I will be at the In n Out Park at LAX between July 30 and Augest 2nd and want to photograph some of the planes.Anyone know what the best time for spotting at LAXs Northern runways?      

Hi Ryan,

You'll find 6-8pm to be the best in terms of light this time of year. If shooting before 4pm, expect dark/backlit photos...a perfect time to put the camera down and wander over to that burger place across the street  

Happy spotting,

Josh May

That would be from late afternoon (4P) till sunset. The sun is still setting high in the northwest skies, and will illuminate the right side of the aircraft perfectly. Here are a few shots taken in the summertime from the In-N-Out area. Good luck!

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Paul Paulsen - AirTeamImages

Paul

Does anyone also know when the international jets come in?      

Quoting Ryan597 (Reply 3): Does anyone also know when the international jets come in?

All day. You can get a lot of Asian carriers in midday or early evening, as most depart late at night. I know the Qantas planes come in spread throughout the day, but Air France, and a few other European carriers come in the evening as well. It's really never a bad time to spot at LAX, always something interesting to see there.

While you are in the area, you may want to check out Imperial Hill.

Quoting InnocuousFox (Reply 5): While you are in the area, you may want to check out Imperial Hill.

My husband and I were at Imperial Hill this past Friday evening and Sunday morning. Spotting is awesome here year-round, all day (except for the occasional heat haze) for southern runway spotting. If you don't have a long enough lens, don't forget to try out the Proud Bird Restaurant. Park directly behind the restaurant and you'll be just south of runways 25R and 25L.

http://www.theproudbird.com/

http://www.spotterswiki.com/index.ph...s_International_Airport_(LAX/KLAX)

http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_...-Airport-South-California/index.do

We stayed at the Embassy Suites Hotel which overlooks the southern runways...   Ask for a room facing the runways. We stayed on the fifth floor (top level) in room 587. The rooms have a sliding glass door that actually opens and has a small balcony, about 18 inches wide but you can stand on it. It's right on Imperial Avenue just a half-mile east of the spotting area.

Vicky

I was just at KLAX this Saturday. I had to talk my wife and kids in to going there for lunch. We were on vacation. We had a nice lunch at In n Out, That cost me like 50.00 Bucks. My camera was jacked up my youngest dropped soda on the bag and didn't tell me. I had to use a older dig camera. So my pictures didn't turn out to good but it was a Once in a life time place for me. We saw allot of 747 taking off. And allot of arrivals. But the grass was so nice to sit and just watch the arrivals landing. Have fun and take it all in.

What about the time of the year? How about October or November how is the weather in general ? And heat haze on the Hill ?

KS/codeshare

Wouldn't Imperial hill be backlit this time of year in the afternoon? I would think it would be OK in the mornings, though.

I will be in LAX next week too, hopefully I can get some spotting time in.  

Quoting Dvincent (Reply 9): Wouldn't Imperial hill be backlit this time of year in the afternoon? I would think it would be OK in the mornings, though.

Actually, since much of the action is NE of you, the morning wouldn't be good at all. You would basically be looking up-sun. The afternoon is fairly decent. The videos I shot in the link above were the first week of June - a similar sun angle to right now. They were mid-day. Of course, it was kinda cloudy for LA ("June Gloom" as they call it).

Quoting InnocuousFox (Reply 10): Actually, since much of the action is NE of you, the morning wouldn't be good at all. You would basically be looking up-sun. The afternoon is fairly decent. The videos I shot in the link above were the first week of June - a similar sun angle to right now. They were mid-day. Of course, it was kinda cloudy for LA ("June Gloom" as they call it).

I see. Good to know.

Look in my profile: I just did a quick edit to four photos from this past Fri, Sat, and Sunday's trip to LAX. They were taken at various times of the day. Keep in mind the British Airways was shadowed by some marine layer, otherwise the whole day was great from the hill. The morning shot of American Airlines shows that the ideal light would have been better about an hour or so later; about 9am.

Hope this helps.

Looking forward to hitting LAX again before/after Aviation Nation this year. Will any of the locals be about for a meet up?