Angeles City

[QUOTE=Droplet;1174421]Is it safe to go around angeles for one evening with a SLR?[/QUOTE]Not only will you be marked as a newbie, you will be a serious target for theft and mugging. Your SLR camera is worth the equivalent of 4 months' salary for an average Filipino.

Do not go to the Philippines, particularly Angeles City, flashing wealth around.

[QUOTE=Droplet; 1174421]Just a quick question, me being an avid photgrapher, I carry a digital SLR around with me. I've seen videos of bars such as doll house where plenty of of cameras are taken inside. Did any of you see people taking their SLRs inside too? This is just to get some good shots of the girls before the fun. Does the bar charge you anything to go inside? Or can you go in and out without problems? Is it safe to go around angeles for one evening with a SLR?

Thanks, [/QUOTE]Some bars have photo nights and times when you can take photos.

Some let you take photos of your friends and girls you buy drinks for.

Some do not like photos. Best to ask.

It is dangerous in angeles but the odds are in your favor if you are careful.

Some people never have a problem

I have been with friends that have very expensive cameras they can not canceal.

They do take risk but they also pay attention and don't go too far off the tourist paths.

I have been in angeles about four years and I think all of us foreigners are targets and I believe we are being watched for

Opportunities to steal and extort from us. I have had very little problems as I keep a very low profile.

And pay attention and avoid what I can.

Anyone try massage parlor in angeles around fields or santos street.

I have tried a few and no extras offered. Tried to see if there were. But then I really wanted

A real massage and was only curious untill I met a hot massage girl.

Massage not that good. I asked about extras and she only joked.

But did not specifically say yes or no

To me that was a no?

[QUOTE=Slippery;1174442]And the last 2 time I came back from there flying into Detroit, I and every single male I saw go through customs was asked if he had a camera. I saw a bull dyche customs woman go through a guy's cam. I passed through. No cam. They could have searched and still no cam. Never give them enough evidence to convict you with.[/QUOTE]You mean they were looking for photos from the bars? How strange. What can they convict you of. Even if they find photos of naked girls on your drive, so what?

Thanks for the answers. Looking at the photos from field avenue etc it looks pretty safe with all those people around. Maybe I could take a small digital camera in the pocket.

Thanks,

[QUOTE=Slippery;1174442]And the last 2 time I came back from there flying into Detroit, I and every single male I saw go through customs was asked if he had a camera. I saw a bull dyche customs woman go through a guy's cam. I passed through. No cam. They could have searched and still no cam. Never give them enough evidence to convict you with.[/QUOTE]Customs in australia target people comming back from PI, I have had my computers and phones taken away and searched, at the time the news started reporting guys getting busted with porn from PI, seems they have been asked not to report it any more. I for one will not travel with porn on my laptop and phone if I have to go through customs. The laws do not allow for import even if it your own,

[url]http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/travellers-to-be-searched-for-porn-20100520-vh09.html[/url]

[QUOTE=Frenzy3; 1174586]Customs in australia target people comming back from PI, I have had my computers and phones taken away and searched, at the time the news started reporting guys getting busted with porn from PI, seems they have been asked not to report it any more. I for one will not travel with porn on my laptop and phone if I have to go through customs. The laws do not allow for import even if it your own,

[url]http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/travellers-to-be-searched-for-porn-20100520-vh09.html[/url][/QUOTE]This is very useful information. I'm planning to take a laptop / net book with me when I travel to store photos. Will there be trouble if they find photos of naked girls on the drive?

And how do they exactly search your computer? I can't imagine they going through all your folders. It makes searching practically impossible. How long do they take your computer away for?

[QUOTE=Frenzy3;1174586]Customs in australia target people comming back from PI, I have had my computers and phones taken away and searched[/QUOTE]I use a free program called TrueCrypt to encrypt all my personal pictures and data on my laptop. More than a search by custom officials, I fear theft of my laptop or an unexpected trip to the repairman. Google for "edison chen photo scandal".

Also keep in mind that the file delete function in Windows (and likely also on any camera) does not actually overwrite the data but only deletes the reference of file from the file system table. There are free utilities available to delete private data permanently from storage devices.

This is an interesting discussion and I would like to recount a very embarrassing incident that happened to me today. Although it took place in Cebu City it is very relevant to the discussion here.

I had taken a few photos of Daisy (my regular gf) and her kids around my hotel and the pool and we went to Ayalla Mall to get them printed on photographic paper so she would have a memento of her stay. Now I had quite a few very compromising photos on my camera that I had deleted before I came to the Philippines. I deleted them because of concerns with customs, but also because I did not want any girls finding photos that would have provided prima facie evidence of misbehaviour.

