San Diego International Airport: Difference between revisions

The airport has a small free parking lot at the intersection of Harbor Dr. and Laurel St. for spotting.  From here you will see aircraft arriving and departing on runway 27, which is the airport's normal operation.  You will need a ladder or tall vehicle to get camera lenses above the fence line for departure and taxi shots, however you can photograph arrivals from street level with a long enough lens if you time it right to avoid poles and trees.  There are a couple of green metal boxes you can stand on; the one on the west side of the parking lot should get you high enough, but unless you're tall the one on the east side of the lot probably won't get you high enough without a small stool as well.  Posted signs prohibit unattended vehicles, so you won't want to go far from the lot unless someone is with you to stay with your car.  Avoid the adjacent Solar Turbines parking lot, but the sidewalk along Laurel St. should be okay.  Lighting is best in the late afternoon, especially during summer.  In the winter, light is typically good all day, though you may need to vary the angle of your shot as the sun moves across the sky.  If you need a snack or drink, there is a convenience store at the Shell gas station located at the intersection of Laurel and Pacific Hwy.