My mistake????????

I agree Mike,

When challenged it’s best to politely move on. After all the guy that’s moving you on is only following orders in most cases and probably couldn’t care less about you taking pictures, from his point of view.

I got moved on from the rubble hill near 05 at GLA recently. The BAA guys really had no right as technically I was within the public realm. They chose to advise me to move on in the interests of my safety, quoting H&SE regs that I’m well aware of through my job.

I moved on without an argument, if I’d challenged them I suspected I’d see a large wire fence and “keep out” signs the next time I visited. I’ve been there many times since, needless to say.:D

Quote: “I know some airports say that photography is not allowed (Dublin for instance) but I never saw a sign there when I was there on the same trip a few weeks back. Nothing you can do though”

Oops! I was at Dublin a couple of weeks ago and happily snapped off a couple of digital shots of EI-CJC when disembarking and none of the Ryanair crew or ramp staff took any notice. Also when waiting to fly back I took several photos from the terminal of various planes and again I know I was being watched by staff and no-one objected; I am always very open about the fact I am taking photos. Perhaps my silver hair and respectable demeanour helps 😉

I have been seriously hassled on several occasions with airfield photography in Europe and the USA over the years and if challenged these days I just say I am sorry, plead ignorance, ask very directly what they want to do about it and aim to walk away with as little hassle as possible. Good luck if you want to make a meal of it with asking for security employee’s names etc, I really don’t think it is worth the effort. I just talk to people and make a judgement about how serious they are, always try to see their point of view. If someone is obviously on a power trip then I am not going to give them the satisfaction of challenging them.

Originally posted by tenthije
try http://www.spottersunited.com/

Ok thanks Pete. I’ve found out most of the information I needed! Looks like I’m in for a treat, it seems like all the airports I’m going to have viewing facilities and good photographic locations!:D

Originally posted by wannabe pilot
Does anyone know what spotting/photography is like there, and what the rules are? Thanks

try http://www.spottersunited.com/

Seems really stupid. As most of you know, I’m an STN local and I’ve never actually been told to stop taking photos. However, I have been told to ‘get off BAA property’, eventhough it was a farm field outside the airport perimeter. Recently in the last week, I have found out that I’m going to Borneo, on the Malaysian part of the island. I really can’t wait, especially flying from LHR. I do not know the definite flight details yet, as we haven’t had the itinerary through yet. But I do know that we are likely to be connecting in Singapore and Kualu Lumpur. Does anyone know what spotting/photography is like there, and what the rules are? Thanks

Yeah, when I was taking pictures at LHR in April last year (for a quart of an hour), nobody came, and I stayed at the same place! Maybe they saw it on cameras that I was just a kid with a bored dad, or I was lucky that there passed no guards.

Originally posted by DarrenBe
At BAA airports you need their permission to take photos, from the terminal or airside. There are usually signs stating this and this rule has been around for many years, since at least 1988.

I did not notice any signes stating that last time I was at LHR and GTW. Then again, photography at LHR airside (T1) is next to impossible.

At GTW I immediately went for a VolareWeb A320 that was about to leave without paying much attention to signs and stuff. 😀 I did have to go through another security check because it is at another pier. The security idiot would not let me walk back through the gate he saw me pass less then 5 minutes earlier. Really silly. (the photo ended up terible due to construction works blocking the view)

If only every airport had as logical a layout like AMS. There I can get anywhere and everywhere when airside, except for the Isreali airlines.

Originally posted by DarrenBe
At BAA airports you need their permission to take photos, from the terminal or airside. There are usually signs stating this and this rule has been around for many years, since at least 1988.

Yes but I can happily snap away at most airports unhindered (Belfast City excepted). The difference with Railtrack is that they like to enforce their policy whereas BAA don’t seem to get too upset about photographers in the terminals.

Originally posted by tenthije
Give them an idea will you! Why not send a postcard to them? 😀

I’d need written permission for that as well no doubt ? 😀

Originally posted by Ren Frew
I’m surprised BAA has slapped a ban (sorry charge) on shooting planes from their airports. I’m sure it can’t be far away ?

