Top 100 Photos of the Year 2012
*Please note the photographs themselves were not necessarily taken in 2012, they just happened to be featured as a POTD this year. The pictures are also listed in reverse chronological order. There is no ranking amongst the photos
Enjoy!
100. CHICAGO FROM AFAR
Photograph by Robert Elves on Flickr
99. THE ROLLER COASTER SUBMERGED BY SANDY
Photograph by Stephen Wilkes | Prints available
98. A DESERT OASIS IN LIBYA
Photograph by George Steinmetz
97. SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT AT NIGHT
Photograph by Andrew Choy
96. THE ALPINISTS
Photograph by Jakub Polomski on 500px
95. INSIDE THE OLD METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
Photograph via The Natioanl Archives and Records Administration
94. THE POWER OF AN ORANGE
Photograph by Caleb Charland
93. TITANIC’S ENGINES UNDERWATER
COPYRIGHT© 2012 RMS TITANIC, INC; Produced by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
92. SUNRISE OVER LONDON’S TOWER BRIDGE
Photograph by Jason Pope
91. THE WHITE WHALE
Photograph by Dan Fisher
90. NUGGET POINT LIGHTHOUSE, NEW ZEALAND
Photograph by Scott Robertson
89. VINTAGE NEW YORK, 1935
Photograph by Berenice Abbott
88. OUR SUN ERUPTS
Photograph by NASA/GSFC/SDO
87. THE EYE OF THE DRAIN
Photograph by Liammm on Reddit
86. SNOWMOBILING THE NORWAY-SWEDEN BORDER
Photograph by haqbar on Reddit
85. A CABIN THAT FLOATS
Photograph by Marcus Peabody
84. THE SLEEPING GODDESS
Photograph by The Lost Gardens of Heligan
83. A TINY HERMIT CRAB CLOSE-UP
Photograph by sleepychinchilla on Flickr
82. PURPLE HAZE OVER EDINBURGH CASTLE
Photograph by Scott Hutcheson (SMHutch Photography on Flickr)
81. THE COCONUT OCTOPUS
Photograph by Mario Neumann (scuba.hamburg on Flickr)
80. A CLOUD ILLUMINATED BY LIGHTNING
Photograph by Mike Jones (mrjones131 on Flickr)
79. A TINY RIVER HOUSE IN SERBIA
Photograph by Irene Becker for National Geographic
78. A SUBMARINE SURFACES THROUGH ARCTIC ICE
Photograph by Tiffini M. Jones, U.S. Navy
77. A WALL OF FALL
Photograph by Eric Forey (Kala___ on Flickr) | Prints Available
76. AN AIRPLANE CROSSES THE MOON
Photograph by Chris Thomas
75. THE RED ZONE AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Photograph by Elia Locardi on Google+ | blamethemonkey.com
74. ONE TRIPPY PROFILE PIC
Photograph via persnicketypoop on Reddit
73. LIONESSES AT THE WATERING HOLE
Photograph by Ranger Chad Cocking of the Motswari Private Game Reserve
72. DEATH BEGETS LIFE
Photograph by Ireena Worthy on Flickr
71. MOUNT FUJI FROM ABOVE
Photograph via news.mydrivers.com
70. SKYDIVING INTO BURNING MAN
Photograph via opi8 on Reddit
69. THE ONLY AMERICAN NOT ON EARTH ON SEPT 11
Photograph by NASA
68. THE VENEZUELAN POODLE MOTH
Photograph by Arthur Anker on Flickr
67. THE PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER
Photograph by David Kingham on Flickr | Prints Available
66. AN X-RAY OF A STINGRAY
Photograph by Ken Jones
65. THE POWER OF ONE SMALL STEP
Photograph by NASA
64. MOTH TRAILS AT NIGHT
Photograph by Steve Irvine for National Geographic
63. JUST A PINCH
Photograph by mmarsupilami on Flickr
62. EVOLUTION OF THE NEW YORK SKYLINE
Photograph via Lee @ tier1dc.blogspot.com
61. AN ELEPHANT MEETS A SEA LION
Photograph by Michael Durham via The Oregon Zoo
60. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
Photograph via moctodtidderptth on Reddit
59. AN OLYMPIC FULL MOON
Photograph by REUTERS/Luke MacGrego (via Reuters Olympics on Facebook)
