two questions plane/people

[bnz506]

I read a few opinions on taking pictures of strangers somewhere in this forum but cannot find the thread again. So I wanted to bring it up again when taking pictures of strangers for example on a train do you just snap away or do you ask permission first?

Also you know when on a plane they tell to turn off all electronics. Can you, do you still snap pictures out the window? (ive seen pictures of people shooting during take off (or landing) so obviously they do but does a DSLR fall under this rule? (Im sure it does but im not sure what the big deal is) Just wanted your opinions.

 

[LaFoto]

Well, I have taken photos out of the plane window during take off (even once did a nice video upon landing), which was certainly not allowed (officially) and I felt pretty guilty, but also happy about the results later on

You just do what you would dare to do when no one looks. I never dared to bring out the DSLR and hold it to my face (unlike using that video camera over 10 years ago, but I must have been more daring at the time, me having been 10 years younger than I am now :greenpbl: ), so the Powershot with flexible screen has been the most I dared to use of late ... and only when also the flight attendants had to be seated and buckled up and could no longer walk around and look ...

As far as people photos are concerned ... if you take a photo of your partner or friends which whom you travel and other passengers happen to show in the periphery of your frame... be it.

To go about and randomly take photos of people on the plane is a different matter, I should think. I know that our German "regulations" say that train compartments, underground carriages and possibly also planes no longer count as "public places", so you are not as free to take photos of people there as you would be ... on the airfield, for example.

This is only my opinion.
The rules on what and who you may photograph and when and from where and for which use vary from country to country and in my country they are pretty strict.

 

[nomav6]

are you even able to take cameras on planes anymore? I thought they put all digital stuff (iPod, cellphone, laptop, ect...) on the list of stuff you couldn't bring on a plane, figured a DSLR would be on the list too, but I dont fly anymore so I'm not sure.

 

[bnz506]

Im not aware of any ban on those items. I doubt there are because I took my laptop, DSLR, Cellphone, and Ipod on the plane in one back pack.

Hmm maybe I should write Mythbusters (that TV show on discovery) and ask how much of an effect does electronics actually have on the planes instruments. I think they might have already done something like this but im not certain I haven’t seen every episode.

I missed a very nice shot of the sun set flying into Green Bay in DEC so If I see something good flying into NYC this week Im going to take the shot I wont let another good shot slip away.

 

[nomav6]

like I said I dont fly, just heard in the news, but I guess it was only for certin flights

"Laptops, iPods and cell phones are banned from the passenger cabin on all flights to the U.S. from Britain and on British Airways flights from the U.S. to the U.K."

 

[gizmo2071]

I went to Canada from England in October '06 and had all my camera gear as my hand luggage.
I used my camera (a DSLR) to shoot some pictures out the window and of my girlfriend.
Nobody said anything to me.
Did anyone even see me? Who knows.

 

[rmh159]

This might have been an issue after they caught the terrorists a little bit ago. I doubt it's an issue now and I know it isn't with the US and US to Canada.

I think the whole "No electronics during take-off / landing..." is just because instead of saying "No electronics that give off radio signals such as, portable music players with FM tuners, laptops w/ wifi, etc." it's just easier to say that nothing is usable. I've used cameras on planes and had flight attendants comment on the scene I was shooting.

 

[mysteryscribe]

Since those items didn't effect instruments before the current terror problems, and since they have found cell phones used as detonators for IEDs in Irag and other places, my guess is that it is more a precaution for those things than cameras.

 

[bryanwhite]

Actually, I've talked to many airline pilots now who assured me that even if I used my cellular phone and Bluetooth headset while playing The Sims and watching my GPS in any phase of flight, I wouldn't disrupt a thing, that the electronics-on-takeoff rule is more of the most archaic rules in all of air travel. Yes, AM and receivers give off very weak signals in the 500-1800 AM range, but they are far out of the range of air traffic frequencies for communication or navigation.

I would be more likely to believe the reason they want your electronic devices off and stowed is a matter of safety, as I will describe as soon as those of you terrified of flying turn away from your monitor or scroll past all the blue text, and I'll meet you on the other side.

During takeoff and landing, an airplane is going through a series of different changes of pressure and temperature in many, many different systems in many different places on the airplane. Should they need to set down and evacuate the aircraft, they want everything out of the way so as to increase your chances of exiting the aircraft safely. You'd be amazed at how much harder it is to get out of an airplane seat with the seat ahead of you reclining (even that two degrees they go back), your tray down and a laptop on the tray.

