I attended a conference in Richmond VA. As well being an attendee I was also asked to be the official photographer for the event (no pay). I packed my kit with two lens, one flash plus the D810 body, laptop computer & various spare batteries cable and such. I use a photo back pack as my kit as it travels well in the overhead compartment or under the seat. The trip to Richmond was good as I was pre checked. The return trip was anything but easy. At the Richmond airport I removed the laptop as we all know has to go into a separate container.

As the kit was going through the xray it came back. The TSA person asked me to remove the camera and each of the lens and put into a separate container. I explained to the TSA person that the lens were mostly glass and very expensive I would rather the stayed in the protection of the backpack, he agreed, but the camera had to go separate.

I think as a payback for that I was pulled aside after the xray for extensive body search even though I had nothing in my pockets or on my person... Mind you, I am a government employee traveling to and from a government sponsored conference... Been traveling for years this was the most I have ever been through for security.

Now mind you I am not saying I disagree, because as we all know the risk of terrorism is very high and they are doing what they believe is in our best interest and safety. This may be the new normal for us as photographers while traveling...