So what's the official rule on airline photography...

The 10-22mm is a great lens for portraits in confined areas. It is also a stellar lens for landscape shots. Other than that, it's fairly limited in usefulness, but I still love the lens. I use my Tamron 28-75mm more often, but the 10-22mm effects are always interesting. Here's a shot from inside a plane (Continental); I was inspired to take this after seeing a similar shot of the president looking out over the Katrina disaster from aboard Air Force 1. The spot lighting from little airplane windows is actually quite nice for portraits.

I knew about turning all electronics off during take-off and such, but when I took the picture, we were still sitting on the ground waiting for passengers to finish boarding ... the lady next to me was talking on her cell phone, etc. I'll probably be sending JetBlue an inquiry as to their policy (and mention the ill treatment I recieved as a result of my actions).

no, I didn't get teh flight attendant's name as he was wokring the back half of the plane and just happened to be near me when I took the picture. I do have the flight info though and plan on letting JetBlue know about what happened. If they do, in fact, have a no-camera policy, I'll understand. It still doesn't mean the flight attendant had the right to be so aggressively rude. I also felt singled out since everyone else seemed to be able to use their cameras without reprimand; if they have a rule, they need to be more consistant with it.

The American Airlines website:

"Use of still and video cameras, film or digital, is permitted only for recording personal events. Photography or video recording of airline personnel, equipment, or procedures is strictly prohibited. "

--
Richard Katris aka Chanan

I was using my camera while the plane was still sitting on the ground being boarded ... not during flight (at which point the camera was off and stowed as per regulations). If they had a problem with it at that point, I would completely understand. This just wasn't the case. I was told that all cameras/pictures/photography was banned on JetBlue flights. I thought it was inappropriate that the guy yelled at me, whether or not the rule does exist. Well, that, and the fact that he didn't make anyone else stop using their cameras throughout the flight... just me and my big scary 20D.

According to JetBlue's own website "Electronic Cameras" may be used at all times except the following:

Taxi
Takeoff
Landing
When the plane is flying under 10,000 feet

That being said, I was definitely using the camera when I was allowed. I will be writing JetBlue about my experience. The loss of photography rights due to security zealots and power hungry flight attendants is unacceptable. Everytime I go through the disorganized mess that the TSA deems as security, I think of Ben Franklin's quote:

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security."

nt
no text

hobobobo said:

I was just on a JetBlue flight, and I pulled out my 20D with a
10-22mm on it and snapped a picture of my wife sitting in the
window seat. The second my shutter returned, an undeniably
flamboyant flight attendant was in my face yelling at me for taking
a picture while on the airplane. He went on to lecture me about
how onboard photography had been banned since 9/11.

Now, I've been on dozens of flights since 9/11 and I've got
hundreds of pictures to prove it. Not one person has ever
complained, or given me a second look while taking these pictures.
A kind flight attendant on Continental even helped take a picture
of my wife and I. Is this a new rule, or is it something that
JetBlue does (it was my first time flying with them)? Either way,
the way the guy snapped at me was extremely unprofessional. I
think he would have clubbed me in the head and yelled "terrorist"
if I had tried to take another. I would like to note that
throughout the flight, I saw at least a dozen other people with
point-and-shoot cameras and cell-phone cameras taking all kinds of
pictures without reprimand. Is this just big-camera-phobia on the
part of the attendant or is it actually a rule?

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/dom

hobobobo said:

disorganized mess that the TSA deems as security, I think of Ben
Franklin's quote:

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary
security, deserve neither liberty nor security."

Click to expand...

Bang on.

Same for UK.

Frankly, if there was is a threat from liquid explosives in drinks bottles, why are those measures being relaxed now? I am tending towards skepticism on this one.

read these and ask questions

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/17/flying_toilet_terror_labs/

http://www.voltairenet.org/article143264.html

Don't let the attendant get away with this. If people don't stand up for what's right, it'll only get worse.

