i likewise opt out of the photo-taking and whole-body irradiation every time. next time i shall announce loudly "photo opt out" as i am stepping up, for clarity and demonstration, before they ask.

interestingly, the last pat-down happened without the officer's explanation of how he will pat me down... usually they ask "have you ever had the pat down" and explain how it works regardless of the "yes/no" answer.

i usually have the bag frisked also! last time, both carry-on items were searched - they looked thru a few books and a deck of cards. i show up to the airport with plenty of time to spare, and try to have a fun attitude about it. i have looked into the TSA pre-check, and will have the wife test it first.