The year is over and we have seen some of the best photos of 2018 flood our newsfeeds because of so many things that have happened throughout the course of 2018.
The top photos of the year come from a variety of different topics ranging from breaking news to key moments political moments involving President Trump to historical events such as the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and funerals of former president George H.W. Bush and Senator John McCain. Not all of the best photos of 2018 are from serious news events. Sometimes the best photos of the year come from photographers capture serendipitous and other spontaneous moments that are visually appealing.
Best photos of the year: What makes a picture great?
The photographer plays a tremendous role when it comes to telling stories with images. While there are many photos that provide basic information such as adding context to a story, a great photo may go a step further by adding additional visual elements such as composition and lighting and other artistic components that contribute to enhancing a photograph.
Michele McNally, former assistant managing editor for photography at The New York Times says there are four key components that make a photograph great.
“The best news photographs work on many levels: historical, sociological, emotional and aesthetic. These are the images that stay with you. Not all situations provide these opportunities, but that is what we strive for,” McNally said when asked about how the New York Times selects news photographs for news stories in a Q&A column from 2006.
Korean People’s Army (KPA) soldiers march during a mass rally on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on September 9, 2018. Credit: Getty Images
Best photos of 2018
Click through the gallery to see how photographers documented the events that helped shape this very long year.
