"I shouldn’t be here." That’s all I could think as I brought my camera to my eye to frame a shot overlooking the massive expanse of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. I was in a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter, the door removed at my request. The sun had barely risen over the north Texas landscape as we approached what is typically one of the busiest airports in the world.
The U.S. government is urging airlines around the world to ban cameras, laptops, and other large personal electronic devices from checked luggage, citing the risk of batteries causing catastrophic fires.
The FAA has published a new warning about the danger of storing spare lithium batteries in checked bags. The batteries, which are widely used in the photography industry to power things like cameras and lighting equipment, "present a risk of both igniting and fueling fires in aircraft cargo/baggage compartments," the FAA says.
A new FAA report is confirming what we imagine many responsible camera drone enthusiasts fear: the number of idiotic drone pilots is on the rise, and they're threatening to ruin it for everyone or, far worse, cause a full-scale air disaster.
If you've ever shot on-location somewhere far away, you probably had to make this tough decision: what gear do I take and what do I leave at the studio? For big photo shoots you'd rather err on the side of caution and take it all, but airline luggage allowances make that impossible... or do they?
It turns out that some airlines have a special policy that allows media professionals to pack a whole lot more gear.
For as long as most of us can remember, the pre-takeoff safety briefing given in airplanes worldwide always included something to the effect of "all electronics must be turned off and stowed during takeoff and landing." For photographers, that meant lost photo opportunities unless you were willing to break the rules to get a great shot.
Most people in today's society have a mobile phone. Most mobile phones have cameras. Anyone and everyone has become an on-the-scene photojournalist, reporting on everything from major news events to the odd and crazy.
Some of these picture-worthy events take place on everyday flights. Shutter-happy passengers, snapping or even video recording the woman on the next aisle over acting unusual or a fellow passenger being disruptive. It's undeniable that we are curious beings, and want to document and share events we witness. But not everyone is pleased citizen photojournalists.
A few days ago we came across this brilliant trick for protecting your valuable camera gear while flying. Most airlines don't allow you to fly with your luggage locked, but there's a clever way around the rule -- bring a gun.