Photo Of The Year 2019

As 2019 draws to a close, for me it is time to look back at the photos that I have posted across the year, and pick out my personal highlights of these. So bellow are my 32 favourites from across the year, as well as some others that have performed notably well on Instagram from across the year. So here is a little bit about all of them from this year. 



Aircraft: ATR72
Airline: Blue Islands
Location: Jersey Aero Club
Posted On: 4th January 
Likes: 216

I can't quite decide if the fact that my most liked photo of the year is also the first one that I posted this year is a good thing or not, but moving past that I am still a fan of this photo and it has a pretty long back story with this account. The original edit oft this photo was the first photo that I ever posted on this account and was also my profile picture until the beginning of this year, making it a pretty suitable photo to be the most loved photo of this year. This photo however is the re-edited version of that photo and in my opinion has come out a lot for the better because of that. 



Aircraft: Embraer ERJ-190
Airline: Alitalia CityLiner
Location: Naples Airport
Posted On: 27th March
Likes: 191

Many moons before this account started I visited Naples, and whilst not taking quite as many photos as I would have done if I visited now, I did get a few shots of this Alitalia CityLiner Embraer ERJ. Whilst both an aircraft and an airline that I've never had the pleasure of flying on, the Embraer is one aircraft which I have aspirations of making it onto one day, as well as looking like one of the sleekest aircraft out there. 



Aircraft: Airbus A340
Airline: Iberia 
Location: Hatton Cross Tube Station
Posted On: 12th July 
Likes: 98

Another re-edit, but maybe one that didn't get as many likes as it deserved at the time, I can honestly say that this is one of my favourite photos that I have ever taken, coming from perhaps the most successful spotting session I have had, only being 15 minutes long at Hatton Cross station before getting the tube across to Terminal 3 for a flight to Lisbon. The clouds and colours in this photo probably couldn't be improved upon, and with one of the last remaining 4 engined aircraft making an appearance, there's not much more I could have asked for. 



Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: Virgin Atlantic 
Location: London Gatwick North Terminal
Posted On: 29th March
Likes: 156

Another re-edit, and this one is the queen herself. This 747s are always something I keep an eye out for whenever we go to Gatwick, and when they are replaced by the A350 in the next few years, they will leave behind a large presence at this airport. This photo made it into this list based on the fact that it had a higher like to reach ratio than any other photo on Instagram this year, a fact that I feel could definitely be justified. 





Aircraft: Airbus A319
Airline: EasyJet
Location: Jersey Airport
Posted On: 21st January 
Likes: 132

Who can honestly claim that boarding on a jet bridge is more enjoyable than taking the stairs (except when its raining) with the chance to get views like this down the plane. For me the way this photo came out is also very impressive when you consider that it was taken using my phone camera, and I really like the clean edit that was able to be achieved because of that. 



Aircraft: Boeing 777
Airline: United
Location: Hong Kong International Airport
Posted On: 10th February  
Likes: 156

My most commented on photo of the year was this United Airlines 777 parked up at Hong Kong airport. A fairly average shot, this was taken during my trip to Asia last summer, while waiting for an onward flight to Bangkok on a Cathay 777. From my travels Hong Kong has got to be one of the best airports that I have visited for Terminal spotting with almost un-interrupted glass walls making up the entirety of the terminal. 



Aircraft: Boeing 777
Airline: Cathay Pacific
Location: Hong Kong International Airport
Posted On: 6th March 
Likes: 215

The fact that this was my second most liked photo of the year might have something to do with the fact that this was also my photo with the highest reach of the year. Last summer I got to fly on a Cathay 777 between Hong Kong and Bangkok, however in the back in economy the whole experience was a bit of a let down with the cabin clearly not having been re-done for a fair few years, and having almost being able to fly on Cathay's first A350-1000 it was quite a disappointment in the end. 



Aircraft: Airbus A330
Airline: Thai
Location: Hong Kong International Airport 
Posted On: 8th April
Likes: 150

Another new airline for me last year, as well as a new aircraft type, was flying on Thai between Bangkok and Phuket. Personally I was pleasantly surprised by the A330, especially with the amount of space with the 2-4-2 configuration, and Thai's colourful cabin also impressed me, this is an aircraft I will be on the lookout to fly again. 



Aircraft: Boeing 737
Airline: Batik Air
Location: Phuket Airport  
Posted On: 22 May
likes: 84

This edit is one of my favourites of the year, bringing out both the texture on the aircraft as well as the contrast between the puddles on the ground and the dry part. Taken whilst waiting at Phuket airport whilst waiting for a flight down to Singapore to finish off my trip to Asia last summer, this might not be an area of the world I make it back to too soon. 



