The Year in Pictures

One thing I love about this time of year is the year in review stories and videos that pop up near the end of December. I think it’s a holdover from my career in news. There is a lot I don’t miss about working in the news business, ie…the stress and irregular hours, but I do miss having an endless supply of stories, satellite feeds and pictures to read or watch at will. While I love a good work of words, I especially love a good photo because a great photo needs no words to tell a story.

Each year the National Press Photographer’s Association prints a book featuring the top photos from the world’s best photojournalists. It is always an emotional, graphic read that breaks your heart, makes you think and makes you smile. I love it because it moves me in so many ways, with my emotions flipping with every turn of the page. As Dolly Parton’s character Truvie says in Steel Magnolias, “laughter through tears is one of my favorite emotions”. But you’ve probably already guessed that about me, haven’t you?

I’ve been combing the internet and checkout stands for this year’s best pictures. Here is an annual compilation I think is one of the best. The news photos are great. Don’t skip the sports pictures even if you’re not really a sports fan because there are some good pictures in there. Don’t worry. There’s a little caption to tell you who the heck you’re looking at if you’re a sports idiot like me and can’t tell Kyle Petty from Peyton Manning. The space pics are really cool, too and when you’re done, you can vote for your overall favorite photo. Here is the one I voted for. It’s from John Moore of Getty Images, and it ran on the front page of the New York Times. I don’t have permission to reprint it, so I’m providing you the link to the picture and Moore’s description of how he captured it. Go ahead and look at it. I’ll wait.

Hmmmm. Doop De doo. Hmmm. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost hmmmm. Done? See what I mean…no words needed.