Don't be a fool like me

[Rob Skeoch]

Well we can all sleep better tonight knowing that our men and women at air port security are looking after our safety.
Last week I flew from Vegas back to Toronto after spending a week shooting with Per and friends throughout Owens Valley.
Went to all the usual places... Yosemite, Bristlecone Pines Park, Bodie and the Seirra Nevadas. Headed home with about 60 sheets of 8x10, a half dozen 8x10 IR and a couple shots still in the holders from a final day at Death Valley.
When we got home my wife mentioned that air port security had left a form letter in her bag mentioning that because of national security her bag had been opened and checked.
I noticed when I checked my boxes of film which were in the bags that everything wasn't just how I packed it and my suspesion was correct. Security also checked my film boxes.
So now I have 60 sheets of fogged film as well as a couple boxes of fresh film that had been in sealed boxes but was also opened.
Don't be a fool like me. Ship your film home separately, process it on location, ship it to a lab and have them process it or carry it on with a changing tent so security can open it in front of you.
The only film not fogged are the couple that were still in holders from the final day.
Next time I'll know better.
-Rob

 

[Andrew Moxom]

That just blows! Sorry to hear about that. It must be terribly frustrating and very costly at that to have a whole trip ruined by some over zealous airport security person that obviously does not know about film being light sensitive.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Ouch! But why would you put film in checked luggage? TSA aside, it would be exposed to high-dose X-rays.

 

[mikebarger]

Very sorry to here of these results.

Every time I've flown in recent years I've been advised not to have film in checked luggage. Not because of the reasons you had, but because of the massive dose of X-ray for checked luggage.

Again, sorry hear of this type of loss.

Mike

 

[roteague]

Always hand carry film, never put it in checked luggage.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The thing they use to scan checked luggage isn't even an xray machine- more like a C-T scanner or MRI machine. It is guaranteed to nuke the hell out of your film and ruin most of what you check. I guess they give different training to the folks working in the troll cave below the airport than the ones working the check-in lines, because I've had no problems with the folks at the gate understanding what is large format film. I did have to yell at the attendant for United Airlines in Buenos Aires on my way home when she was getting ready to open the box that had my downloaded exposed film, but otherwise everything was fine.

 

[Drew B.]

Oh, I'm sorry...thought by the subject line that you were talking about getting married or something.... ...but anyways, the last time I brought exposed film on a plane (6 months ago) I asked them to just check the film canisters w/out opening them and they did. Apparently they guessed that it was only film as the camera was in the same bag.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I've heard all the same things about film in checked luggage but it does nothing to bring your images back... I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune, it must be incredibly disappointing. I hope you can use the loss to motivate yourself to get out there and make even better pictures to replace them. All the best. Shawn

 

[Rob Skeoch]

I've actually had worse problems when I take the film as carry on. For some reason they want to look in the box, the x-ray wasn't enough. I've heard of people solving this by bringing along a tent and setting up at the security table.

 

[david b]

I've never had any problems when going through the hand check with 4x5 film. They are more concerned about the little metal box in my bag (the camera). I had to open my Toyo 45a in the Albany Airport so they could look through it.

 

[copake_ham]

When I was returning from Memphis to NYC a couple of weeks ago I was pleased to see a big sign at TSA security area advising folks to request hand inspection of their film.

Quite a sea change in attitude.

 

[George Losse]

Wow! I hate it when one image from a trip gets ruined from a light leak or something. I can't imagine the pain of finding all the film fogged.

On the bright side.... now you have a great reason to go back and again.

 

[highpeak]

Rob, sorry to hear this. Have you thought about suing the TSA for ruin your exposed films?

Alex W.

 

[naturephoto1]

Always hand carry film, never put it in checked luggage.

Rob,

I am so sorry to hear about this. I have to agree with Robert at this point, though, hand search, process at the location, or ship it through another carrier such as FEDEX, DHL, or UPS.

