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07/13/2005 10:44:25 PM · #1 |
| Uh... Do Not Photograph the flight deck. Appearantly this is not acceptable and brings the wrath of MP's and the base commander. I was on base at Mira Mar in San Diego photographing the Marine Corps Aeronautical Museum and noticed some jets taking off. I decided to drive over to the flight deck and shoot some jets. Mind you before I did this I asked 2 captains in flight uniforms if it was ok, they said sure just stay on this side of the fence. Off I went...well for about five minutes before I was looking up at four VERY unhappy Marine MP's. I was escorted very ruffly to the military police dept. and was interrogated for about 45 minutes before I was let go with a very stern warning about photographing "Classified and or Sensitive areas" And by the way I had to delete all of my photos, or so they thought (hehehe)Any way if you find yourself on a military post wanting to take pictures ask someone a little higher than 2 captains for permission. |
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07/13/2005 10:53:46 PM · #2 |
During our fleet week, there were free tours on some of the ships. They didn't allow any cameras so I couldn't go on board because I had my camera equipment and no where to store it :(
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07/13/2005 11:01:17 PM · #3 |
| Yeah, be very sensitive of military bases in general. Gates, ports, aircraft, etc... Due to the state of the world, they don't like suspicious people hanging around, observing, and taking pictures. |
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07/13/2005 11:09:00 PM · #4 |
I live next to Ft. Benning (GA) and since homeland security was implemented the base only has one entrance to civilians and you have to get a pass that is only good for a certain amount of time ( 1 day -3 days). The family and I went there to take pictures of the cemetery where her grand father is buried. We had to go in and get a pass then drive up to the check point (looks like a border crossing) and they make you step out of the car and inspect every inch, under the hood, seats, in the truck and glove compartment. When they seen my camera bag they asked what was in it and I told them. The took it out of the car and placed it on the hood and took everything out including manuals, lens, filters, camera - everything.
After we were cleared at the check point I asked him were I was allowed to take pictures. I had explained I was going to the cemetery to take some of my wifes grandfather's grave. He instantly said stay away from Lawson airfield and told me to go to the visitors building to get information on photography.
When I got there and asked they told me only the cemetery. Not even the housing unless I was lived on post or was visiting someone on post and even then limited. I was disappointed. |
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07/14/2005 01:19:22 AM · #5 |
There was an airshow here in Pittsbugh last weekend at the 911 Air Lift Wing(?). they do refueling too.
The website has no schedule posted 'due to security reasons' - a bit ridiculous if you ask me - this is a base next to a civilian airport and bordered by 2 hiways...if it was on the ground you'd ahve to get in, but if it flew you'dbe able to 'get it' from lots of nearby places...I bet those that want to badly enough are willing to wait and don't nbeed a stinkin schedule.
They did have signs at the base 'no backpacks, coolers...etc". They searched but they let everything in - including stollers, powered wheelchairs (now you could get quite a few pounds of C4 on one of them i bet) and similar items (we had a diaper bag with diaper stuff and camera stuff in it).
I saw a surprising number of foreigners (non-english speaking non-american dressed types) for this area as compared to normal day to day observations at teh store and such.
Want pics of what? I got some of B52, C5a galaxy, blackhawks, F16 and other things..no restrictions, tons of crowd...
 
Message edited by author 2005-07-14 01:21:55. |
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07/14/2005 05:41:17 AM · #6 |
| Yeah it's kinda strange at Mira Mar you can park on Kearny Villa road and with a decent tele get everything I was trying to get from on base. Also they have an air show here soon and it's all access. Go figure. |
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07/14/2005 06:59:30 AM · #7 |
You know, somehow I don't think the terrorists would ever really go after US Military bases on US Soil. They just aren't as terrorizing a place to attack as a busy downtown commercial area is, plus they are much more heavily guarded on a regular basis.
