For subscribers only: See the 25 photos that got the most likes from our Instagram followers in 2019.
Grief, elation, nostalgia (and animals). The best photos provoke an emotional response.
We’ve collected the 25 photos taken in 2019 that resonated the most with our followers on Instagram and ranked them by the number of “likes” they received. They reflect the mix of joy, sadness and cuteness our staff and freelance photographers have collected across the Sacramento region, touching on some of the most significant events of the past 12 months.
Ranked in ascending order — scroll to the bottom to see No. 1
25. Sacramento Bee reporter Dale Kasler is detained by Sacramento police during a protest of the DA’s decision in the Stephon Clark case in East Sacramento on Monday, March 4, 2019. Hector Amezcua Sacramento Bee file
24. A huge sculpture of a boar looms over two firefighters as the Soda Rock Winery is consumed by the Kincade Fire early Sunday morning, Oct. 27, 2019, near the Sonoma County town of Healdsburg. Jason Pierce jpierce@sacbee.com
23. Sacramento City firefighters extinguish a burning a car on Interstate 5 in North Natomas on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
22. Chefs prepare vegetable platters to be served at the Tower Bridge Dinner on the landmark bridge leading into Sacramento, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. The dinner is in its seventh year. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
21. Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders campaigns during a rally at Cesar Chavez Plaza on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 in Sacramento. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
20. Muralist Maren Conrad of Sacramento unveils her mural to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Transcontinental Railroad and honor Chinese immigrants outside the historic Elks Tower building at the corner of 11th and J streets in downtown Sacramento on Monday, May 13, 2019. Renée C. Byer rbyer@sacbee.com
19. A young red-tailed hawk takes flight from its perch on a ornamental flowering pear tree in North Natomas, Monday, April 1, 2019. Lezlie Sterling lsterling@sacbee.com
18. Katie Kregoski Ishmael, left, wife of fallen El Dorado County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Ishmael, holds a flag while her husbands casket is placed in a hearse at Bayside Adventure Church in Roseville, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. El Dorado County Sheriff John D’Agostini stands at the far right. Daniel Kim dkim@sabee.com
17. Protesters chant during a march protesting the Sacramento County DA’s decision in the Stephon Clark case Monday, March 4, 2019, in East Sacramento. The march ended with more than 80 people arrested. Hector Amezcua Sacramento Bee file
16. Students of astronomy professor Kyle Watters view the solar system during his first astronomy class in the new planetarium at Sacramento State on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
15. Keyon Hubbert, 8, looks back at parents as he delights in the “Good Night Lights” show where vehicles from various organizations illuminate the hospital at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Sacramento on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. Children from the hospital huddle together to see the light show on the second floor of the hospital. Keyon who has cerebral palsy came to the hospital to have his hardware removed from a previous hip surgery and had his orthopedic surgery to correct his feet in hopes to improved independent walking ability. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
14. UC Davis White Coats for Black Lives, in collaboration with Code Blue and Student National Medical Association, stage a Die-In Demonstration at UC Davis Medical Center on Monday, March 11, 2019 in Sacramento. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
13. The sun sets near the Tower Bridge in downtown, Wednesday, as temperatures climb into the triple digits this week in Sacramento. Daniel Kim Sacramento Bee file
12. Skateboard pioneer Tony Hawk reacts after he trying the half-pipe on the red carpet walk at the 13th annual California Hall of Fame ceremony at the California Museum on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019 in Sacramento. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
11. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger talk in a C-130 airplane cockpit with Cal Fire personnel at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
10. Water flows down the new spillway at Oroville Dam for the first time on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
9. Formerly homeless Marcelous Bell, 21, kisses his daughter Amelia Bell, 13-days-old, in his apartment on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019 in Sacramento. He says he finally feels safe after living on the streets for almost three years. Renee C. Byer rbyer@sacbee.com
8. An excavator demolishes the iconic Dimple Records site that was once the heart of the Tower Records retail music empire at Broadway and Land Park Drive in Sacramento, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Daniel Kim Sacramento Bee file
7. The rainbow flag flies on the main flagpole of the California state Capitol to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month on Monday, June 17, 2019. It was the first time in state history the flag had been flown by the governor on the main pole. Renée C. Byer rbyer@sacbee.com
6. Sea lions lounge on the dock near the Tower Bridge on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 in Sacramento. Paul Kitagaki Jr. Sacramento Bee file
5. JP Williams, right, comforts wife Jordan Williams at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon on Memorial Day 2019. They came to pay respects to Jordan’s grandfather Antony Merlonghi. Merlonghi served as a pilot in the Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam wars and passed away in 2017. “I just want to thank him for everything because people like him we can live however we want to live, we are pretty blessed”. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
4. The honor procession for Sacramento police officer Tara O’Sullivan drives down Highway 99 near Florin Road to the Herberger Funeral Home in Elk Grove on Friday, June 21, 2019. Paul Kitagaki Jr. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
3. Lupe and Merced Corona, parents of Davis police officer Natalie Corona, comfort each other as thousands gathered to mourn the fallen officer at The Pavilion at UC Davis on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com
2. Kelley O’Sullivan leans into her husband Denis O’Sullivan while their daughter’s casket is loaded into the hearse following the memorial service for fallen officer Tara O’Sullivan at Bayside Church Adventure Campus, Thursday, June 27, 2019. Daniel Kim dkim@sacbee.com
1. The Monterey Trail Mustangs celebrate their 35-23 upset win over the Folsom Bulldogs in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinal Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. It was Folsom’s first playoff loss since 2016, and payback for the Mustangs who fell to the Bulldogs in the section final in 2018. Brian Baer Special to The Bee
This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
Bee visuals editor Nathaniel Levine joined the staff in 2003. His work has received awards from the Society of News Design, the Best of the West journalism competition and the California News Publishers Association, among others. A native Californian, Levine grew up in Grass Valley and attended UC Davis.
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