I will be in Dubai in Jan and have a few days to kill.

So i may sound like a complete bore but i wanted to while away a few hours that i am free car spotting and possibly plane spotting.

I know this might be a controversial thing to ask but is there anywhere i could sneakily point an iphone at the sky in dubai as a plane is passing by. I am aware that plane photography is illegal in the UAE but surely there must be some of us here that have tried it and got away with it! I know there are a few hotels that i may be able to do it at but we are staying all the way in busines bay so thats out. I have read that someone managed to get some plane spotting done from City Centre Mirdif?

Also is car spotting frowned upon in Dubai? If not where are the best places to do so?

don't know about the official rules in Dubai, but I would be careful with messing with the law overthere.

If you are thinking about pointing your phone at the sky repeatedly for several hours and thinking no one will notice...

You might be better going airside early and taking pictures inside.

Not sure if that is allowed but safer than standing on the street corner.

Breaking the law in the UAE, what could possibly go wrong? The rooftop pool of the JW Marriott in Deira might work.

I lived and worked in Dubai for nine months and never had any issues spotting every weekend.

Yes, you need to be discreet, but spotting in Dubai isn't nearly the issue some think it is. Hope this helps:
https://www.spotterguide.net/planespott ... -dxb-omdb/

About the most I’ve done is some photos inside the plane while on the ground in Dubai. Eek!

Noticed those naughty EK staff taking pictures for people posing in front of the bar on the A380!

cpd wrote:

About the most I’ve done is some photos inside the plane while on the ground in Dubai. Eek!

Noticed those naughty EK staff taking pictures for people posing in front of the bar on the A380!

I am sure taking photos inside the aircraft isnt so much of an issue as there arent any police patrols there.

cpd wrote:

About the most I’ve done is some photos inside the plane while on the ground in Dubai. Eek!

Noticed those naughty EK staff taking pictures for people posing in front of the bar on the A380!

There are very nearly 10,000 photos on this very site taken at DXB. Admittedly, a number of those will be from when the air show used to be at the main airport, but an awful lot aren't.

Then there's also Sharjah where you can even buy a photography pass to go airside, although it is now ludicrously expensive. If they're landing on 30 at SHJ and Sharjah National Park is open, it's easy to shoot from there.

scbriml wrote:

cpd wrote:

About the most I’ve done is some photos inside the plane while on the ground in Dubai. Eek!

Noticed those naughty EK staff taking pictures for people posing in front of the bar on the A380!

There are very nearly 10,000 photos on this very site taken at DXB. Admittedly, a number of those will be from when the air show used to be at the main airport, but an awful lot aren't.

Then there's also Sharjah where you can even buy a photography pass to go airside, although it is now ludicrously expensive. If they're landing on 30 at SHJ and Sharjah National Park is open, it's easy to shoot from there.

I think what you’ve said makes a lot of sense.

I’ve seen so many photos on the internet, and with avgeeks where there’s a will there’s a way.

It goes without saying I’m not going to start pointing my DSLR up at the sky and frame a shot perfectly.

Maybe I was misunderstood, all I wanted to do was a few odd shots discreetly with a phone.

Having read the Spotterguide, I would be very selective.

If it is an Emirates A380 let it go, as you can get that anywhere.

An Iranian A300 I might chance it.

bennett123 wrote:

Having read the Spotterguide, I would be very selective.

If it is an Emirates A380 let it go, as you can get that anywhere.

An Iranian A300 I might chance it.

That makes sense. Thank you!

MileHFL400 wrote:

It goes without saying I’m not going to start pointing my DSLR up at the sky and frame a shot perfectly.

Maybe I was misunderstood, all I wanted to do was a few odd shots discreetly with a phone.

Using a phone like "a tourist" really shouldn't be a problem anywhere other than right against the perimeter fence where there are signs saying "No photography". Even inside the terminal, it's very unlikely anybody is going to say anything.

