DFW - any good photography locations?

[andyhunt]

Hi Guys,

My usual request for assistance! I'm off to the USA next week and on the return have arranged an 8 hour transit at DFW. So my questions are:

1) Are there any good locations within the terminals (I'm flying on AA) for photography
2) Any good outside locations that are within a fair walking distance!

Or if anyone wants to meet up, that would also be highly appreciated, lunch would be on me

Thanks to all in advance for the help.

Andrew

[B757300]

In the terminals I don't recall very many although I haven't been inside since Sept. 11th. Most of the windows were tinted or had these really old solar screens on them. Both of which tend to trash pictures.

For the areas outside the terminals, you'd probably need to get a car. Some people like to use the AE and Cargo parking lots but I have no idea how good they are or if the employees get annoyed.

The best place is Founders Plaza. It has a nice view of several runways and one taxiway passes within spitting distance. When I was there on the 4th I was able to take plenty of pictures although most didn't come out. But that's ok, @ least now I know how to avoid the same problem. Again, you'd need a car to get there.

Some of the guys who live in DFW might know some other spots but I can't recall any others that I've seen posted about here or on Airliners.net.

[gdg9]

DFW spotting

I work at DFW and can answer... inside the terminals you are not going to get many good shots... the windows haven't been cleaned since the Reagan administration (not to mention every seat is shredded as AA won't pay for improvements). And the shots you would get through the windows would be all the same, head ons of MD80s and a few 75s.

There are no good areas outside to my knowledge, as the outside areas of the terminal face into parking lots and not the ramp.

Your best bet is to take the rental car shuttlebus and get a cheap car for $20 and hit the Founder Plaza, which is about a 3 minute drive from the rental car facility. At Founders, you get a nice overview of the eastern side of the airport, and often times you will get close ups as planes taxi over from the far runway, (is it 18L??). Anyway, you are about 40 feet from them at that point. You'll notice many of the shots on A.net, or here, are taken at Founders.

Hope this helps.

Greg

[andyhunt]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the feedback. So it looks like Founder's Plaza or nothing!

Just to clarify, is this location an AM or PM spot?

And anyone have a map or some guide I can be pointed to, or is Founder's Plaza obvious?

Cheers!

Andrew

[Chris Kilroy]

Where are you headed, Andy?

I'm in Los Angeles Sunday and Las Vegas Monday.

[andyhunt]

Hey Chris,

Flying from Zurich to Tulsa via Dallas on Wednesday. Returning to Zurich from Tulsa, via Dallas again on the Saturday...............so that I can get some photography time in, my flight TUL-DFW on the Sat. is at 0600 then the flight to ZRH is at 1500.

Fancy spending 8 hours at DFW?

Andrew

[gdg9]

Zurich to Tulsa

I think the question then becomes why are you flying to Tulsa?? lol

[andyhunt]

My company's US operations are HQ'd in Tulsa, don't ask me why, I would have prefered LA or NY or...............

Andrew

[Chris Kilroy]

Fancy spending 8 hours at DFW?

I've got a 9 hour flight to Vegas tomorrow, 9 hours drive to/from LA on Sunday (assuming the fires don't stop me), a job interview Monday, then an 11pm departure from LAS the same evening, not arriving back in Louisville until 12:30pm the next day.

In the 1.5 weeks following that, I have a 2 day trip to New York, and another trip to LAX.

I think DFW will have to wait!

[DeltaFlyer]

Founders Plaza is not really well marked, there are signs but they are not that great...I spend alot of time at Founders Plaza and have found that it is a great AM and PM spot and you get good views whichever way the wind is blowing because southbound landings can taxi right infront of you.

http://www.dfwairport.com/visitor/founders.htm

Check out this website and it will help you find Founders Plaza...
Send me a PM if you need anything else and I will try to help ya.

Wayne