Most photographers use photography chemicals education and training to teach them how to develop their own pictures. Learning how to properly mix and use photo chemicals allows you to control the development process as well as how to select the correct paper and size of your photos. Everyone starting a career in photography needs to receive some photography chemicals education and training.

When choosing a form of photography chemicals education and training, there are three options to consider. The basics of photo chemical use are available online for free. These basics do not include a degree, but for those who do not have a lot of time, this is the best option. Art colleges and professional photography schools are also available for study at a college campus. Online education is also available to receive training at your computer.

1. Learn the basics of chemicals in photography through online informational sources.

2. Locate professional photography colleges to learn about photo chemicals.

3. Find online courses about working with photo chemicals.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find basic information about the chemicals used in photography

There are many online sources for information about photography chemicals. This information includes what chemicals to use, how to use them and where to store the chemicals. This free information gives you the basic knowledge to work with photographic imaging chemicals.

I recommend: Princeton University offers online guides for mixing photographic chemicals. The information covers both black and white, and color photography. Visit DOFMaster for information about mixing and using photography chemicals.

Find professional photography colleges to learn about using photo chemicals

Professional schools that offer programs in photography and photographic developing processes are available across the U.S. These schools provide both associates degrees and bachelor degrees in photography.

I recommend: My Photography Career is a directory of photography schools that offer classes in photo developing chemicals. Find a professional college for traditional style photographic chemicals at The CollegeBound Network. Browse the available colleges listed in the Art Schools Search for colleges that offer classes in chemicals needed for photography.

Enroll in online courses that teach about using photo chemicals

Online colleges offer students with a busy schedule the opportunity to attend college without leaving home. These courses provide the latest information and in-depth studies that cover a wide spectrum of photographic topics.

I recommend: Browse the top online schools for photography at Adultlearn.com. The Photography Institute offers a full course program with an online degree in photography and lithography chemicals. Visit The Academy of Art University for accredited art courses that teach about lithograph chemicals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Photo chemicals are dangerous if not used in the appropriate manner. Review all safety guidelines before attempting to use any photo chemicals.

Photography chemicals are a key ingredient to developing prints whether you are creating them yourself in a darkroom on your own and/or operate the commercial print lab machines at the nearest development location. Traditional style photographic chemicals will give you or your clients a permanent record of your image for archive or distribution.

Chemicals used in photography vary based on what spectrum of the photography world you are tapping into. Developing black and white film differs from developing color film, which differs from the chemicals used to put digital prints to paper, and purchasing the chemicals needed for photography can be a costly endeavor if you are ill prepared.

To find the right photographic chemicals for you:

1. Determine what type of photography you develop. Is it film? Is it digital prints? If it's film, is it black and white film? Is it color film? Is it some sort of specialty film like a sepia tone?

2. Have a basic knowledge of the chemicals you are looking to purchase.

3. Purchase your photo developing chemicals in bulk for your business to help save on costs.

4. Make sure your photographic imaging chemicals are compatible with your darkroom or processing set-up.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy film developer photographic chemicals

Purchase concentrated film developer photographic chemicals. The developer is the chemical that turns your latent image to metallic silver on the film.

I recommend: Purchase concentrated developer from Adorama. Look for Kodak developer products from Calumet Photographic, Inc. Discover discount photo chemicals from Camcor, Inc.

Follow-up with wash aids and fixer photo chemicals

Purchase your additional chemicals in photography from reputable suppliers to complete your dark room film processing needs. The stop bath halts the action of developer, and your fixer makes the image permanent as well as light-resistant by dissolving any remaining silver halides on the film.

I recommend: Purchase Ilford and Kodak brand developing products from Ritz Camera. Find even more photography chemical supply choices from WolfCamera.com. Look for Ilford Universal Wash Aid products from PhotoAlley.com.

Purchase bulk photo chemicals

Purchase your photo chemicals for greater cost savings. Bulk stocking up is a cost effective commercial way of watching your budget.

I recommend: Purchase chemicals in bulk, and receive a 25% discount on single batch quantities of 10 pounds or more from Photographers' Formulary. Buy bulk black and white raw photographic chemicals from Tech Chem.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that you provide you and your employees proper ventilation when working with photographic chemicals. Chemicals used in photography are hazardous materials that should be transported and utilized with caution.
• •  Color film processing is slightly different from that of black and white processing. The key difference is the combining of your bleach with the fixer for a bleach-fix mixture (blix).

Offering your clients high quality photographs, which takes top notch photography skills and top of the line photography chemicals, is necessary for photography businesses. Photography skills will come with training and practice. On the other hand, you can experiment with the photography chemicals you use to find the ones that meet your needs.

Photography chemicals pricing and costs depend upon the type of chemicals you use. Consider the following suggestions when preparing your budget to absorb the cost of photography chemicals:

1. Mix your own photography chemicals by using raw photography chemicals, which can be purchased in bulk.

2. Develop high quality black and white photos using photography chemicals that is made for black and white photographs.

3. Invest in color photography chemicals for your photography business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider purchasing raw photography chemicals

Raw photography chemicals are ideal if you develop a variety of photo types. These chemicals can also be used to clean photos. The price you pay for raw chemicals used in photography depends largely upon the chemical, the type of chemical (powder or liquid), and the amount of chemical you purchase. Generally, powder chemicals are less expensive than liquid chemicals.

I recommend: ArtCraft Chemicals is a raw chemicals in photography supplier. Prices range from under $10 for sodium citrate to around $225 for silver nitrate. Digitaltruth Photo is a photography chemical supply company. You can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $250 on chemicals used in photography development from this company.

Factor in the cost of black and white photography chemicals

If you plan on offering black and white photographs, it may be worth your while to invest in black and white photography chemicals. These chemicals are premade, so you can spend more time capturing quality pictures and less time developing them. Prices for these chemicals vary greatly depending on the specific type of chemicals you need.

I recommend: You can find chemicals needed for photography at B&H Foto & Electronics. Prices start at around $5 for black and white developer, while toner starts around $10. Adorama sells black and white photographic chemicals. You can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to around $200, depending upon the chemicals purchased.

Add in the cost of color photography chemicals

In order to make your photography business stand out among the competition, you must use high quality photography chemicals to develop the prints. The price you will pay for these depends on the type of chemicals you need and the brand you purchase.

I recommend: Calumet Photographic sells color photo developing chemicals. Prices start at under $20 and go up over $200. You can find a varied selection of inexpensive photography chemicals at Camcor. Prices start as low as $5 for some color photo chemicals.