At Martin Creates, we predominantly shoot on full frame mirrorless cameras such as the Sony A7IV. However, as mentioned on in previous blogs about film photography, one of the joys of shooting on film is that it's a great way to disconnect from professional photography workflows which can become draining if done excessively.
I love travelling to new places and experiencing life from the perspective of another culture. I find that it's a great way to recharge my batteries as it takes my attention away from usual routine such as work. This is important because as a professional photographer and videographer, the workload can get very demanding and taking breaks is healthy.
However, whenever I travel, I also like to document my journey through the unknown and capture the vibes of the place I'm visiting. In order to do this on film, I often take multiple film rolls with me, often various recipes to account for fluctuating lighting conditions and different tones that I want to express.
This year, my travels through Chamonix, Kalamata, Crete and Slavonija have all been documented on film using my Canon A1 camera and 50mm f1.4 lens. I was delighted with the results and I didn't miss my Sony AIV one bit.
There are challenges with travelling with any number of film rolls though and one of the biggest ones is passing through security at airports and ensuring your film doesn't get ruined.
In this blog, I'll be sharing a few tips to maximise your chances of ensuring your film rolls don't get ruined whilst travelling around the globe.
Carry a Smile: Emotions are very contagious so complimenting officers at borders, checkpoints and airport security desks will work in your favour massively when asking for favours, special treatment and more! Be natural and you'll see that staff members will cooperate much more. This is particularly relevant in countries that may not value or appreciate photography by tourists e.g. if political tensions are high or the authorities have a strong sense of power.
Be an ambassador for film photography: show people your work by having a catalogue printed and nicely laid out so they see you're legit. People feel most empowered when they learn something worth sharing and remembering, so teach them about film photography. Surprise them - make them laugh and connect. If they think you'll represent their country in a beautiful way through your work then they'll be more inclined to help you. If you can develop a shared purpose in a short space of time, you'll be absolutely fine.
Lead Camera Bags: I am not an affiliate of any bag manufacturers but I've heard that Domke have good ones. The lead will provide extra protection against the rays of scanning machines at airports.
Avoid CT Scanners: CT scanners will kill your film. Avoid at all costs - try to get a manual search. CT scanners are more powerful than traditional security scanners and are becoming more widespread in bigger airports, especially in the USA. At the time of writing this blog, they're currently in a trial phase in the UK.
Keep Count of Scans: With ordinary scanning machines, the film can survive a 1-2 scans especially if under 800 ISO. So when you have multiple legs/internal flights during your time away, keep count of the film rolls and opt for manual search where possible to keep the count as low as possible. I generally avoid chancing any film roll - even the lower ISOs such as as 200, etc.
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I am a professional freelance photographer and videographer based in London, UK. I started Martin Creates in order to help empower people and brands worldwide. One of the ways I do that is by publishing blogs with free information to help any creatives out there reading this. I welcome you to check out my work on this website as well as my newly launched site martincreatesweddings.com. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
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