Vantage point for this pic?
 

In a helicopter hovering above the approach path? Not likely I'd assume...so any other options?

Photos: Boeing 777-236/ER Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

I'd say from a helicopter hovering above the approach path. :O

You will also find numerous similar pictures taken at LAX and the odd other airport in the U.S. They are generally taken from light aircraft following published VFR routes.

Thanks for the replies. Will look out for the LAX pics at some point.

There was, perhaps still is a photographer Sam Chui who specialised in this type of photography in and around LAX and managed to get some really impressive shots of landing/departing aircraft. Hopefully he wasn't flying at the same time ;)

Sam Chui,
Has recently done a similar photo shoot at Heathrow and some of the pics are incredible,the one of the B A 747 shortly after take off is amazing.

Helo route 9 runs straight over the top of Heathrow from Sipson to Bedfont through a point between 27L and 27R thresholds. I remember well sitting in the hold position overhead Concorde as she departed 27L, would of made a fantastic photo if I hadn't had my hands full. :E

Whatever it was taken from, I think it's a great photo.

The background (housing etc) appears foreshortened suggesting a telephoto shot from an a//c above but at a safe separation.

I don't think anyone was questioning the seperation. Of course it was safe otherwise it just wouldn't have taken place.

I guess that the photographer is a lot further above the aircraft than it seems; ie it's a tele shot with much cropping. I agree with Airbanda.

Otherwise a sudden go-round, very shortly before the shot was taken, might have been exciting.

That image is rather impressive I must say..

Yep...stunning. Probably the best image I've seen in a very long time.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Briti...301141dfb2e2b7

Sam Chui has been roaming the world pursuing even more extravagant photo shoots for years...very impressive stuff a lot of it as he's clearly using some top notch gear (I'm told he's bankrolled by his parents!):D

Notice that the shadow of the aircraft on the ground behind it is pretty much the same size as the aircraft. This shows us that the camera was a very long way from the aircraft using a very powerful telephoto lens. Indeed the camera aircraft may have been well beyond the far end of the the landing runway.

Non of which detracts from the fact that it is a great picture.

I am trying to track down another picture on the web which shows a departing 747 in what looks like a near-vertical take-off from LAX. Again it is extreme telephoto foreshortening which fools us - not just with distance, but the angles as well.

The size of the aircraft's shadow on the ground will be identical to its actual span and length, but the apparent size in the photo is about 90%, so the camera must be at approximately ten times the altitude of the aircraft.

The neighbourhood the aircraft is overflying is just under a mile from the threshold, so that would put the camera at around 3000', if my maths is correct.

Ten times the apparent distance (at least). It will not be necessarily at very high altitude at all. that is the deceptive thing about the apparent angles in long telephoto shots. In the link below the camera aircraft is a considerable distance away but on a transit route below the take-off path of the 747.

Photos: Boeing 747-446 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Furthermore, assuming that:

a) the aspect ratio of the photo isn't distorted

and

b) the aircraft's attitude is more-or-less level (it's a mile out on finals, so that's a reasonable assumption)

It's possible to deduce that the camera must be pointing approximately 20° below the horizontal.

Therefore, given that the camera is around 2700' above the aircraft, the horizontal offset distance must be around 7500' (1.25nm) i.e. the camera position is roughly abeam the midpoint of the runway.

As has been said, there is a VFR transit route right over the top of Lindbergh Field. Don't have my San Diego TAC at hand (it's out of date anyway!) but If I recall correctly over the top between 3300 and 4500 - no issues. Lower if the controller is happy you know your stuff.

Great place to fly.

Thanks, sounds like my calculations might not be too far off !