As we envision what the coming year might bring, Lightbox pauses to celebrate sightings of rainbows — those fleeting emblems of hope — photographed over the past year in unexpected, incongruous places.
From iconic portraits of President Obama to the distinguished profile of Queen Elizabeth II and bold outlines of armed Syrian rebels to flag waving protesters, LightBox presents the year in silhouettes — a photo per day in 2012.
TIME acknowledges the distinctive and powerful work of Agence-France Presse chief photographer Marco Longari, our pick for the best photographer on the wires in 2012.
Over the last five months, TIME has witnessed the emergence of a new voice — that of Mexican-born freelance photographer Narciso Contreras. Here, LightBox showcases Contreras’s work from Syria, illustrating his commitment and distinct vision to covering the bloodshed of an intractable war that’s stretched through 2012.
From the elementary school shooting in Connecticut and continued protests in Egypt to Syrian refugees in Turkey and the Pope’s first tweet, TIME presents the best images of the week.
TIME presents the top 10 photographs of the year — the images that moved us most in 2012, along with the backstories from the photographers who shot the now iconic frames.
Throughout 2012, TIME’s unparalleled photojournalists were there. At a time when so much hangs in the balance, bearing witness can be the most essential act — and that’s what we do. Here’s the best of our commissioned photojournalism from 2012.
As the civil war in Syria reaches even newer levels of horror, TIME asked 28 photojournalists to reflect on their most powerful work from the conflict over the last year. Often directly putting their lives at risk, these photographers have recorded agonizing and traumatic moments for the world to see.
From violent protests in Egypt and smugglers tunnels in Gaza to The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy and the “Black Marble,” — Earth photographed at night from space, TIME presents the best images of the week.
From protests in Egypt and life in the aftermath of the Gaza conflict to Myanmar’s refugee camps and volcanic lava spilling into the ocean in Hawaii, TIME presents the best pictures of the week.