I have never understood the extreme ramp up of security on our Military bases after 9/11. I understood that we already had pretty significant and serious security on our bases beforehand. Perhaps the military knows something that the rest of us don't know. |
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07/14/2005 07:18:07 AM · #8 |
| This is not surprising.... military bases have always had some restrictions. The increased security state of mind has made all military installations restricted or off limits to unauthorized photography. |
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07/14/2005 07:37:28 AM · #9 |
Ah Miramar... NKX if I recall. That was the 2nd (air-traffic control) sector that I trained on after being hired a few months following the PATCO strike in 1981. Sector 22, or so it was named then. Of course there were herds of brand new controllers, and we were all green as grass. I remember once getting busy at Sector 22 and having some fighters inbound to NKX from the north that were just screaming, maybe 500 knots, and in a descent to 13,000 feet. I think that there was slower traffic in front plus a boatload of other traffic... Can't really recall exactly what was happening, but I do remember running out of options and telling the fighters to make a left 360 turn.
Doing that... spinning aircraft... is a last resort, but spin they did, about 50 miles north of San Diego they made a wide left turn and rolled out right in the lineup, dirtied up and slowed, pretty as you please. That's how we learned! (Scary, huh?)
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And another story comes to mind, concerning base security. At that time, I was working at Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Center in Palmdale, CA. The Center is located immediately adjacent to Edwards AFB. I had a friend who had washed out of the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City but nonetheless had stopped by for a visit at my work. After taking a tour, he left, and later told me that he had then wandered onto the Edwards flightline!! Old Fred said that it was pretty cool, there were tons of neat aircraft, and especially the SR-71s... He said that he walked right UP TO the SRs and actually touched them before being -politely- asked to leave. No interrogation, no nothing. Now times HAVE changed.
Message edited by author 2005-07-14 07:50:43. |
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07/14/2005 08:01:29 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by Nelzie:
You know, somehow I don't think the terrorists would ever really go after US Military bases on US Soil. They just aren't as terrorizing a place to attack as a busy downtown commercial area is, plus they are much more heavily guarded on a regular basis.
I have never understood the extreme ramp up of security on our Military bases after 9/11. I understood that we already had pretty significant and serious security on our bases beforehand. Perhaps the military knows something that the rest of us don't know. |
Maybe I can clear this up for you. I live and work on a naval base and not long after Sep 2001 we had a report of two men at a local Wendy's restaraunt stopping military looking individuals and asking for help to visit the base. They stated that they had friends on the base and they wanted to surprise them. At that time you HAD to have a military ID card to get on base so then needed help getting on. Luckily someone called the base police who along with the local FBI got one of the men, the other was in his car and was able to get away. We have young sailors here, some are only 17, and they don't always know the rules and very well may have helped the men on to the ONLY naval recruit base in the US. Can you imagine the potential damage that could have been done had someone not been on the ball.
Sure it can be annoying having to have your car searched and detained and show your ID (it's fun when you leave that sucker at your desk or in your barracks and have to get back on), and sure I hate that our annual 4th of July (open to the community) celebration has not been on base since 2001, but I personally would rather do that than have to clean up after a disaster, and in my field, help with the wounded and dead.
As for asking your Captains, heck these probably younger than you O3's were probably laughing the entire way to their office. It is always best to ask the base public affairs officer before you go on base if you have questions about what can be photographed.
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07/14/2005 08:58:17 AM · #11 |
all of this makes shots like this even more impressive. I'd love to get up there and have a chance to shoot like this. (can you believe $30 for that? Seems to me that someone doesn't realize what they have.)
Also brings to mind Joe McNally shooting the first digital story for National Geographic - it was all very highly classified aircraft as I recall - I was envious at the time that he would have access like that.
I was detained for shooting light fixtures at an airport parking lot for a client that supplies the fixtures. I didn't think there would be a problem with me shooting across a parking lot, but I was pointed toward the tower (to get mountains in the background) and got to talk to some very stern people as a result.
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07/14/2005 09:30:39 AM · #12 |
Ya have to put up with several searches for the Mira Mar Airshow but once you get through all that it's a blast...
Fortunately a local hotel puts me up in their corporate chalet. I have never had any problems once in. Now that's airshows, shooting at non-airshow times is another story. |
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