I'm quite sure you were singled out because of your "big scary 20D". It happens all too often.

If there is a policy, then it must be applied evenly and fairly.

Hopefully, the attendant will be told from up above what the policy is and that he should behave in a more suitable manner to their customers. If he didn't know for sure what the policy was (and clearly he didn't), then he should have looked it up or asked before saying anything to you. And even if it had turned out that there was a policy against what you were doing, he could have been pleasant about it.

I take quite a few photos out the windows of aircraft. I've flown since 911 and never had any problems.

One of the things I really enjoy is seeing the landscape below from up so high. I flew down to Texas not too long ago and the flight down took us directly over the Canyonlands and Grand Canyon areas. Marvelous. A number of people were taking photos out the windows, and rightly so!

Other than the danger from electronic devices being on during taxi, takeoff, and landing, and the need to safely stow things so that they don't become missiles if you hit turbulence, I can't see where photographing inside the cabin can be much of an issue.

Their policy against shooting when flying below 10,000 feet is interesting. I wonder if they're trying to keep us from doing detailed aerial photography of secure installations on the ground or if they're thinking that anything below 10,000 feet is pretty close to takeoff or landing so it's the electronic gadget RF interference issue.

--
Jim H.

Well, you did right and complied - as I and most of us here would have done, too. As was pointed out elsewhere in this thread, no use having a security detail waiting for you at the destination -- it's not worth it. It's good to register your concern/complaint so hopefully some tact and diplomacy will be used by the flight attendants in similar situations with this airline.

FWIW, somewhere there is a village missing its idiot.
--
http://www.pbase.com/daverilstone

This past May, the captain of the airplane invited my 3 yr old daughter and I to sit in the pilot's chair, and he took a few shots for us. Perhaps after the England incident some airlines may be a bit more overcautiions. I always take shots from the plane especially if there is something interesting outside. I travel for work.
RAVE

..." go make yourself useful sweetie and mix me a drink." Be forget the nonchalant flipping away hand gesture. ;-)

I'd also be in jail, but hey, it'd be funny.

I always ask a flight attendant if I could take photo's during flight. One time I was even allowed to take pics during takeoff. I don't see any problem taking pictures on an airplane.

hobobobo said:

According to JetBlue's own website "Electronic Cameras" may be used
at all times except the following:

Taxi
Takeoff
Landing
When the plane is flying under 10,000 feet

Click to expand...

[...]

Next time, print it out so you can show it to them. Airline security is getting out of hand, and in most cases for no real good reason.

--
http://www.leadingedgephotos.com

I'm a pilot for an airline, flying worldwide. The 30d is my weapon of choice (with only f2.8 L glass of course, except the 500 f4 i want!). Pictures are allowed during all phases of flight. I ride on all the worldwide carriers, no worries ever.

write him up, he'll get a good spankin' from inflight. tell jetblue you vote with your DOLLARS and they're not "one of a kind but one of many".

cockpit, cabin, external pictures...there's not one you can take that hasn't been posted on the web by airliners.net already.

ralph

Come on guys ....give the flight attendant a break! Obviously he had an argument with his boyfriend the night before and he was upset...bless him!

glasswave said:

..." go make yourself useful sweetie and mix me a drink." Be
forget the nonchalant flipping away hand gesture. ;-)

I'd also be in jail, but hey, it'd be funny.

Click to expand...

I just had a memory come rushing back to me. We went to the Dominican Republic some time in 2002. Summer. About a 5-6 hour flight from Chicago. After a while, your butt starts to hurt, so my father would stand up and stretch his legs for a few inutes. He took his video camera out his carry-on and started filming. You have to remember, this is less than a year after 9/11.. People were PARANOID. The stewardess was very calm. She came by and nearly whispered it: "Sir, you really need to put that away.. I'm sorry, but I can't let you video record on the plane." My dad respected her silent vigor and obliged.

