p.2 #1 · Travelling abroad for wedding, what to take...
I've previously checked in with a couple of cameras under a Burberry rain coat so that when they weighed my carry on it was under weight (6Kg limit) - 2 mins after leaving check-in all the gear was in the bag and safely carried on-board.
p.2 #2 · Travelling abroad for wedding, what to take...
elkhornsun wrote:
Everything you need to shoot the wedding needs to go on board the plane with you - Always. Most airlines make an exception for pro photographers traveling on assignment and a wedding shoot qualifies.
I've never found that to be the case. 'Everyone' has some excuse or another, like "I'm going on a cruise, don't they allow me more?" but they rarely allow anyone extra unless you have written authorisation....
p.2 #3 · Travelling abroad for wedding, what to take...
+1 on carrying on every "must have" item for the job (including basic backup gear).
International travel can be a whole different ballgame from domestic flights. I carry a medium-sized shoulder bag (Domke F2 size) with one body, three lenses, two flashes, and enough charged batteries to get me through the job. A second body, with a 50mm prime, gets carried separately, over my shoulder. The bag is well within the most restrictive carry-on size limits, but is a bit overweight (at about 10kg) for some airlines. In the unlikely event that it does get weighed, I can transfer a couple of items to my pockets for temporary storage until after I board.
Don't mess around with seriously oversize or overweight luggage and don't count on "special" treatment, especially if you're not travelling on a full fare/first class ticket.
If an airline employee decides to strictly follow the regulations, you'll lose any argument you start. You're doubly screwed if you end up on a smaller than expected plane, and there's always a chance that when you board, there's no space left in the overhead for your gear, so your bag should be small enough to fit under the seat.
