Los Angeles Intl Airport-KLAX/LAX

[phantomphan1974]

Just leaving for YVR from LAX

[GTagami]

Duy, Jim, great shots.

[akradecki]

I'm planning on descending from the High Desert to shoot at LAX this Thursday, probably mid-morning. If anyone else is gonna be out and about...let me know.

[Dragonskiss]

Duy, Jim, great shots.

Thanks, Glen!  Hey, when are you free?  We have to plan a day to go shooting....

[Dragonskiss]

I'm planning on descending from the High Desert to shoot at LAX this Thursday, probably mid-morning. If anyone else is gonna be out and about...let me know.

I'm not out of class prior to 4:15 and it would be well around 5pm until I could get there.  The marine layer fog has been killing any decent opportunity to get some afternoon shooting, so I may not even make it.  However, if you're planning on staying around that time, I would be willing to meet with you.  Let me know.

[akradecki]

Wish I could stay that long. Have to get back up to Hollywood and Freestyle Photography to pick up some supplies for my daughter before they close at 4

[Code20photog]

Good day for special schemes

China Eastern Airbus A340 "Shanghai Expo 2010"


LAN Boeing 767 "80th Anniversary"


Aeromexico 737 "Go Visa"

[Code20photog]

Trying out my new 10-22.

Singapore Airlines Boeing 747 on approach

[Code20photog]

Artsy fartsy

[phantomphan1974]

Nice ones Ken!

[akradecki]

Beware the Airport Cops! So, there I was...standing on the sidewalk of the 96th st bridge, waiting for an EMB-135 to land (my trip was specifically to get a shot of this type of plane for a project I'm working on). I'd been there for about an hour or so, when an LAPD motorcycle cop stops. He asks for my ID and I show him my press badge (which I'm glad I wore) and my drivers license. He said that while technically it's legal for me to shoot from a public sidewalk, because of the security issues they want to know who's shooting where, especially the press. He then got on the radio and called for an LAWA police car to come and verify my identity. Two cars show up, barrelling up the bridge at high speed with lights on, pulled a U-ey with tires smoking (ok, only one of the cars smoked his tires, and almost hit the other...a true keystone cops moment!) and pulled up. So here's the scene...two cop cars and a bike, 3 officers (all blocking one lane of the bridge, backing up traffic) and one lone photog. The LAWA officers take my ID and start questioning me. Why am I there, what am I shooting, who am I shooting for. I explain the project, what publisher it's for, the fact that I'm also collecting stock images for my business, etc. They say that this is a pedestrian area and that I can't be shooting from there. The say that all photographers are supposed to call ahead and let the PAO's office know where they'll be shooting from. I politely and professionally remind him that media is allowed to shoot from any public space, including sidewalks, and when he realized I knew my stuff, he started backing off. He pulled out a contact report form and started filling it out...have I ever been arrested...do I have any tattoos...do I have any gang affiliations. At this point, I almost said, "Yes, APSoCal". I bit my tongue, as I didn't want to give the group a possible bad rep with the cops, so instead I answered Professional Press Photographers Association (a bit of a white lie, since I haven't sent in this year's dues). He laughed. Gave me back my id, suggested I shoot from somewhere else. I politely insisted that this was the only spot where the angle and sun would meet my needs, and he finally relented, and admitted I could shoot from there. All the while, the LAPD officer was almost apologizing, repeatedly saying that this is only precautionary. The two LAWA officers looked like kids, and the LAPD motor officer was in his 40s, and I think he was a bit embarrassed by the heavy-handed response. Even though the LAWA guys backed down, they insisted that next time I call ahead, and gave me the number. Finally they all left, and not more than 5 minutes later an American Eagle 135 landed and I got the exact shots I needed. Feeling triumphant, I left the bridge for lunch at In-and-Out. With a full stomach, I debated heading home, but then remember the old saying that if you don't exercise your rights, you'll lose them, so with a bit of a defiant attitude, I headed back up to the bridge, where I caught the Emirates 777 landing. On the way back to the bridge, I called the PAO's office (310-646-0200 gets you to the LAWA front desk, where you have to ask for the PAO), and talked to a really nice lady named Preva Miller, who seemed baffled that I was being asked to call ahead. She said that their policy is a photographer can shoot from any public space (I specifically asked about the bridge, and she confirmed that too), as long as I didn't shoot an airline employee without his/her permission, and that there was no need to call ahead. In the future, I probably will anyway, just so that if it ever happens again, I can answer that yes, I did check in first. I'm also convinced that it would have been even worse off for me if I hadn't had my press badge. I would suggest that if ya'll have ever published anything, you set yourself up as a freelance entity, come up with a company name, and get a badge made. Media has rights in America, and when you can show a picture ID, it gives you a measure of respectability. Anyway...now for some of the pics.....

[GTagami]

Hey Alan,

Wow, you really had to work for that photo.  I'm glad it turned out for you and thanks for standing up for your/our rights.

Great shots, especially the Emirates triple 7.

G

[NikonGuy]

Nice ones Ken!

Oh Yeah! 

[NikonGuy]

Alan, great stuff!!! and cops can have power trips once in a while **almost all the time**   

Once again, great shots and thanks for the suggestion. 

[Dragonskiss]

Wow Alan, looks like you found yourself in quite a pickle!  Sounds exactly like the encounter I had with the LAWA officers a few months ago, sans the smoking tires!  They say "In this day and age, we must respond to any suspicious activity."  While I understand that's their job and have the utmost respect for them, you sometimes wonder to yourself if they exercise ANY common sense.  I understand idea of "To Protect and Serve, but especially for us photographers, it gets to be a little preposterous.  They, too, had advised me that I should call the PAO office ahead of time if I plan on shooting from public property. There, again, I found that a little absurd.  But hey, we just have to roll with the punches...and I'm glad you stood your ground.  It's almost comical that they backed off after you had mentioned your photographic rights.  Perhaps, it's their attempt to instill fear into unknowing or new photographers.  Just my cheap .02

Anyhow, I'm happy that you got what you were looking for, it must've been a heck of a day.  I wish I could been there with to share all the drama and burgers with you.  Definitely next time.  Cheers bud!