Every December and January, there are plenty of “image of the year” round-ups, many of them quite good. This year I was particularly drawn to (and inspired by) two blog posts over on the newly resurgent Flickr. The first, And the winners of Your Best Shot 2018 Are…, contains five spectacular shots chosen from more than 8,000 submissions. What is special about these five is that they have a heart that is transcendent in this day of the ever-present photo stream. And, in the case of the shot above, there is a truth and a poignancy that hits you as you scan the scene, even before you read the attending caption.
The companion post, Top 25 Photos on Flickr in 2018 From Around The World, displays photos chosen using an Explore-style algorithm, according to Flickr. It is also stocked with some stunning images, some of which will make you wonder what the photographer did exactly to capture their shot…well, beyond planning, waiting, and being ready for the moment.
My good friend Shawn King over at The Loop (hat tip) jokingly said that these photos make him “want to throw away my camera.” I would say that it makes me want to get out and shoot.
And, if you’re drawn to a more journalistic approach to “photos of the year,” it’s worth looking at The Atlantic’s 2018 in Photos survey. National Geographic’s Best Pictures of 2018 is also full of great photos, although the format and the ads are a bit too distracting for my tastes; I feel like I’m fighting the page as I scroll.