Aircraft: Airbus A319
Airline: British Airways
Location: Heathrow Terminal 5 Departures  
Posted On: 11th May
Likes: 147

A livery that is no longer with us, but the detail on the British Airways golden dove livery was certainly something special. This photo was taken through the grubby windows at Heathrow Terminal 5 which doesn't make the perfect photo but still this golden dove edit isn't that bad. 



Aircraft: Airbus A319
Airline: British Airways 
Location: Jersey Airport  
Posted On: 30th March 
Likes: 185

Jersey airport is the airport that I fly through most commonly, flying through here about 2 or 3 times a year, and the upper floor on their departures level is one of the best places to go spotting, with views of the whole of the small terminal. My personal favourite is being able to watch your plane arrive and taxi to its gate before you head down to board, something only possible due to the small terminal size. 



Aircraft: De Havilland Dash 8
Airline: Flybe 
Location: Jersey Airport  
Posted On: 11th February
Likes: 195

Since this photo was taken last year, this little planes future has been turned completely upside down. Following Flybe's take over by Connect Airways they have been confirmed to be re-branded as Virgin Connect, with a new livery likely to be set to follow, although hopefully this means that Flybe can move on from their planes being painted in 4 completely different liveries like now. 



Aircraft: Boeing 737
Airline: Janet
Location: Near the Las Vegas sign, Las Vegas  
Posted On: 14th August 
Likes: 111


This airline doesn't exist. 




More seriously though, I managed to get a shot of this 737 last year whilst waiting to get a photo in front of the Las Vegas sign in Las Vegas. Due to their secretive nature there isn't really much known about either this airline or the destination of its flight, who knows where they are off to. 



Aircraft: Bell 206 
Airline: Papillon 
Location: Grand Canyon National Airport
Posted On: 4th February 
Likes: 96

One of the highlights of going to America last Autumn was a visit to the grand canyon, something you can't quite understand until you've been there. In addition to that we were able to go on a helicopter tour above the canyon, and while waiting in the terminal for our trip to board I managed to get some pretty decent photos of the helicopters coming and going which are some of my favourites of the last year, especially with the Autumn trees in the background, even if Instagram doesn't quite agree with that. 



Aircraft: Airbus A319
Airline: United
Location: Las Vegas McCarran Airport   
Posted On: 17th March
Likes: 116


The warm sandy shades that I've managed to bring out from this photo are part of why I like it so much, with it summing up this airport in the desert pretty well. There's also something just a little bit peaceful about this photo too in my mind, although that might just be capturing the mood of the photo. 



Aircraft: Airbus A330
Airline: Finnair
Location: San Francisco International Airport  
Posted On: 1st April
Likes: 187


Night photography wasn't something I'd thought of trying until I had a couple of hour wait in San Fransisco last year before our flight back to the UK. However, the shots that I managed to get out are some of my favourites just due to their difference to day shots with the amount of contrast that they create. 



Aircraft: Airbus A320
Airline: Easyjet
Location: St Ouen's Bay Jersey  
Posted On: 3rd April
Likes: 90


Not a view that you get that often, but these silhouettes from bellow of aircraft are some of my favourites, especially on a livery like easyjet's. With the gear extended and slats and flaps out in preparation for landing, the body of the aircraft is even further extended in preparation for the end of the flight. 



Aircraft: Airbus A319
Airline: EasyJet 
Location: Gatwick North Terminal  
Posted On: 7th January
Likes: 112

Just because the flight has come to the end doesn't mean that its the end of the chances to be spotting. Parked up next to us after the end of our flight back from Jersey at Gatwick was another easyJet aircraft parked up for the night. As for the photo itself I am pleasantly surprised by how relatively sharp it came out for a hand held night shot. 



Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: British Airways 
Location: British Airways A320 parked at Heathrow Terminal 5  
Posted On: 8th June
Likes: 117

Sometimes there are some shots that you just get lucky with and fall in love with, this is one of those shots. Taken while waiting to leave for Berlin Tegel at Heathrow, I had a view of the aircraft taking off from the Northerly runway. With no way of knowing when an aircraft would be about to come into shot, I managed to get this shot of the queen herself passing over the tails of other British Airways aircraft parked up. This is probably one of my favourite photos of all time. 




Aircraft: Airbus A320 family 
Airline: British Airways 
Location: Heathrow Terminal 5  
Posted On: 27th April
Likes: 92

Taken during push back on our way to Berlin Tegel, this photo of the British Airways line up at Heathrow Terminal 5. Something different to a standard photo of a plane, these 4 matching tails lined up next to each other under the blue sky is really simple, with the wing of the A320 in the foreground it makes a really nice Wing view. 





Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: British Airways 
Location: Heathrow Airport   
Posted On: 9th November
Likes: 134

747 under tow at Heathow Airport. A sight that's unfortunately becoming more and more uncommon, the 747 is an iconic aircraft that simply isn't going to be replaced. The way the light almost glows off the side of this aircraft is a nice touch that simply cannot be ignored as well as the clear blue sky behind her. 



Aircraft: Boeing 757
Airline: IcelandAir 
Location: Berlin Tegel Airport    
Posted On: 18th March
Likes: 133

Another one of those right place right time shots. Taken from the top of one of the towers at Berlin Tegel airport just after arriving there, the fact that this photo came out so clear was amazing, combined with the fact that this is quite possibly one of the best angles to get a photo of the 757 from.  



Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: British Airways 
Location: Heathrow Airport   
Posted On: 1st June
Likes:173

Ah the queen, in all her glory coming into land at London Heathrow. From this angle the flaps look absolutely huge on her, and with the last of the morning fog being seen just coming off her wings, this capture of her is one of the best that I have got. 



Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: Virgin Atlantic
Location: London Gatwick North Terminal
Posted On: 10th April
Likes: 199


Taken in April this year, I got some almost identical shots of this aircraft at the exact same gate at Gatwick a year beforehand. In this case she was being prepared to fly across the Atlantic to Orlando. One of my most liked posts of the year, with the sandy coloured background and clouds speckled across the sky, this is a super shot of an aircraft that is soon to be retired.



Aircraft: Boeing 787
Airline: Norwegian 
Location: Gatwick Airport   
Posted On: 28th May
Likes: 190


In this competition due to its large number of likes and high reach on Instagram, this photo of a Norwegian 787 being towed at Gatwick was the first time that I had been able to get a photo of a Norwegian aircraft, which is especially special seeing as it still has both of it engines attached unlike many of its other brothers and sisters currently. 



Aircraft: Boeing 747
Airline: British Airways 
Location: In flight   
Posted On: 29th June
Likes: 142


You don't always have to be at an airport to be able to be plane spotting. With my garden lying under the departure paths from Heathrow it is a perfect place to capture aircraft passing overhead, such as this British Airways 747. Whilst the success rates are certainly not as high as being at an airport, the ease of access certainly makes it a worth while style of spotting. 



Aircraft: De Havilland Dash 8
Airline: Porter Airlines 
Location: Toronto  
Posted On: 1st September
Likes: 52


While on the ferry back from Toronto Islands in the summer, since the runways at Billy Bishop Airport had changed since our departure, this was the one photo I was desperate to catch before we got back. This is my result, and it is something I am pretty proud of, showing off the Toronto sky line in the background while the Porter Airlines aircraft is on final approach. 



Aircraft: Boeing 767
Airline: Air Canada Rouge 
Location: Toronto Pearson Airport   
Posted On: 28th July 
Likes: 90


Summer is the best time to go spotting due to the clear blue skies, a point perfectly illustrated by this shot. Taken from round the back of the Holiday Inn we were staying at the night before our flight down south from Toronto, this Air Canada Rouge aircraft frames itself perfectly, showing off its clear red livery from bellow. 



Aircraft: Embraer ERJ-175
Airline: Air Canada Express
Location: Toronto Pearson Airport   
Posted On: 9th September
Likes: 101


Just after pulling into its gate, this Embraer wearing its raccoon mask, looks so small compared to the the 767 behind it. This photo also shows off the clear sunny vibe from Toronto which I experienced in the summer, as well as how clean both of the new Air Canada liveries look. 



Aircraft: Airbus A320
Airline: Delta 
Location: Fort Lauderdale International Airport   
Posted On: 4th August 
Likes: 74


Taken just after we landed in Fort Lauderdale, this Delta A320 is seen pulling into its gate in the same terminal as us. The things that I love about this photo are just how clean all the whites appear to be, as well as the appearance of both of the engines. 



Aircraft: Airbus A321
Airline: American Airways 
Location: Fort Lauderdale International Airport   
Posted On: 30th September
Likes: 65


Just after pulling off the runway with the spoilers still extended is this American A321. I love this photo due to how dramatic it looks as well as the way the grey of the American Livery looks against the grey blue colour of the sky behind it. 



Aircraft: Boeing 787
Airline: Tui 
Location: London Gatwick South Terminal Long Stay Parking   
Posted On: 8th September
Likes: 78


A photo which I didn't even feel the need to edit before posting, this Tui 787 is seen moments before landing at London Gatwick Airport. Taken at the end of one of one of my trips away, that sentiment is also reflected in the photo itself. 





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