Photo of the Week: Sunset Shades

Afternoon skies never fail to deliver remarkable opportunities for aviation photography. But every once in a while, an evening sunset replaces those clear blue backdrops with vibrant colors, making for an even better shot.

Our readers this week took advantage of the evening light, providing sunset views from two vantage points. From golden hour haze to cotton candy skies, these photos show us just how diverse—and beautiful— sunsets can be.

The first photo comes from Blake Cannell (@Cannellphotos), who shared this shot of a United Express/Republic Airways Embraer 175 arriving at PIT. The plane’s lustrous livery is bathed in golden hour sunlight. Its reflective exterior provides insight on what it was like to shoot that day, showcasing a piece of the tangerine sunlight descending behind PIT.

One of the country’s biggest regional airlines, Republic operates the largest fleet of E175s. The plane is designed for comfort and offers every passenger a window or aisle seat. It’s no question that, on this flight, the passengers with the window seats were the lucky ones.

While Cannell’s photo was all shades of orange, reader Kaylee Russman provided a different perspective. She snapped this photo while departing from Florida. The afternoon blue skies dissipate, replaced with pink clouds. Spirit Airline’s iconic “Howdy” bright yellow winglet contrasts the muted blues and pinks above it, making for the perfect in-flight takeoff view.

Thanks for submitting these stunning sunset shots, Blake and Kaylee!

Our readers continue to pass along shots of unique aircraft, international airports, historical events, gorgeous views and even family vacation photos for this feature. We love them! Keep them coming—you can  click here for submission guidelines.

A Spirit Airlines A320 departs from Florida at dusk. (Photo submitted by Kaylee Russman)