Give them an idea will you! Why not send a postcard to them? 😀

I don’t think that will work. All that would happen is that people move just outside the airport perimeter and shoot from there. A bit further down Myrtle Avenue for instance. Some larger zoom might be required but that should not be a big problem for most.

When I worked in news, we always had to get written authority from Railtrack to shoot in their stations. Of course those rules were somehow forgotten when it meant a bit of PR for Railtrack.

I’m surprised BAA hasn’t slapped a ban (sorry charge) on shooting planes from their airports. I’m sure it can’t be far away ?

We should count ourselves lucky to a degree. I have a friend who is mad keen about railway photography. Last year he was ordered to hand over his 35mm film roll and told to leave London Liverpool Street railway station. The reason being that “apparently”, Liverpool St. Station is like the rest of the country owned by (at the time) Railtrack. He had not sought permission of railtrack and should have sent a request in writing to Railtrack asking for permission to take photo’s on thier property.

G.

What is wrong with taking pictures of Airplanes, the worlds gone “mad”

I had exactly the same problem at Belfast City Airport in October when I flew over to catch the Concorde at Aldergrove. I attempted to take a shot of the ATP I flew on from the tarmac as we disembarked. A security female gave me a bollocking although she didn’t make me delete my card.

I took one anyway from behind the glass, you can see her scowling at me. Given your experience I’m lucky I wasn’t arrested I suppose?

Most likely the secuirty gaurd was having a power trip and nothing more.

Any rules against photography should be clearly displayed. A sign of a camera with a line through it would suffice.

At the end of the day, if it isn’t signed posted, they can’t do nothing.

Thats the law

Its obviously a strange one. Perhaps I should have been more careful, he was perfectly pleasant to his credit, just wondered if anyone had had a similar problem. I suppose it was Belfast, those of you who live in the UK (and others) would understand why security iss somewhat tighter there. It was amusing however too see his face when I said there is nothing anywhere saying I couldn’t!! You have been warned!!

Belfast City is quite tight on this as my Computer company has had to gain permission from the airport to make scenery for flight sim of the airport!

If you take photos from any places other than airside (basically anything before security) you are ok. Your lucky you wernt using 35mm film cos he would have taken the roll.

Photos wouldnt have been too good from in there but once walking to the aircraft your allwoed as long as u dont stop for long.

Flood not a good idea as these Security Guards are actually counter terrorism office, partly under cover, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. They aint normal security and if you asked for superior you could have met him in his office 10 miles away and missed your flight (prob be meeting under handcuffs as a precaution).

NI is always tight even before 11th sep 2001 due to IRA constant threat against aviation!

Firstly you should always check that you are alright to take pictures in whichever location you are – after all, it is their building, their rules; it is not, strictly speaking, a public place.
Secondly (and this would depend on how much of your time you wish to waste) you should have asked to see the guards commanding officer. It is funny how so many demands for you to move on, stop taking pictures, or remove film/delete pictures suddenly turn to gruff mutterings and a gentle slide into the background again.
Thirdly ask for their name, rank, and number/whatever so that a complaint and/or a query can be put through the system – whether or not they were successful in forcing you to delete your images. Unless they are being underhand they should give you this information because they shouldn’t have anything to hide – so maybe you should ask this fairly early on, before deleting anything.

Security is a strange bunny – they might be trying to hide missile detection equipement that you won’t see until scanning your images at leasure, or they could assume you are casing the joint for a hijacking. Eitherway one airport will be as different as another – and, for the most part, you will just have to live with it.

Flood.

Just someone who got out of bed on the wrong side in the morning I think. I know some airports say that photography is not allowed (Dublin for instance) but I never saw a sign there when I was there on the same trip a few weeks back. Nothing you can do though 🙁

Well thats what I wondered, I can only presume thats what I would have had to do, which would have been even more annoying. At the time I was very angry,but I dont think you can take any chances with security people these days

Mark