See, when youre on a plane and you do something 'wrong' it's a tight situation with some people. They will get on their high horse and make it a public issue. All of a sudden it's like you're on the cover of the 'Flight 3453 News'! You become humiliated and you retaliate, defending the pink in your cheeks and the problem is, you could easily be thrown off the plane as a 'threat to national security' if you don't oblige.

Like I said. A little more consideration with the flight attendants would go a LOOONG way.

I never wear a seat belt on a plane (Personal reasons) and I always have a headphone in my ear (I try to make it as covert as possible) and my nose in a book during takeoff, in flight and landing. I've dealt with alot of zealous flight crew in my day. =P

"What would you like to drink?"
"Tomato juice with NO ice."
"You got it, sir."
Hands me a Diet Coke with Ice
Ooo....Game on!
--
'Stay Shooting, or Stay Away!'
'Spoken like a true Photojournalist.'

I am firmly of the opinion that some flight attendants have taken their newly granted "power" to the extreme.

I watched a flight attendant berate a business traveler for pulling out a $.99 Bic razor, walking to the lavatory, and attempt to either wet or dry shave. No shaving cream, no bar of soap. I wished I had a video recorder at that moment, because I'd have sent that one to the FAA, and the head of the airline. It was ridiculous. This flight attendant was simply mean-spirited. There was nothing "safety-oriented" about what she did. There was no chance this guy was going to slip and hurt someone, or himself. I think the worst part was afterward, the flight attendant went to the other attendants and had to share this victory with the other flight attendants.

I was thoroughly unimpressed. If I wasn't afraid of being detained by security upon arrival, I'd have chided this flight attendant for such humiliating another passenger. That is one thing that has happened... the FAA and airline management has instilled a culture of fear on the airlines. Attendants and pilots are ALWAYS right, and a passenger is helpless, absolutely powerless, and immediately a suspect for something as simple as blinking at the wrong time.

--

'In 1983, the game of golf had a firm grip on the waist of my boxers and was administering the death wedgie. I had a dose of the atomic yips and after missing 10 of 11 cuts by a single shot, I was ready to quit and apply for a job as a wringer-outer for a one-armed window cleaner.'

• David Feherty

jhal said:

How about a trolley flying around during turbulence...I never had
any problems and if the flying attendant would ask me to put the
camera away I would draw his attention on the safety card in the
seat pocket and politely tell him to f....off

John

Click to expand...

In real turbulence I think you'll find the trolleys stowed away and the flight attendents firmly strapped in

The point is that in general we photographers do tend to react to every instruction to put the camera away as an infingement on our civil liberties. Sometimes there are real reasons. During an aborted take-off or a heavy landing the forces are more than sufficient to rip that camera out of your hands ... and perhaps onto the head of the person in front or behind you.

As to "making a point" with the flight attendents ... ever wonder why some people sail through customs and others don't? Seriously, though, if photographers create hassle, the airline response will be a blanket ban (probably under the guise of an anti-terrorist measure).

So please comply with reasonable requests, or you may end up screwing it up for everyone.

Cheers,

Colin
--
Colin K. Work
[email protected]
http://www.ckwphoto.com

so lets see...as a long time photographer I have often had to make do with home made remedies.....do you think any of us couldn't fabricate a lethal weapon with a safety razor, a bic pen, and some fabric tape?...hey who needs the safety razor...the bic pen would probably do fine in a pinch! Heck I have already figured that if some joker is hijacking a plane I am on I will just use my camera case as a battering ram to knock him over......should work pretty good too..

The whole security thing is a joke. Yes I wouldn't want a bomb or gun on a plane with me...but the number of times I have found my Swiss Army knife inadvertently on/in my personal carry-ons after security is very scary indeed. There were at least 4 instances not too long after 9/11 when I found myself at the gate with it accessible and on my person. I am more careful now...and tend to make sure it and the Leatherman both make it into the checked bag as one last "packing" check before I close the bags...

--
Richard Katris aka Chanan