JUST WHAT DO WE DO - AIRPORT SECURITY NOTICE : FILM

[Ian Grant]

In light of the current restrictions it is not possible to take film on any flight from a UK Airport. Unless of course you want to take the severe risk it will be fogged in your baggage (in the hold).

If you shoot 35mm Colour then you have no problems film is readily available world wide.

However shoot B&W and particularly LF then your up a creek without a paddle

Finding film or even websites of suppliers in a foreign country is extremely difficult, as usually the site won't be understandable language wise.

Film manufacturers could help us, Ilford - well Les MLean will ask them tomorrow, Kodak well it's hard to even find the kinds of film we use on their website. I looked on the Kodak site for the country I'm visiting as soon as I searched for B&W film I was tranferred back to the US website, so that was a great help.

I have sent Simon Calley's post ((there was a url link here which no longer exists))to the UK BAA (British Airpot Authority) and the airline I'm travelling with but have had no reply. I ponted out that the films concerned were difficult to buy anyway outside of specialist stockists.

This is now an extremely serious problem for any B&W, or Colour LF photographers passing through UK airports.

I have asked Sean to add something so we can all post stockists of film paper, chemicals etc in various countries we might visit.

Ian

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Is mailing your film ahead of time a solution?

 

[Ian Grant]

Is mailing your film ahead of time a solution?

I wish it was but I travel in 3 days.

However I've contacted Ilford to see what stockists there may be, also a local APUG member, and an English photographer who lives where I'm going.

Long term I'm moving abroad and my usual supplier will happily post there, from Berlin.

It's the short term restrictions that are the problem.

Thanks

Ian

 

[Aggie]

Where are you goling to?

 

[Ian Grant]

Turkey

It's strange it's in NATO, hopes to join the EU, great place but a country of great dilemnas.

Ian

 

[Aggie]

You are going close to Greece. Maybe on of the pauggers in Greece could get some film and have it sent to you.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Start a new thread in Product Availability with a title stating what you're looking for (like "4x5 Film Availability in Turkey"), and maybe there's an APUGer on the ground who can point you in the right direction. I know there are one or two Turks posting occasionally on the LF forum.

There was a Turkish guy living in New York in the first round of the APUG Traveling Portfolio, and he headed back to Turkey to live and complete his military service. I don't know if he's back on APUG.

 

[StephenS]

Just Fed Ex it!

Yes it will cost, but it's worth it unless you want to start shooting digital.

Ship it to where you will be staying/hotel/friends etc. It may add an extra $100 or $200 or even a bit more but to me that's worth saving a headache and all you are going through now trying to find a solution.

I use the Super Saver shipping (I have a Fed Ex business account) and it only takes a couple days from half-way round the world.

Take your film out of its boxes and canisters and put it in Zip Loc bags. Sheet film isn't too heavy or overpackaged to begin with and you don't need much in the way of padding.

I often label the box "Exposed photographic film" or something like that. There may be a customs or duty tax but if you list the film as "exposed, not for resale" that may help.

Oh, take some extra Fed Ex labels and tape with you for sending film home. Fed Ex is everywhere and it's not hard to find an office to ship from.

 

[firecracker]

Turkey

It's strange it's in NATO, hopes to join the EU, great place but a country of great dilemnas.

Ian

On the way back if you're flying out of the international airport (I forgot the name) in Istanbul, you will probably have the same problems as else where.

The security on your bag check can be tough.

I flew out there back in 2004 a couple of months after the terror attack, and it was already bad enough, though my film was safe.

Call them ahead and find out about it if necessary.

 

[FrankB]

The rules have been / are in the process of being relaxed a bit. Here's a link - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4789593.stm

 

[Matthew Gorringe]

It would be great if we could build on some of the suggestions made about using fellow APUGgers and get a forum or some other tool to help with travel.

I'd be happy to sort out a supply for people coming into Australia and I'm sure others would do the same for other countries.

 

[firecracker]

Sadly, this is what the situation in Turkey is/has been like:

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=51400

This shit is still going on...

 

[firecracker]

Sadly, this is what the situation in Turkey is/has been like:

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=51400

This shit is still going on...

Just make my point clear: According to the news, this particular incident was not against any westerners, but on occasions there are some terror attacks that do affect foreigners' air travels.

 

[Terence]

Last August (2005) B&W and color film, including Ilford and Kodak, were available in 35mm and 120 at Zoom Color or Yuvam in Eminonu, one of the neighborhoods near the Galata Bridge heading towards the older part of the city. I will try to get phone numbers for you. I believe they may even have had LF, but I think it may have been either Eastern European or Chinese.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Don't try 4x5 in Istanbul. They will force you to open the film box, and they get very nervous if you don't. Mail it back!

 

[Ian Grant]

Thanks Ralph, actually I'll process over there. I bought a JOBO tank off a fellow member of this site just for this reason.

Unfortunately I'm visiting then moving later to the north west of Turkkey so nowhere near to Istanbul, and the major photo-stores.

Luckily some restrictions have been relaxed, so taking film in hanf baggage is now permitted. My 5x4 camera did arouse some considerable interest in June when returning home, the security staff at Izmir airport enjoyed getting me to open & show them my Wista.

I asked Sean if he would consider a section for us to recommend dealers/stockist in various countries. He thinks its a great idea, but until the site's migration to its new server, and other APUG hosted sites follow he will have no time.

Ian

 

[FrankB]

...the security staff at Izmir airport enjoyed getting me to open & show them my Wista.

Those sick bastards! My God, are there no depths to which these people will not sink?!

Oh, sorry... Misunderstanding there...

 

[Ian Grant]

Yes Frank

They were puzzled at what they could see on their x-ray machine, made no sense to them at all . . . . . So despite my girl-friend telling them in Turkish it was photographic equipment, they were astonished to see it was a camera, and they were genuinely interested, and astonished to learn I actually use it

Those sick bastards! My God, are there no depths to which these people will not sink?!

Oh, sorry... Misunderstanding there...

 

[DBP]

Yes Frank

They were puzzled at what they could see on their x-ray machine, made no sense to them at all . . . . . So despite my girl-friend telling them in Turkish it was photographic equipment, they were astonished to see it was a camera, and they were genuinely interested, and astonished to learn I actually use it

And if you think a Wista looks funny on the x-ray, try carrying a Horizon 202. Mine almost always has to come out of the bag, and then I get to explain how it works.