Sifting through images of conflict, triumph and catastrophe from around the world, our editors chose photos to represent the year.
Sifting through images of conflict, triumph and catastrophe from around the world, our editors chose photos to represent the year.
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The Year in Pictures 2019
Sifting through images of conflict, triumph and catastrophe from around the world, our editors chose photos to represent the year.
December 2019
5.6 million. That’s roughly the number of images photo editors of The New York Times sift through each year to find the perfect photographs to represent the news for our readers. This collection of images is a testament to a mere fraction of the conflicts and triumphs, catastrophes and achievements and simple but poignant moments of everyday life in the past 365 days.
The Year in Pictures 2019
Sifting through images of conflict, triumph and catastrophe from around the world, our editors chose photos to represent the year.
By The New York TimesDEC. 31, 1969
Scroll left and right to explore the image
By Dean Baquet, executive editor
So much of the year’s news played out in the streets. Week after week, protesters poured onto the wide boulevards of Hong Kong, where the photographer Lam Yik Fei seemed to be everywhere. Brexit drew tens of thousands into the streets of London. A subway fare increase was the final spark that led to protests in Santiago, Chile, and people heaved makeshift bombs along a bridge linking Venezuela and Colombia.
The tumult of mass gatherings produced some of the year’s most powerful pictures. But a quiet image of two people stood out as perhaps the saddest: Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez lay with his arm limply draped over his 23-month-old daughter, Angie Valeria, their lifeless bodies locked together on the banks of the Rio Grande, where they drowned trying to cross from Mexico into the United States.
Every year the photo editors of The New York Times cull through 365 days of photographs in an attempt to recapture and visually distill the year. The result is this collection of images, a visual chronicle of violence, political power struggles, climate catastrophes, mass shootings and a few poignant scenes of everyday life.
Some stories were obvious in their photographic power. The wildfires that erupted across California seemed urgent and frightening. Blazes destroyed large parts of the Amazon rainforest. And the entire roof of the 850-year-old Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris caught fire, and came perilously close to bringing down the medieval structure.
By comparison, Washington’s power struggles mostly eluded the camera. The intrigue that may lead to the impeachment of an American president — the biggest domestic story of this year and probably the next — took place over secret phone calls and behind the closed doors of the Oval Office. Nonetheless, our photographers Doug Mills, Erin Schaff and Damon Winter made subtle and telling images of a process often obscured by political maneuvering and stagecraft.
Elizabeth D. Herman and Celeste Sloman documented some of the cultural and political power shifts that shook up America’s political leadership in 2019. They posed nearly every woman sworn in to Congress in a historic class of 131, creating a series of portraits of a younger, more diverse group of players vying for influence.
One of the most powerful people in Washington, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, got her own meme when she smiled — or perhaps smirked — as she applauded President Trump’s State of the Union address.
There seemed to be fewer pictures of war than in years past, perhaps because some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts are being waged in harder, more treacherous places to reach. But Tyler Hicks, who has won multiple Pulitzer Prizes, made his third trip into Yemen, the once beautiful country that has become the scene of a dire humanitarian crisis.
“Freedom to witness what’s happening on the ground is so rare,” he said. “So when the chance comes, we make the most of the opportunity.”
1
January
Yemen’s humanitarian crisis rages on, and women wield power in Congress.
Marib, Yemen, Jan. 23
Saleh Raken, who is about 10 years old, was playing near his home in Baida when a land mine blew off his lower leg. He was accompanied by his older brother Ali Raken.
Tyler Hicksmade his third trip to Yemen since the war began there in 2015. On this trip, he spent time in a hospital to capturethe human cost of the conflict.
“On this assignment, I saw more of the humanitarian impact of the war than I had on any of my previous trips there, particularly in northern Yemen, where I took this photograph of a young boy who had lost part of a leg from a land mine explosion. There were also many other children and adults alike who had lost limbs or who continue to lose limbs every day in Yemen. In this case, it’s very difficult when you walk into a clinic and a hospital and there are so many people suffering. You ask yourself: Whom should I photograph? You want to document every case, but that would be impossible.