58. BASE JUMPING IN RIO
Photograph by Wolfgang Luif/Red Bull Content Pool
57. THE BOMBING OF DRESDEN
Photograph by Richard Peter
56. HOTTEST. KISS. EVER.
Photograph by Dallas Nagata on Google+
55. WHERE THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA MEETS THE SEA
Photograph via Better_Be-Safe on Reddit
54. THE CHICAGO SKYLINE FROM INDIANA
Photograph by Tom Adams on Reddit
53. LIVING ON THE EDGE
Photograph by Tim Kemple
52. THE MOLOKINI CRATER IN HAWAII
Photograph by Ron Garnett/Hawaii Tourism Authority
51. IF JUPITER WAS THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE MOON
Artwork by jb2386 on Reddit
50. A SEAHORSE INSPECTS A DIVER’S WATCH
Photograph by Don McLeish
49. AN ILLUMINATED SNOW TUNNEL IN RUSSIA
Photograph by Michael Zelensky
48. THE HONEYBEE’S FINAL STING
Photograph by Kathy Keatley Garvey
47. EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING
Photograph by China Foto Press
46. STREET ARTIST SAINER GOES BIG IN POLAND
Photograph via Fundacja Urban Forms on Facebook
45. MOUNT RAINIER CASTING A SHADOW ON CLOUDS
Photograph by Nick Lippert (via Komo News)
44. FIRST CONTACT
Photograph by CMGW Photography on Flickr
43. THE IRISH SKY GARDEN CRATER
Photograph by Liss Ard Estate
42. MOON BRIDGE IN DAHU PARK, TAIPEI
Photograph by bbe022001 on Flickr
41. FLIGHT OF THE DEVIL RAYS
Photograph by FLORIAN SCHULTZ
40. GÁSADALUR VILLAGE IN THE FAROE ISLANDS
Photograph by GARETH CODD PHOTOGRAPHY on Flickr
39. WORLD’S EDGE
Photograph by RHYS DAVIES
38. THE CAPILANO SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN VANCOUVER
Photograph by MICHELLE LEE
37. FRACTAL PATTERNS IN DRIED OUT DESERT RIVERS
Photograph by ADRIANA FRANCO for National Geographic
36. MEDITATING MONKS AT PONGOUR FALLS
Photograph by DANG NGO – Prints Available
35. HANGING OUT ON THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, 1914
Photograph by Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives
34. A SUNSET ECLIPSE
Photograph by GIL NARTEA
33. BORA BORA FROM SPACE
Photograph by PLEIADES-HR SATELLITE
32. THE LARGEST RAFT OF CANOES AND KAYAKS IN THE WORLD
Photograph by NANCIE BATTAGLIA for National Geographic
31. ADAPTIVE ROOTS IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE
Photograph by HORST KIECHLE
30. THE HAMILTON POOL NATURE PRESERVE
Photograph by DAVE WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
29. ABOVE THE CANOPY
Photograph by MICHAEL NICHOLS for National Geographic [Print Available]
28. COLLIDING RIVERS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Photograph via I_let_my_dog_lick_my on Reddit
27. THE STUNNING GREEN VINE SNAKE
Photograph by SUHAAS PREMKUMAR for National Geographic
26. AURORA AUSTRALIS (SOUTHERN LIGHTS) FROM SPACE
Photograph by André Kuipers / ESA / NASA
25. MOUNT KILIMANJARO FROM ABOVE
Photograph by KYLE MIJLOF @ kylemijlof.blogspot.co.uk
24. THE AMAZING STRENGTH OF AN ANT
Photograph by Yu Wu for National Geographic – Your Shot
23. YARN BOMBING A BUS IN MEXICO CITY
Artwork by Magda Sayeg (Photograph by Cesar Ortega)
22. FELIX BAUMGARTNER JUMPS FROM SPACE
© Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool
21. THE MOST INCREDIBLE AURORA OF 2012
Photograph courtesy of Jónína Óskarsdóttir for NASA
20. THE WATERFALL ISLAND AT IGUAZU FALLS
Photograph by Andrew Murray on Flickr
19. OVERGROWN RAILROAD TRACKS IN THE FOREST
Photograph by T.-C on Flickr
18. A POD OF SLEEPING SPERM WHALES
Photograph by Wild Wonders of Europe [www.wild-wonders.com] via Business & Biodiversity Campaign
17. 7 HOURS IN ONE IMAGE
Photograph by Isil Karanfil (isilkrnfl on deviantART)
16. PIXEL PEOPLE PERFECTION
Artwork by Craig Alan via Artexpo (Eric Smith) on Flickr
15. GALACTIC MONSOON
Photograph by BRET WEBSTER
14. STRIKING ARTISTRY OF MULTIPLE TAKEOFFS AT HANNOVER AIRPORT
Photograph by HO-YEOL RYU
13. THE KEEL WALK
Photograph by ALEX THOMSON RACING
12. A SEA OF PURPLE IN THE BADLANDS OF UTAH
Photograph by GUY TAL PHOTOGRAPHY | Print Available for Sale
11. PUTTING THE SIZE OF A WHALE IN PERSPECTIVE
Photograph via timz45 on Reddit
10. MEANWHILE IN SWITZERLAND
Photograph by Reuters/Denis Balibouse
9. ONE BOAT AND 145 WATER-SKIERS
Photograph by MARK SEATON PHOTOGRAPHY
8. SALAR DE UYUNI AFTER SOME RAIN
Photograph via Paean on Reddit
7. OUTDOOR JACUZZI ON THE MATTERHORN
Photograph via Iglu-Dorf.com
6. THE PRECIOUS BLUE MARBLE
Photograph by NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring
5. MAELSTROM AT KAUAI, HAWAII
Photograph by PATRICK SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
4. CAPSIZED CRUISE SHIP COSTA CONCORDIA FROM SPACE
Photograph by DIGITALGLOBE.COM
3. Serenity Now
Photograph by ZAK NOYLE for SURFER MAGAZINE
2. BEAUTIFUL BERN FROM ABOVE
Photograph via loki010 on Reddit
1. FIRST RISING SUN OF 2012
Photograph by JIJI Press/AFP/Getty Images