From 10,000 feet and higher it doesn't matter because you would have ample warning before any controlled emergency landing.

Just as a matter of interest, if you were to ever travel aboard Air Force One, for example, they have an office on board that is in constant use when away from Washington, D.C. During takeoff or landing, you might see someone standing at and using the cellular fax machine.

The reason you're not allowed to use cell phones on airplanes (except when on the ground, taxiing) is that you waste your company's bandwidth by using multiple towers, and at FL350 (35,000 feet) you are in the line of sight of a lot of cell towers. That is actually a Federal Communications Commission rule as opposed to anything safety-related. In fact, if you use that Airfone system that is on so many airplanes, you are using a cellular phone, although I don't know if it has its own towers, that being how it gets around the FCC regulations.

If cellular/AM/FM/Bluetooth/other electronic equipment really messed up planes on take-off and landing, they would have to restrict and/or prohibit the use of all radios, laptops, walkie-talkie type radios, TV's, cell phones, and other electronics at and around airports. Yet, if you watch the ground crews, they are all using radios, often in places where they would really cause problems if it was possible.

The information I give above is as I have been given by professionals in the industry. If you are in the industry or for a fact know differently from what I have posted, please rebut me. I am not claiming to be an expert in all of this by any means.

But I will say to go ahead and snap away, and don't ever feel bad about it. I promise you won't bring down your plane with a camera.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

in agreement with the above post, if cellphones really did pose a problem for aircraft they would BAN them from being on the plane, because it's better to not take chances that someone will disobey the rules.

that being said, I just flew to phoenix a few weeks ago and got some great pictures during take off, and I even asked the flight attendent if I was allowed to take pictures and she said "yeah, of course". so I proceeded to use my DSLR on the plane.

 

[dewey]

I fly an average of 4-8 times a month and I've never had any flight crew bother me with camera gear... I've also photographed the inside of Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Ottawa, Calgary, Toronto, Reno, Melbourne, Orlando and Logan airports without any security problems... I've even talked with security while I was shooting, so I stick with the fact that it's not illegal to photograph airports, you just can't photograph the security screening areas. (I know someone will argue with me on that... but it's true)

The bad news is most airline windows have scratched plexi covering them... so aside from a computer wallpaper or a heavily photoshopped artwork it's a waste to take pix from the air anyway.

As for people... get a long lens and be sneaky like the fox. :thumbsup:

 

[harkain]

Turning off electronic equipment when a plane takes off or lands is based on the theory that there could be magnetic interference which could disrupt communications in some manner. This is the way I've always heard it.

Wikipedia is hardly the word of God or 100% accurate, but there is some info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phones_on_aircraft

I seriously doubt that a digital camera really matters. They tell you to turn off all electronics because its simple and quick instructions.

 

[hovis]

I do a lot of flying, and take my camera on board with me almost all the time, without any issue. Cameras are not one the list of items not to be used on take off / landing, so you're well safe there. Mobiles fones are different. There is indeed a risk of interference, however small, as GSM mobiles transmit on microwave frequencies close to aviation radar / guidance systems. Once the take off / landing is done, the risk to the aircraft is smaller, as guidance is then done on satellite based systems, with ground communications being mainly radio.

As for the folks, I usually don't ask in public places, but then in the UK if you're in a public place there's probably a dozen CCTV cameras pointing at you anyway, so my one more won't make any difference! Never had any problem, quite the opposite, a lot of folks seem flattered!

Go for it I'd say.

 

[bryanwhite]

@dewey Very true, you can't photograph the screening areas. If you don't believe it, go try it and see how long you get away with it before someone is RUNNING toward you to stop you.

A few years ago, I was working on a video for a hotel, taking video outside the airport. I was in a place where I couldn't possibly photograph FAA operations, my back was to the screening areas, all I was photographing was airport/hotel shuttles coming and going. Apparently, I had so many calls to the police, they finally sent an officer to stand with me and make me look official.

 

[whiterabbit7500]

i recently took a trip from newark to Ft. lauderdale, and I had no problem snapping pictures upon takeoff and landing with my film SLR...I even changed lens a few times. The old guy next to me was looking kind of weird at me though, but w/e. Pictures didnt come out half bad either...