Rich

 

[MurrayMinchin]

Yikes, but that's just awfull

About twenty years ago I had my exposed film holders and a box of exposed sheets of film with me as carry on luggage, and I had one heck of a time convincing security not to open any of them...and that was looong before they ramped up security!

If I fly anywhere to photograph I'll be mailing it home or processing it before I leave.

Again, that just sucks

Murray

 

[PBrooks]

My thinking is process it there, carry it on. On my last trip out of country I went to every shipping place and they all informed me that because of security to U.S. everything is scanned that comes into country. Maybe they were wrong but i didn't chance it.
Sorry to hear about your film!

 

[copake_ham]

Rob, sorry to hear this. Have you thought about suing the TSA for ruin your exposed films?

Alex W.

?

On what grounds? He put the film in checked luggage which is required by law to be inspected with high power x-rays.

 

[scootermm]

Rob, terrible to hear this.... follows in my belief that if an ocean doesnt stand in the way ... drive to where ever it is.
I try to follow this train of thought as often as possible.

 

[Vaughn]

I assure you that we are quite capable of being fools in our own unique ways...

Bummer about the film. I lost most of my 4x5 images from a 3 month hitch-hiking adventure in New Zealand...but I did it my way (no third-party involved). So I can feel your pain.

If it is any consolation, you did take those shots...the experience of taking them can be turned around and used to take even better photos the next time around. That is how it ended up with me in my experience above.

Vaughn

 

[roteague]

My thinking is process it there, carry it on. On my last trip out of country I went to every shipping place and they all informed me that because of security to U.S. everything is scanned that comes into country. Maybe they were wrong but i didn't chance it.
Sorry to hear about your film!

Sorry, but that is nonsense. The major shippers have neither the time, equipment or requirement to check everything that comes into the country.

 

[herb]

Airports and film

I was at a VC conference a few years ago and saw a four armed changining bag that Harrison offers for airport stuff. you put your two in one side, the examiner their two in the other and you can open whatever and they can feel it to be sure. Seemed silly at the time, but now sounds like a good idea.

Most security I see has more interest in using wipe pads or sniffers for expolsive residue.

My sympathies.

 

[highpeak]

?

On what grounds? He put the film in checked luggage which is required by law to be inspected with high power x-rays.

I don't know. Do they suppose to open a sealed film box? Don't they suppose to know how to handle this kind of material ?

Alex W.

 

[copake_ham]

I don't know. Do they suppose to open a sealed film box? Don't they suppose to know how to handle this kind of material ?

Alex W.

Alex,

They didn't open the film boxes. The OP put the film boxes in check-in luggage. It got zapped by the high-power x-ray machine that scans all check-in luggage.

We've had a number of threads here about what that will do to film.

This is why others here have reminded the OP that you should always "carry on" film and ask for a hand inspection - which you have a right to do (although the "wise traveler" "asks" rather than "demands").

BTW: I've found over the past couple of years that the TSA folks are more and more understanding of such requests. They used to look at you like you were a Martian or something for asking but now they don't even blink twice when you ask. Just have the film containers/boxes/holders etc. already out of your carry-on bag at the security line so you're not holding everyone else up and then they are quite cool about the request.

Oh, and remember, always be polite and smile. When I do that, they carefully carry my film over to the inspection station like it's fragile. I'm lovin' it!

 

[naturephoto1]

TSA in Portland, Oregon was good enough to hand search my exposed Fuji Velvia QL 4 X 5 sheet film and 120 Velvia film. I was able to get it home unscathed and processed a few days after returning home with no mishap.

Rich

 

[kjsphoto]

Rob, terrible to hear this.... follows in my belief that if an ocean doesnt stand in the way ... drive to where ever it is.
I try to follow this train of thought as often as possible.

I have to agree with Matt o this one. I don't fly and if I cant get their by car I take a boat, if I cant reach there by boat I don't go.

I am so sorry to hear this has happened.