Laird Kay had been a designer of wine storerooms for 12 years. But he never forgot his first love, photography.

He started contributing as a photographer — mainly product shots. But as Kay took his photography further, he found himself hanging out at airports for the first time in his life, combining his photography skills with his other early love — airplanes. Asked to choose a symbol of beauty, most people might think of a work of art. He, however, would say an airplane.

He started doing more and more airplane photography. More airlines found him on social media and wanted to work with him. Laird Kay, who fell in love with planes as a child on vacation and who has always seen aircraft as objects of beauty, as well as of convenience, became an airplane photographer.

However much love you have for the industry, being an airplane photographer has its drawbacks.

Sometimes it rains when Kay has been flown in for a shoot — “you go with it,” he says. And for someone who isn’t great with heights, as he isn’t, it can be tricky. “I was raised 10 feet, looking down on an A380. It was terrifying, but once you were there, you were concentrating on getting the shots. But I’ve got sweaty hands just thinking about it.” he says.

Laird Kay is the living symbol of the term “getting there is half the fun”. Except in his case, it’s more like 99% of the fun! A look of absolute joy washes over him when he’s on a plane. His art is also influenced by his travels as a young boy to South Africa, his education as an urban planner and designer – and his extremely sensitive eye that doesn’t miss a single detail.

The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff they call “books”.

The clock struck twelve."Oh, dear!" I cried, "ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy ."

The clock struck one. I was quite desperate now. I forgot all I had learnd. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, Please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.