This boy in particular had a very innocent face and reminded me a lot of any kids that I would see in my own community. And yet he was changed for life by something that he’s absolutely not involved in, and so I chose to focus on him and allow this boy to represent, in this case, all of the other children in the clinic. Oftentimes, it is more effective for a photograph to be specific than it is to try to include a large group. It allows viewers to identify with somebody and interpret that subject and that photograph in their own ways.”
Chicago, Jan. 30
As a polar vortex gripped the land, sea smoke rose from Lake Michigan, a result of extremely cold air blowing over warmer water.
Angers, France, Jan. 19
The police responded to another round of the Yellow Vests’ antigovernment protests.
Washington, Jan. 2-3
Clockwise from top left: Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat from Arizona; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat from New York; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Republican from Washington; and Lauren Underwood, Democrat from Illinois.
Elizabeth D. Herman and Celeste Slomanphotographed nearly all of the record number ofwomen in the 116th Congress. For the first time, more than 100 women were sworn in to serve in the House of Representatives.
The world is awash in portraits of powerful men. Ms. Herman had this in mind when she was assigned to photograph the women of Congress. She wanted them to appear just as powerful as the men whose photos line boardrooms, statehouses and universities. “Photographing them all like that and presenting them all together,” she said, “was a way of saying we have not seen women occupy these spaces in the past, and that women can occupy these spaces.”
Ms. Sloman said of photographing women on the history-making roster, “I was able to connect and to get them to break down their political facade more than I thought I would be able to.” She photographed some in a studio, but meeting others at home or in their offices offered something different — especially in Washington, she added, where “the energy was kind of charged.”
Queensland, Australia, Jan. 16
Tourists watched the Sheep Shearing and Ram Parade at Paradise Country farm experience theme park.
Choloma, Honduras, Jan. 18
Denis Daniel Flores Carranza, 9, at the grave of his sister, who was only 14 when she was murdered. Honduras is one of the world’s deadliest places for women.
Washington, Jan. 3
Nancy Pelosi, the first woman speaker of the House, appeared on a television screen in the U.S. Capitol at the start of the 116th Congress.
2
February
A clap goes viral, and Venezuela’s economy ignites a crisis.
Washington, Feb. 5
Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, applauded President Trump at his State of the Union address. It was a clap that resonated around the world.
Doug Mills, a staff photographer based in Washington, was on the House floor forPresident Trump’s State of the Union address.
In the days and weeks before Mr. Mills took this image, tension had been building between the president and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Mr. Mills could sense it in meetings where he had been present. “I kind of felt like something was going to happen between the two of them,” he said. “The clap was a fitting moment for the rest of the year.”
Moscow, Feb. 26
Schoolgirls reflected on “The Morning of the Streltsy Execution” by the Russian painter Vasily Surikov, on display at the Tretyakov Gallery.
United States-Mexico Border, Feb. 10
Migrants trying to cross the Rio Grande near Piedras Negras in Mexico were pulled from the water by agents with the United States Border Patrol.
Parris Island, S.C., Feb. 22
Recruits on Day 1 of the Crucible, the grueling 54-hour training exercise that is the final test before they officially become Marines.
Villa del Rosario, Colombia, Feb. 23
Protesters on the Simón Bolívar bridge linking Venezuela and Colombia. Skirmishes erupted after foreign aid trucks were blocked by armed loyalists of President Nicolás Maduro.
Colombia, Feb. 4
Venezuelan migrants crowded onto a truck as it crossed the Colombian mountains. The economic crisis in Venezuela has set off a staggering exodus.
