[LeDave]

I live about 20 minutes away from the Minneapolis - Saint Paul Airport, but with just 10 minutes away I can get a really good spot for good shots to "camp" for. Has anybody ever "camped" out to took shots of planes alone for hours before? This may sound really stupid and pathetic, but I want to do it but I'm afraid people might suspect me of being a terrorist because of all these terrorist-over-exaggeration things going on now-days.

[VF-19]

Just go and do it. Just make sure you're not on private property, and be honest with people, or police, that stop by.

You could also try calling the airport and ask them for the best place to be for plane shooting (also to let them know you're there).

[kickboxingpenguin]

airport security is kind of a joke, i work in one and probably see more gaps in security than i should.
beside the point.

i don't believe they take kindly to photos IN the airport, but if you are outside the fenced perimeter and not near any buildings, I doubt anyone would stop you. I don't believe they patrol the perimeter.

Good places to start though would be private/smaller landing strips and airfields. There might be less red tape in terms of picture taking.

[kickboxingpenguin]

btw... i hope you mean taking pictures of planes... not actually shooting planes....

[RioRico]

I do believe I would put the Saker 500/8 mirror on my K20D. I protrudes just 4 inches / 10cm and doesn't look nearly as threatening as the 12.5 inch / 32.5cm Spiratone 400/5.6 or Lil'Bigma 175-500/5-6/3 (fully extended, hood not included).

Yes, I do believe I would be just a little bit prudent in such a situation. I especially wouldn't put the cam and one of those long lenses on the shoulder-stock mount, which rather resembles an apparatus for firing RPG's. No need to tempt fate.

Oh, and I'd leave all the al-Qaeda literature at home.

[pop4]

Do a Google search for "plane spotting" for general info about taking photos and watching planes, and for more detailed info about Minneapolis - Saint Paul Airport, try here.

Oh, and you're not alone. I spent about five hours out near the airport the morning I took some of these photos.

[Ben_Edict]

I do believe I would put the Saker 500/8 mirror on my K20D. I protrudes just 4 inches / 10cm and doesn't look nearly as threatening as the 12.5 inch / 32.5cm Spiratone 400/5.6 or Lil'Bigma 175-500/5-6/3 (fully extended, hood not included).

Yes, I do believe I would be just a little bit prudent in such a situation. I especially wouldn't put the cam and one of those long lenses on the shoulder-stock mount, which rather resembles an apparatus for firing RPG's. No need to tempt fate.

Oh, and I'd leave all the al-Qaeda literature at home.

The best way to attract immediate attention is to use one of the old Novoflex rapid focus lenses. Especially the 600/8 has awareness-generating properties.

Ben

[smf]

I don't know how many biplanes this event will attract, but for anyone willing to gamble that a trip to the central part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula will have an adequate aviation photo payoff for them, here's some information:

A fly-in of biplanes is scheduled from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. April 24 at Midland's small Jack Barstow Municipal Airport (not to be confused with Tri-City Airport, which serves Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the area). If weather cancels the April 24 event, they'll try again on April 25.

The address is 2800 Airport Road, Midland. Restaurants and fast-food places are a relatively short drive away, but you might want to bring a cooler, as I don't know whether vendors will be onsite.

Number and type of participating aircraft won't be known until the day of the event. Last year — with little notice — approximately a dozen biplanes showed up.

Some of the other, non-aviation sites in the area are Dow Gardens, Whiting Forest, City Forest, Chippewa Nature Center, and the Tridge (a three-span bridge for pedestrians and cyclists).

Also, there area a disc golf course and municipal golf course.

And in case you wonder, I am not employed by the local Chamber of Commerce or any tourism organization.

[newmikey]

As long as you are "shooting" the airplanes and refrain from shooting the airplanes you should be alright. Make sure you carry proper identification with you and cooperate with anybody asking more or less silly questions, however silly they may seem to you!

Here at Tampa International you can go to the short term parking lot and shoot all you want. And there are times when certain planes are coming in they actually encourage it.

[Blue]

Just go and do it. Just make sure you're not on private property, and be honest with people, or police, that stop by.

You could also try calling the airport and ask them for the best place to be for plane shooting (also to let them know you're there).

I don't recommend asking them the best place to "to shoot planes." Take pictures, photograph etc. would be advisable.

[seacapt]

Not advisable to wear BDU's and a turben for this event.

[BillM]

Howdy Everyone,
Use to do that alot back in my younger days, here in St.Lou, airport authority
allowed use of small plot of gound unofficially set aside for just that purpose.
Thats gone now with expansion, and a buffer has been established that
prevents getting right in on "the action".Here in St.Lou we have
McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) so security has always been tight when
pointed in that direction and thats to be expected. I guess graphicgr8 has
to pay parking fee, not a bad ideal though,never thought of trying that.

P.S. Hope to see some great shots of the last shuttle launch when its retired
from our friends in Florida.

[Blue]

Not advisable to wear BDU's and a turben for this event.

A potato cannon for the lulls in action wouldn't be advisable either.

[Ratmagiclady]

I've flown into and out of MSP a few times: from the air, it seems there should be some pretty easy vantage points, at least as the wind usually seems to be going. One gets quite a view of some of the neighborhoods from above, also they seem to come and go pretty low over some big highway where there are a few stores and restaurants on a service road. I'm afraid I don't know the town well enough to do more than picture these spots, which won't help you, but I think it's a promising place if you'd like to do that.

It seems they like to descend pretty rapidly and bank and all (Flying still hasn't lost its novelty to me, ...I may not care much for travel, but I love to fly. I'm usually pasted to the window most of the way when I do. ) Fun ride. I think that may make for about as interesting of photographs as airliners might provide, though.

I also have spotted a bunch of small airstrips in the area: I presume this may be where more of the more aviation-enthusiast types of craft fly from. It's a really popular activity around that region, aviation is, and also, photographing planes. (There's some pretty good photography talent in these clubs that restore like vintage warplanes, actually, I had some occasion to cross paths with some of those guys, they'd probably be a great resource. )