Anyway once in Ayalla we went to a photographic store and the assistant removed the memory card and inserted into a machine with a screen that was truly enormous. Imagine my absolute horror when all my misdeeds were displayed on a massive computer screen with my gf, her two kids, the shop assistant and half the customers watching. To say I nearly died is a gross understatement and I frantically asked the assistant to remove it from the screen as I could feel my face getting redder and hotter. Daisy just pointed to each photo and said "who is that?" "oh what are you doing there?" as they were all displayed on the massive screen as an album style for all to see.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me there and then and after what seemed a lifetime I finally retrieved my memory card from the assistant who could hardly contain her laughter. I went straight outside the shop and immediately tried to delete the incriminating photos, but guess what. I could not find them on my camera! I spent nearly 30 minutes feeling very agitated with myself and feverishly trying all the options on the menu but no amount of trying would reveal the location of these photos to delete. I am assuming I need to insert my memory card into a laptop with a card reader and manually do this myself. It seems my camera (Samsun ES70) will allow me to delete photos from the camera, but not the memory card. Anyway I have learnt my lesson the hard way, but then at least I am better off having discovered this in a shop in the Philippines, than by Customs as I enter back into my own country.

Lesson learnt!

[QUOTE=Mortman; 1174663]This is an interesting discussion and I would like to recount a very embarrassing incident that happened to me today. Although it took place in Cebu City it is very relevant to the discussion here.

I had taken a few photos of Daisy (my regular gf) and her kids around my hotel and the pool and we went to Ayalla Mall to get them printed on photographic paper so she would have a memento of her stay. Now I had quite a few very compromising photos on my camera that I had deleted before I came to the Philippines. I deleted them because of concerns with customs, but also because I did not want any girls finding photos that would have provided prima facie evidence of misbehaviour.

Anyway once in Ayalla we went to a photographic store and the assistant removed the memory card and inserted into a machine with a screen that was truly enormous. Imagine my absolute horror when all my misdeeds were displayed on a massive computer screen with my gf, her two kids, the shop assistant and half the customers watching. To say I nearly died is a gross understatement and I frantically asked the assistant to remove it from the screen as I could feel my face getting redder and hotter. Daisy just pointed to each photo and said "who is that?" "oh what are you doing there?" as they were all displayed on the massive screen as an album style for all to see.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me there and then and after what seemed a lifetime I finally retrieved my memory card from the assistant who could hardly contain her laughter. I went straight outside the shop and immediately tried to delete the incriminating photos, but guess what. I could not find them on my camera! I spent nearly 30 minutes feeling very agitated with myself and feverishly trying all the options on the menu but no amount of trying would reveal the location of these photos to delete. I am assuming I need to insert my memory card into a laptop with a card reader and manually do this myself. It seems my camera (Samsun ES70) will allow me to delete photos from the camera, but not the memory card. Anyway I have learnt my lesson the hard way, but then at least I am better off having discovered this in a shop in the Philippines, than by Customs as I enter back into my own country.

Lesson learnt![/QUOTE]That sucks man, the camera actually stores a couple photos in internal memory so be careful. Just because the card is clear doesn't mean the camera doesn't have any.

[QUOTE=Droplet; 1174598]This is very useful information. I'm planning to take a laptop / net book with me when I travel to store photos. Will there be trouble if they find photos of naked girls on the drive?

And how do they exactly search your computer? I can't imagine they going through all your folders. It makes searching practically impossible. How long do they take your computer away for?[/QUOTE]It was about 20 mins I would say they did a search of the HDD, truecrypt is a good idea. Just have a good name for the truecrypt volume like bible-stories. Mpg. LOL

I feel for you buddy. It is so unfortunate. Esp that you remembered to delete them.

Whats the worst thing that can happen at the customs? I'm guessing only embarassment and nothing else that will get you into trouble?

[QUOTE=Mortman; 1174663]This is an interesting discussion and I would like to recount a very embarrassing incident that happened to me today. Although it took place in Cebu City it is very relevant to the discussion here.

I had taken a few photos of Daisy (my regular gf) and her kids around my hotel and the pool and we went to Ayalla Mall to get them printed on photographic paper so she would have a memento of her stay. Now I had quite a few very compromising photos on my camera that I had deleted before I came to the Philippines. I deleted them because of concerns with customs, but also because I did not want any girls finding photos that would have provided prima facie evidence of misbehaviour.

