Traveling to Bethlehem- ANY ADVICE?

I don’t know about 1 and 2.
But Bethlehem is relatively safe and quiet.

What Gidi said. The local boys will likely call your mom a donkey though, but it probably won’t hurt.

you should apply for press card from GPO (Government Press Office) in Jerusalem, +972-2-500-7518 / maybe call them ahead to see what’s required for applying.

it’s very easy trip from jerusalem. there are buses 21 and 124 i think, they stand near damascus gate. if you have you own presscard take it to GPO and you can ask from some editor to write you a letter it helps too.
i think it safe trip.

GPO are a pain to freelancers these days, dunno if you’ll get a card off them. The Palestinians will give you a press card from Ramallah, which is more handy inside Bethlehem than Israeli documents, unless you have a fixer. Fixers I’ve never used, so can’t help you there.

Yes, it’s safe, and a foreign passport will get you through checkpoints just fine.

What will you be working on? I’ll be around later in the summer if you fancy a coffee.

Thanks everyone. The general consensus seems to be that I’ll be ok without a press card from the GPO. I’ll see how I get on and if I get stopped anywhere, flash my UK press card.

One other question- does anyone know if I can purchase 5×4 film stock in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, and then get it processed? I’m worried about carrying film through the airport scanners (last time I carried film on flight to Israel it was badly fogged thanks to the aggresive scanners they use).

Anyway, I’ll let you know how I get on for future reference.

best
simon

Simon

I would not recommended purchasing 5×4 film in Israel. Get it in the UK.

I purchased some 120 colour neg in Tel Aviv a few years back and it was awful even though it was in date and told it was kept refrigerated. The colours were flat with no contrast at all. It was processed in London. I did a test roll sourced from the UK and it was fine.

The security people at Ben Gurion will normally hand check film if you ask them and use a chemical swap to check for explosives. The problem that may arise is being 5×4 they may not have seen that very often.

As you know the 5×4 stock comes with a triple box to keep it light tight so if you can persuade the security that it is film inside you should be OK.

With regards to leaving the UK you can also request a hand search. They will tell you otherwise but it is official BAA policy. I have the tel no for BAA’s head of security and performance. One call to him and its plain sailing.(flying)

They will then do it grudgingly of course. The security staff at Heathrow are the worst. I regularly travel with film stock and have had many a run in with them.

If you decide to take film with you let me know and I’ll email the top dogs tel no to you.

Take care

Just to be clear the 5×4 comes in a triple box if you purchase 50 sheets I think.

If you use the quick load system then you may want to get a triple box for transporting the film after it’s shot but then you would need access to a darkroom.

Most pro labs should have some empty triple boxes lying around. Not many people are shooting 5×4. Out of interest what are you shooting on?

i think in jerusalem 4×5 is’t a problem.
in “prisma” or “shwartz” photoshops you will find them.

Thanks Mark, that’s very kind of you. By the way, I’ve been looking at your website and enjoyed the Palestinian taxi slideshow you’ve made. It reminded me of this fantastic documentary that was made a few years ago following one of the taxi drivers around the West Bank. It was called ‘Ford Transit’. A wonderful piece of social documentary- heartwarming, frustrating and humorous. See details here: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article2767.shtml

Hi Simon

Thanks for taking a look at the slideshow.
Yeah I watched that film/documenary Ford Transit a few years back at the Palestinian film festival at SOAS in London. Yes it is very funny in parts.

I would advise you not to process 5×4 in Israel. This is just based on previous bad experience. Maybe worth the risk with 35mm but not something like 5×4.

I suppose you could always duplicate your shots and process one in country and bring one back and process in the UK. That would be fail safe to a certain extent depending how much film you want to burn. You could take a changing bag with you if you decide to do it that way as buying a 50 box is cheaper than the quick loads.

Nice camera BTW. I purchased a S/H Toyo a few years back as I shoot commercial interiors and it’s nice but not as nice as an Ebony although a Toyo is more compact.

Have you seen these, possibly ideal for flexible field work.

http://www.fotomancamera.com/product_list.asp?id=335

If you need that tel no let me know.

Cheers and best of luck

Mark

The wankers at heathrow refuse to do all hand searches now. This was on thursday, with all film in jiffy bags and labeled. When I showed rent-a-body the BAA print out, explained the situation, he laughed and said he didn’t follow those rules.

You might get a better human being, but for the past 8 trips now, I’ve never had them do one.

I get hand searches every time. I have the contact to make this possible.

I don’t mind giving the contact to anyone wishing to have film hand-checked.