Not to brag but being a pharmacist + analog photog is a perfect match

[heespharm]

Not to brag but I've found that being a pharmacist or knowing one, is awesome for analog photography.... I have instant access to amber glass 500ml bottles, syringes and graduated 1 oz cups, nitrile gloves, accurate weighing and volumetric equipment, 1 hr c41 developing 35mm (and if u can convince ur photo guy to do 120 film through the noritsu), film sold IN THE STORE, Tupperware, powdered ascorbic acid, canned air, ph strips, amber plastic bags to protect film from light, freezer packs, ....

Not to mention Tylenol when you get a headache from uneven developement or if you want to make rodinal....

Long story short... Befriend your local pharmacist if you need any of these things...

 

[DanielStone]

there's a doctor in my family, so some of the aforementioned things come almost free .

nitrile gloves I get at Costco however, since the hospital gets mad at having to replace boxes of gloves so frequently(well, more than usual) .

-Dan

 

[Vaughn]

It is also nice being in charge of a university art department teaching darkroom...

 

[munz6869]

That's very very good... but I manage a theatre = large bare space with tall ceiling, props, costume & set pieces, focus-able lighting/three-phase power, dressing rooms, interesting activity to photograph, etc.

Marc!

 

[heespharm]

That's very very good... but I manage a theatre = large bare space with tall ceiling, props, costume & set pieces, focus-able lighting/three-phase power, dressing rooms, interesting activity to photograph, etc.

Marc!

Ok that's def. cooler!

 

[Vaughn]

That's very very good... but I manage a theatre = large bare space with tall ceiling, props, costume & set pieces, focus-able lighting/three-phase power, dressing rooms, interesting activity to photograph, etc.

Marc!

A lighting studio (Norman strobes, et al) is also part of the facilities I take care of -- and over in Theater Arts, the tech there owes me a few favors if I wanted to use their facilities, lights, etc., but I am not too interested in using them -- I'm more of an outdoor photo guy.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I'll bet you could figure out dilutions like no body's business.

 

[nick mulder]

That's very very good... but I manage a theatre = large bare space with tall ceiling, props, costume & set pieces, focus-able lighting/three-phase power, dressing rooms, interesting activity to photograph, etc.

Marc!

Right there with you on that one

(mechanist/carpenter/automation)

Although, I find that hot lights aren't always what I need, and yet I have access to MegaWatts of them !

 

[tomalophicon]

Yeah well I have an 8 million dollar camera so there.

 

[Hexavalent]

I'm doubly-blessed: my local pharmacist has a compounding lab, and she used to work in a darkroom so she is very sympathetic to the cause!

 

[Vaughn]

Yeah well I have an 8 million dollar camera so there.

Man, it must take great pictures!

 

[nick mulder]

That's very very good... but I manage a theatre = large bare space with tall ceiling, props, costume & set pieces, focus-able lighting/three-phase power, dressing rooms, interesting activity to photograph, etc.

Marc!

I see you're in Melbourne - I did 9 months of Jersey Boys as Auto HOD there last year... Whereabouts are you ?

 

[munz6869]

My theatre's a little uni one in the city... No fly tower (there's a gymnasium above), and wings you can almost swing a cat in (almost). But I will get a few comedy festival shows through shortly, and at least one of them actually looks like it might be funny/interesting... and we do have the (I believe) newest 16mm projector in Australia - a two year old Kinoton FP 38E - oh happy day when that shipping crate arrived!!

Marc!

 

[ic-racer]

I thought this thread was going to be about getting discount fixer and hypo eliminator. (Sodium Thiosulfate = Antidote for Cyanide poisoning; Hypo Eliminator = Ammonia and Hydrogen Peroxide).

 

[Ian Grant]

Good thread, it is well worth while getting to know your local pharmacist. They can often get you all sorts of chemicals and it shouldn't be forgotten that many photo-stores began as Pharmacies supplying the earliest photographers with chemicals.

Ian

 

[hrst]

I found that establishing a firm is the way to go -- this is highly dependent on the local regulations, though. What they are called, when you have a small business you run by yourself? Here, registering a firm name costs 65 EUR, one-time fee, and that enabled me to open an account at VWR and similar companies, and, surprisingly, the basic lab supplies such as graduates, syringes, etc., are actually quite cheap, you just have to buy a bigger pack at a time. But you will get a lifetime supply of, say, syringes and needles for 20 or so EUR, and no one is asking you any awkward questions . Yes it takes a bit more money so you have to plan what you do, but per item, the price is very good. Even better if you have friends to share them with.

OTOH, pharmacies here have stopped serving us almost completely. I'd bet you have to know some pharmacist very well. If you don't happen to know anyone, what can you do?

 

[jgcull]

You're making us jealous.

 

[heespharm]

I thought this thread was going to be about getting discount fixer and hypo eliminator. (Sodium Thiosulfate = Antidote for Cyanide poisoning; Hypo Eliminator = Ammonia and Hydrogen Peroxide).

Did not know that... Maybe I should look in the ordering book at the pharmacy for cyanide antidote....

Ps... When visiting the pharmacist please please please do not use the drive thru ever!!!

 

[tony lockerbie]

Amber glass bottles? My pharmacist just looks puzzled when I asked for some

 

[Aurum]

Or befriend anyone who works in a Laboratory environment......

I formulate cosmetics, so yes I can get stuff like syringes, pipettes, and stuff like free samples of Hypo if I ask the right questions. Hydroquinone I can't get as its illegal for cosmetics in the EU now (Ho Hum)

Tip of the day: Big syringes (50ml or bigger) are ace if you need to change the brake fluid in your car. you can empty the master cylinder quickly and cleanly and refill it with fresh before bleeding through the system. Makes a potentially messy job a breeze....

 

[removed account4]

i have gotten all sorts of photo-chemicals through pharmacies
both here and overseas ...

 

[heespharm]

Amber glass bottles? My pharmacist just looks puzzled when I asked for some

Some drugs come in them... I wash them, debadge them and set them aside

 

[Wade D]

In the mid 70's I worked in a pharmacy and when the 1 gallon brown glass bottles were empty I was able to wash them out and take them home. Even though a few have broken over the years I still have a dozen of them. Now most liquid medicines are in brown plastic bottles.
The pharmacist was also helpful in getting me chemicals for mixing my own D-76 at reduced prices.