyone here had extensive experience flying with darkroom chemicals in checked baggage?

I am thinking I will bring powdered developer for film and paper, and powdered fixer as well. It seems very unlikely that I could get through security and customs with liquid stop bath, as it's pretty hazardous. I have heard of people using distilled white vinegar as stop, though I'm not sure I will be able to find that in Cuba. I know that I can use water instead of stop for film, but that fiber paper requires a stop bath. Could I get around this by using RC paper?

Does a powdered perma wash exist?

Thank you all so much for your help!
lee

Is it possible to ship (FEDX or USPS) powdered Chem in advance? Customs can be a bit crazy when they find white powder chem in your baggage, you may be fine but you should check with customs first. If they say it is fine get them to write a official letter for you or make up a list of the the things you are taking, then take this list with your chem to customs a few days so before you leave, get them to inspect everything and put a official stamp or sticker on it. Also get your friend at the arts school to write you a letter of invitation on their official letterhead (have him scan it and print it out in a Quality printer), also if your friend is connected he may also be able to get you some sort of a Press Pass.

I would take R/C paper rather than fiber as this will be less trouble to develop, you can just use water for a stop with R/C Paper.


I once got stopped at a airport while on assignment traveling from here, Australia to New Zealand, I had a Custom Built case (The Maximum carry on size down to Millimeters) with cameras and lenses in it. I was not stopped by customs but by a Airline Officer !!! she had me weigh the case !!! it was 1 or 2 KG over weight. She started giving me a hard time, wanted to charge me excess baggage and have the case checked in...I at that point puled out my folder with letters, customs documents and a press pass....She took one look and her face went a bit white.....I was not a ordinary passenger any more.....I was taken to to the front of the cue, put on the plane before 1st class and the crew found somewhere nice for my camera case so that it would not get damaged !!!!

I have found that if you are traveling with anything slightly off beat to ANY WHERE !! by plane Post SEPT 11 you cannot have too much paperwork !!! The more customs stamps, stickers and letter head the better....

Also you might want to take copy's of the EPA Documents showing it not hazardous stuff you are carrying they are available to down load from Kodak ect

Best of luck

Johnkpap

I've traveled with darkroom chemistry before - not to Cuba, mind you. It can be a pain in the ass. Powder is a good idea, in original sealed bags, and keep any receipts with you. Don't bring anything that has the hazardous symbols on the packaging, like Rodinal used have for example. Understand that the likelihood of anyone knowing what the chemistry is will be slim to none. You will probably have as much problem in the USA as you will Cuba.

Bring only the bare necessities: You can do without stop bath and just use water. Hypo clear is pretty much just sodium sulfite, which I'm sure your partner could source on his end.

Before you lug all this stuff with you, double check that you won't be able to purchase it at your destination. I remember posting here on APUG if anyone knew where I could buy photo sundries in San Jose, Costa Rica. Everyone said it would be completely impossible, and that I'd never find it over there. Sure enough, on my first afternoon of walking around the city, I found a photo store that was more stocked with chemistry and paper than any shop I had seen at home. All Ilford products, all in the new - at the time - packaging. I felt like a bit of a dummy.

Good luck!

Distilled white vinegar will serve for stop bath - ask your colleague if it may be available in Cuba.
You can use a vigorous water rinse instead of stop bath, even with fibre paper, but your fixer won't last as long, and you would be wise to choose more dilute (rather than more concentrated) print developer and long print developing times.
Or you can use RC paper with the vigorous water rinse. Same suggestions for developer dilution and times.
Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent is a wash aid in powder form.

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies!
Unfortunately, I leave for Cuba next Thursday, so I don't have time to ship chems to myself. It also seems very unlikely that I will be able to contact the Cuban customs authorities and get them to write me a letter, though my colleague at ISA may be able to send me some sort of document stating what the chemicals are.
I think I will go with RC paper to avoid the hassle of stop bath.
If anyone else has any experience, I would be grateful to hear it!

i flew to mexico with chemicals in my checked bag, triple zip-locked. every bagged chemical, like the XTOL and kodak fixer had inside the outside bag the MSD sheets clearly visible. I did cheat a little and bought 4 3 ounce travel size shampoo things filledweith rodinal, but those look totally nondescript. I had no problems bring them both to mexico and bringing back an unused XTOL bag back to the states packed the same way.

so i can be done, just dont try and bring them in a carry on!

Lee Birder said:

Hello all,
I have the amazing opportunity to collaborate with a Cuban photographer in Havana next week at the ISA, the premier arts school in Cuba. I asked him about the possibility of film developing and darkroom printing, and he replied that the ISA has excellent facilities that go unused because there is little to no access to darkroom chemicals.
With this in mind, I am planning to bring darkroom chemicals with me in my checked baggage.
I am hoping that the esteemed members of this community might be able to give me some advice.

Has anyone here had extensive experience flying with darkroom chemicals in checked baggage?

I am thinking I will bring powdered developer for film and paper, and powdered fixer as well. It seems very unlikely that I could get through security and customs with liquid stop bath, as it's pretty hazardous. I have heard of people using distilled white vinegar as stop, though I'm not sure I will be able to find that in Cuba. I know that I can use water instead of stop for film, but that fiber paper requires a stop bath. Could I get around this by using RC paper?

Does a powdered perma wash exist?

Thank you all so much for your help!
lee

Click to expand...

As you are dealing with a short time before you leave, I don't think that you have time to find if their lack of access to photo chemicals is monetary rather than government. Once you are there you might ask politely if it would be possible for you to send needed photo chemicals to them as a gesture of goodwill after you return home. That could be a long term solution to their problems and make you some longtime friends as well. I would do this even if you don't get to develop your film while there. Those folks have been doing without for a couple of generations through, in most cases, no fault of their own.......Regards!