Getting There

By definition a travel photographer spends an awful lot of time travelling but the advent of the budget airlines has had a big impact on my schedule. Whereas once the choice was simply between British Airways and Czech airlines, there are now many different companies flying to Prague, and it is even possible to fly direct to Brno in Moravia.

Normally I fly with BMIbaby who have routes from East Midlands, Birmingham and Manchester to the Czech Republic. For the travel photographer this company offers one big advantage in that it does not impose a weight limit on your carry-on baggage – very important when you are carrying two cameras, several lenses, all the associated accessories and even a laptop computer! The security regulations that were introduced post 9/11 have proved to be a nightmare for the professional photographer. Whilst we all realise the necessity for such rules, who wants to check in several thousand pounds worth of equipment? Whether lost, stolen or strayed, and even if it is covered by insurance, the non-appearance of equipment at your destination can mean that it is impossible to carry out the assignment. Is it any surprise then that most travel photographers have devised some ingenious ways of getting their equipment on board the plane as carry-on rather than check-in luggage?

For lots of practical information on how to cope with the problems that travel photographers face  check out http://flyingwithfish.com

~ by stockczech on February 17, 2008.