Rules and guidelines for shooting at certain places

[sk66]

A guess: The specific settings or readouts of the instruments at a specific time while in actual operation might give insights into their mission that could not be gleaned from a government-approved meaningless or random or long-since-passed or default storage selection of settings?

Not likely. There's nothing classified in a typical Blackhawk configuration and there's nothing about a typical stateside mission that would need "secrecy." Especially if they're landing at a Nascar event.

It *is* possible there was something they didn't want filmed to protect themselves like using prohibited electronics, or the tail number because they really shouldn't have been there. If they were at the back of some field they weren't there for a "static display" and if they just hung out for a photo op they weren't "on a mission." Just saying...

 

[sk66]

Don't "not answer" arbitrarily. People get it into their heads that they have to assert their rights this way. If some non-cop person asks what you're talking a photo of, you'd answer them. Obviously, if some non-cop person asks to go through your bag or insist on letting them look at the photos, you'd tell them no. Same goes for the police.

There's just no sense in making private that which isn't just because a cop is asking.

IMO, it's the cops job to ask... Taking pictures at an airport is a fairly innocent thing, but it's not necessarily innocent.

 

[sk66]

What have been the STRICTEST rules you have ever been given in terms of shooting?

That the photos I was taking were automatically classified...

 

[rlemert]

The Raleigh-Durham Airport - my local airport - has a pretty good setup for pictures, and I'm not the only one that's taken advantage of it.

The spot most people are aware of is the observation park between the two main runways in the business/general aviation section. It's got a play area for the kids (which includes an airport layout so the kids can pretend they're taking off and landing), and an elevated deck from which you can watch a lot of the action. Recent construction and landscaping has blocked some of the views, and it's always only been convenient for one of the two runways, but it can still provide some good views when the planes are going in the right direction.

The lesser-known spot (which I've directed a few people to) is the general aviation terminal. It's about even with the observation park, but overlooks the end of the other runway (in fact, it's one of the main reason the park doesn't have a good view of that runway). It's open to the public, and there's a balcony on the second floor that juts out over the tarmac. It's right over the general/business aviation parking (at the right time of day you can see a lot of executives arriving and departing), and even with the end of the runway so you can usually get decent shots of landings and departures.

 

[table1349]

This is a popular spot to get plane photos. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TwlHZySMEjE/Ubu_4a-UamI/AAAAAAAAKbc/SOmTAEx5i9g/s1600/MahoBeach.jpg

 

[vintagesnaps]

There's an international airport in the city near me but I have no idea what their guidelines would be. Where I used to work was in the flight path, the planes get low enough as they're coming in that you could probably get some photos, but I don't know from that vantage point how worthwhile it would be. I'm sure that there are rules these days with major airports and commercial airlines that didn't exist years ago before national security is the concern it has understandably become.

The strictest thing I've dealt with has been major league guidelines as to what camera/lens you can bring in etc. But even then, I found that depending on the team/arena during preseason it's more relaxed and they may let you stand taking pictures for a minute where they won't during the regular season.

A lot of places you go you'd probably have to check their website or ask, if it's their property it's up to them what policies they set.

I agree with others that a local airport with an observation deck might be a good option, or an air show.

 

[sfaust]

shoot whatever the hell you want from a public space.

I wish that was the case. it would make things so much easier!