Anyway once in Ayalla we went to a photographic store and the assistant removed the memory card and inserted into a machine with a screen that was truly enormous. Imagine my absolute horror when all my misdeeds were displayed on a massive computer screen with my gf, her two kids, the shop assistant and half the customers watching. To say I nearly died is a gross understatement and I frantically asked the assistant to remove it from the screen as I could feel my face getting redder and hotter. Daisy just pointed to each photo and said "who is that?" "oh what are you doing there?" as they were all displayed on the massive screen as an album style for all to see.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me there and then and after what seemed a lifetime I finally retrieved my memory card from the assistant who could hardly contain her laughter. I went straight outside the shop and immediately tried to delete the incriminating photos, but guess what. I could not find them on my camera! I spent nearly 30 minutes feeling very agitated with myself and feverishly trying all the options on the menu but no amount of trying would reveal the location of these photos to delete. I am assuming I need to insert my memory card into a laptop with a card reader and manually do this myself. It seems my camera (Samsun ES70) will allow me to delete photos from the camera, but not the memory card. Anyway I have learnt my lesson the hard way, but then at least I am better off having discovered this in a shop in the Philippines, than by Customs as I enter back into my own country.

Lesson learnt![/QUOTE]

[url]http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_reg/cir1956432/s4a.html[/url]

(be) describe or depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or who appears to be, a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not) ;

How many pina girls who are 20+ but look younger due to their size. I like 30-40 kg girls I think some of my photos I could not import. Yet I can post online. WTF.

Note [url]http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2005L00376/Html/Text[/url]

Paragraph 4A (1A) (be)

Omit.

Looks like, a child under 16.

Insert.

Appears to be, a child under 18

[QUOTE=Madisonguy;1174671]That sucks man, the camera actually stores a couple photos in internal memory so be careful. Just because the card is clear doesn't mean the camera doesn't have any.[/QUOTE]It is true that the Camera Internal memory can store many Photos. But if it is just the memory card you gave to the shop assistant the memory card should be clear of your deleted pics.

There is no way the memory card has two places where it can store pics. It is not like the computer where even if you delete lots of stuff they can be found hiding in various places.

The computer wizard can get the files back.

I think you made a mistake in deleting the pics.

The shop assistant could have deleted your pics after you complained. This explains why you cannot find it anymore.

Awful situation for our friend.

I don't know how he escaped. If he was not in the pictures he could always say that the memory card had a bit of a history. I once boughg a very cheap one to find out it came from a navigator with navigation software in it.

Worst happen to' me and wife. I was in the process of deleting tens of pictures from Asia (having saved them on a stick) and at the same time sending an email to' a (female) collegue of my wife.

For whatever reason ALL the photos were attached to that mail. Found out later from wife. Luckily the collegue was nice enough not to tell the whole content of the photos but just about some of an asian girl in a hotel room with a bathrobe on. And added"I don't tell you about the others". Apparently my face or person was not reported being in the pictures. I sorted it out by saying they were photos of some collegue Who was working on my pc with his memory card.

Don't know whether she believes it or not.

And the collegue.good friend of my wife- never mentioned to' me about the photo content. Good girl!

[QUOTE=Droplet; 1174598]This is very useful information. I'm planning to take a laptop / net book with me when I travel to store photos. Will there be trouble if they find photos of naked girls on the drive?

And how do they exactly search your computer? I can't imagine they going through all your folders. It makes searching practically impossible. How long do they take your computer away for?[/QUOTE]Ok, this is a really bad first post for me to this forum, but the issue being discussed is kind of in my area of expertise, so I felt

Compelled to chime in after lurking here for a few years.

Don't make things harder than they have to be. Yes, TrueCrypt is a great open source (free) software application to encrypt files,

BUT, if you really want peace of mind when coming back through customs, simply do NOT store any videos or pictures on your

Phone, camera, or laptop at all.

Simply 'Google Amazon S3'. Sign up for a free encrypted storage account, these accounts are "very secure" and used by 80% of professional online marketers and whatnot, you can set your files to completely "restricted / private" states, and then simply upload all your content to your own online storage account (video, pictures, even a book you've written) doesn't matter!

Once your material is uploaded and stored on amazon s3, it matters not who looks at your camera, laptop, or cell phone as there will be no content there, they will only get to see what you decide to allow them to see!

Once back in your home country, sign into your account and download the stuff back onto your home computer. The only pain in using this method is that the PI usually has slower internet connections, so you will have to sit there for a few hours while you

Upload larger files (ie, videos).