"Can you please....."

When flying, my cameras are always in the hand luggage. From now on, having

had a Hasselblad stolen during a flight, the only time the precious luggage is

out of my sight, is when it passes through the x-ray machine. Because a

modular MF is not as familiar to them as a 35mm SLR, it will often attract

special attention, and they ask to see inside the bag. OK. I've been asked to

dismantle the camera ... show them inside the film magazine etc. OK. I enjoy

removing the lens, tripping the shutter, and holding the open camera up so

that when the security fellow looks indside it, he sees me smiling at him

through it from the other side. It always goes well, because I check in as

early as possible to accommodate the performance, and it paves the way for

requesting hand inspection of any films I'm carrying.

 

One occasion worthy of note, in stead of the Hasselblad, in my luggage was

something else ... another medium format camera ... in fact two of them I'd

picked up on eBay. As per above, I was asked to open one of the brown canvas

cases. The security guy looked absolutely baffled. I handed him the item.

 

He held it in his hand, and asked what it was. "A camera." I said quietly. Not

sure whether to believe me, he handed it back to me, and asked ....<div></div>

That was great, it made my day. Thanks for sharing that story.

 

- Randy

Well, obviously I should have downsized it further ... and it should also have been in another forum. Apologies. KP.

(Technical stuff: It was the intention to be larger than the 511 pixel size required to appear on this page, because I did want it be clicked on and seen after the text was read. Anyway, hope this fits more comfortably on your computer screen.)

 

Cheers, Kevin ... the analogue man.<div></div>

Great story!

 

Airport advice: never say "loaded magazines" to an TSA agent. "Roll film holder" is a much safer term.

The funny thing is I often travel with my mf and beaulieu super 8 camera. The super 8 has two external homemade batteries with connectors. It really looks suspicious and if anything ever looked like an explosive device - those things do.

 

On top of this, when traveling, I usually seem to be carrying the most recent publication of my favorite quarterly magazine "Bomb". No kidding. It is a great publication about the arts mostly centered on NYC.

 

They open my bag and have never once asked what those batteries are for.

 

Crazy. I have also been told that I could pass for a terrorist with my looks. I usually try to talk alot and emphasise my Southwestern American accent.

 

Those security people seem to be really dense.

 

One last thing. My wife and I recently returned from New Zealand. While flying domestically from the South to North Island there was absolutley NO security. I could have walked on the airplane with a machine gun in a violin case.

 

NZ seems to think its immune from acts of violence. That assumption is false.

Thanks for the laugh. I like those unobtrusive camera bags.

>>Airport advice: never say "loaded magazines" to an TSA agent. "Roll film holder" is a much safer term.<<

 

A co-worker recently forgot about some kitchen knives that she had bought on a trip and stashed in a carry-on bag. No problem, they just sent her back to check the bag.

 

Time was running a little short, and the counter agent said, "Please don't jump the line, ma'am." She responded, "But I have a knife in here." Suddenly she was the center of attention.

 

One does have to choose words carefully.

Nice story!<P>

 

<I>One last thing. My wife and I recently returned from New Zealand. While flying domestically from the South to North Island there was absolutley NO security. I could have walked on the airplane with a machine gun in a violin case. <P>

 

NZ seems to think its immune from acts of violence. That assumption is false.</I><P>

 

Security in NZ is fairly "relaxed" in comparison to most countries it is true. It has always been this way, and in comparison to other countries will likely stay so. The police are generally not armed, the Prime Minister can walk around without body guards and until recently there were few security checks if you wanted to visit parliament.<P>

 

However, the authorities do seem surprisingly good at tracking and following up those who are planning "nefarious activities :-)". It's pretty hard to get in and out of here without being noticed - you can't sneek across the border.<P>

 

Living in and travelling round Europe and Australasia I've never really encountered any problems travelling with cameras. I did have one argument in Holland about hand-carrying a small tripod, but called the supervisor and pointed out I have flown with it in the past and that I could buy one in the duty free shop. They apologised and let me through.<P>

When I lived in New Zealand in the 1980's my landlady looked up the Prime Minister's phone number in the public book to give him some advice. She didn't get him, but did swap some cookie recipes with his wife.

 

My friend in Norway says that rifles are commonly carried past security when flying north out of Trondheim. Needed for arctic expeditions to Spitzbergen Island and the like.

 

Thanks for the laugh. No ones asked me to turn on my Graphic yet, but I'm sure I'll smile when they do. =)