MileHFL400 wrote:

is there anywhere i could sneakily point an iphone at the sky in dubai as a plane is passing by.

scbriml wrote:

MileHFL400 wrote:

It goes without saying I’m not going to start pointing my DSLR up at the sky and frame a shot perfectly.

Maybe I was misunderstood, all I wanted to do was a few odd shots discreetly with a phone.

Using a phone like "a tourist" really shouldn't be a problem anywhere other than right against the perimeter fence where there are signs saying "No photography". Even inside the terminal, it's very unlikely anybody is going to say anything.

There is one thing I don't understand.
If you take pictures of aircraft starting or landing with your iphone the quality will be not very good. I often tried to do the same but even taking pictures of aircraft on the apron from the terminal leads to very sobering results.

Wouldn't it be a shame if you would spot something like this and wouldn't have your DSLR at hand?

N14AZ wrote:

MileHFL400 wrote:

is there anywhere i could sneakily point an iphone at the sky in dubai as a plane is passing by.

scbriml wrote:

MileHFL400 wrote:

It goes without saying I’m not going to start pointing my DSLR up at the sky and frame a shot perfectly.

Maybe I was misunderstood, all I wanted to do was a few odd shots discreetly with a phone.

Using a phone like "a tourist" really shouldn't be a problem anywhere other than right against the perimeter fence where there are signs saying "No photography". Even inside the terminal, it's very unlikely anybody is going to say anything.

There is one thing I don't understand.
If you take pictures of aircraft starting or landing with your iphone the quality will be not very good. I often tried to do the same but even taking pictures of aircraft on the apron from the terminal leads to very sobering results.

Wouldn't it be a shame if you would spot something like this and wouldn't have your DSLR at hand?

I’m just asking for trouble if I start pointing at planes with a DSLR, especially in a region that doesn’t understand what friendly plane spotting is.

This seems to be completely off-topic for non aviation forum. More related to photos and plane spotting rather than political flamewars.

Why don't some governments allow picture taking of passenger aircraft? I understand not taking pictures of military. I even stopped myself from taking pics of Janet the times we went to LAS just because I was not sure if that was allowed. Why would Qatar not allow pics of passenger jets?

There are lots of photos of Janet planes. Pretty boring things.

Not a lot to see with them.

cpd wrote:

There are lots of photos of Janet planes. Pretty boring things.

Not a lot to see with them.

Yeah, I know.... modified Western colors. Still, a "secret" airline going off ot a "secret" airport to do "secret" military stuff.

Still, I wonder what the rationale is behind governments banning photography of passenger jets?

seb146 wrote:

cpd wrote:

There are lots of photos of Janet planes. Pretty boring things.

Not a lot to see with them.

Yeah, I know.... modified Western colors. Still, a "secret" airline going off ot a "secret" airport to do "secret" military stuff.

Still, I wonder what the rationale is behind governments banning photography of passenger jets?

The least secret 'secret' airline in history.

I have several pictures of them at Las Vegas in 2017.

If you fly from an airport in an 'open' country expect to be photographed.

I would be a lot more careful in the Middle East.

cpd wrote:

This seems to be completely off-topic for non aviation forum. More related to photos and plane spotting rather than political flamewars.

Yes sorry about that, i posted here as i was not too sure!

seb146 wrote:

Why don't some governments allow picture taking of passenger aircraft? I understand not taking pictures of military. I even stopped myself from taking pics of Janet the times we went to LAS just because I was not sure if that was allowed. Why would Qatar not allow pics of passenger jets?

Erm, the U.A.E you mean?

MileHFL400 wrote:

seb146 wrote:

Why don't some governments allow picture taking of passenger aircraft? I understand not taking pictures of military. I even stopped myself from taking pics of Janet the times we went to LAS just because I was not sure if that was allowed. Why would Qatar not allow pics of passenger jets?

Erm, the U.A.E you mean?

Oh, yes. Sorry. I had World Cup on my brain...