Airports

In many countries photography of airports, security facilities, border posts, police and infrastructure of military significance is not allowed. If you want to photograph something that falls into one of these categories it is best to ask before doing so. Don’t be deceived by the apparent unimportance of a structure. Sensitivity to photography sometimes arises from an embarrassing lack of security or infrastructure.

Airports are generally more difficult to negotiate than was the case ten years ago, mainly because of terrorism, so a high degree of personal organisation is desirable. Try to minimise the number of separate items carried and have films, passports, tickets and other documentation readily accessible. When travelling alone, hand baggage and cameras cannot be left unattended and must therefore be taken to airport cafés and toilets. Bags on wheels, for both hand baggage and checked bags, are then particularly advantageous. Flight crews and cabin attendants use this system all the time. One final point is worth noting. Don’t return the keys of a rental car until you are sure your flight is departing on time. It can be very useful when substantial delays occur.

It is important to remember, as you stand in yet another queue, that security checks exist to enhance passenger safety. A calm, polite approach to the process is the only sensible option – even in countries where security is obviously lax. In some countries metal detectors may not not be connected to the power supply, and penknives may be confiscated, passed around the checks and then returned to the owner. Batteries may also be removed from photographic equipment and thrown in a bin. Some officials then recover them for their own use.

Arrive at airport security checks in good time, ideally having removed films from cameras. Be prepared to wait until the officials are not too busy. They may then be willing to hand inspect your bag of films in some countries. However, some airport officials will not allow on to an aircraft anything that  has not been x-rayed. The options are then to put everything through the machine or not travel. Others will agree to a hand inspection, particularly if the process is made as convenient as possible. Film speeds up to 200 ISO are generally unaffected by a few passes through x-ray scanners provided the machines are modern and properly calibrated. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Plastic APS film cassettes and roll films are less tolerant of x-rays than 35mm films housed in metal cassettes. Have a quick look at the facilities and make you best guess. It is best to adopt a flexible approach aimed at minimising the cumulative damage caused by exposure to x-rays. Ask for a hand inspection, particularly for film speeds of 400 ISO and faster. Films carried in lead-lined bags have some protection when this is refused and they are passed through the machine. The security staff then hand-inspect the bags because they were unable to see through them.

Carrying numerous batteries may also arouse some suspicion. One way around this is to explain why they are needed and suggest that the batteries are passed by security to a member of the cabin crew for the duration of the flight. X-rays are not a problem with digital equipment, memory cards, disks or CDs. Metal detectors do not damage film or digital equipment. The high-dose CT (computerised tomography) scanners used for checked-in baggage will ruin most film in a single pass.

On large jets, the most comfortable ride is in the front or middle section of the passenger cabin. The rear part of the cabin is more susceptible to turbulence. On long flights this can make a significant difference to the ability to sleep. However, sitting at the rear has the advantage that you are likely to board early when the overhead baggage lockers are largely empty. On smaller aircraft space for hand baggage is more restricted. Use the space under your seat which is usually sufficient for a medium-sized camera bag. Light aircraft have very little cabin storage space, so photographic equipment may have to be held on your lap or placed in a locker at the rear of the plane.