Deir al-Zour, Syria, Feb. 3
A wounded 6-year-old boy was treated by aid workers. He and his mother were among a stream of families fleeing Islamic State-held territory.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22
James Blake, the Grammy-winning British avant-gardist singer-songwriter, at the Fillmore Philadelphia during a North American tour that wound from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

“I had to skate around his periphery and do what I needed to do, which was to make a photograph of him that resonated with me the same way his music does.”
New York, Feb. 6
New York Fashion Week kicked off with flowing fabrics in the Fall 2019 show by Tom Ford.
Beijing, Feb. 19
A light show at the Forbidden City palace complex, whose doors were opened to the public at night for the first time since 1925.
Stockholm, Feb. 15
Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist, skipped school to protest at the Swedish Parliament.
New York, Feb. 11
Abigail Anderson and Austin, an English setter and among the approximately 2,800 competitors, caught some shut-eye on a shuttle to the Westminster Dog Show.
Jeenah Moonset out to documentthe annual Westminster Dog Showin New York early in the morning, when the dogs, owners and spectators all made their way to the competition.
“I started getting curious about how the dogs and the owners felt, starting their day early in the morning. As a dog owner, I know it is a bit early to wake up at 5 or 6 a.m. I saw people riding a bus, then a young girl with her mom riding with her big, beautiful English setter. She was sitting in the back of a shuttle bus and her dog was lying down across her knees. I kept watching them. Then I saw her yawn, and her dog fell asleep so I just clicked my shutter, and I felt that was the moment that told the story.”
The Decade in Pictures
See our photo editors’ top picks showcasing 10 years of history revisited →
3
March
A terrorist attack in New Zealand. A plane crash in Ethiopia.
Christchurch, New Zealand, March 18
Students from schools across the city gathered at a memorial service for the 51 people who lost their lives in a terrorist attack on two mosques.
Adam Dean, who is based in Bangkok, covered attacks in Colombo, Sri Lanka, andChristchurch, New Zealand.
“I never expected my first visit to New Zealand to be to cover a mass shooting and terror attack,” he said. He has been back since the immediate aftermath to visit some of the families he met in Christchurch. “While the New Zealand government has done a lot to support them, their struggle continues and will continue to do so now that the media spotlight has moved on.”
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, March 28
Kyrgyz guards of honor after a ceremony opening a state visit between President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to discuss military and economic cooperation.
Near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, March 12
Aviation officials prayed at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. The Boeing 737 Max 8 went down shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board.
Lordstown, Ohio, March 30
Kesha Scales, a metal assembly worker, with Beverly Williams, her friend and former co-worker, after General Motors shut down its Lordstown plant, cutting thousands of jobs.
Beauregard, Ala., March 4
All that was left of a home after tornadoes flattened neighborhoods and killed 23 people in Lee County, Ala., including three children.
Portsmouth, Ohio, March 28
Nikki Horr with her daughter, Layla Kegg. For years, Layla has watched her mother cycle in and out of drug addiction and rehab.
New York, March 14
Tanitoluwa Adewumi, known as Tani, was an 8-year-old refugee from Nigeria living in a homeless shelter with his family. He was alsoa state chess champion.

“There is a kind of visual language and literacy and responsibility that comes with photographing someone who is in a vulnerable situation, and how do you do it with dignity.”
Washington, March 25
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel cut short a visit to the United States after a rocket launched from Gaza struck a house north of Tel Aviv.
Near Craig, Mo., March 22
A farm was stranded in murky water as record-breaking floods swamped the Midwest.
McAllen, Texas, March 2
Gaby Brown, 15, prepared for her quinceañera. For girls in the Rio Grande Valley, growing up means navigating a bilingual, binational world.
Ilana Panich-Linsmanhas spent much of her time at the United States-Mexico border covering breaking news. Coming up withan in-depth projectdocumenting daily life was a change of pace.
“We wanted to show what life was like day to day,” Ms. Panich-Linsman said. She set out for a monthlong assignment to do just that. After witnessing a birthday party on one of the first nights, she decided to focus one element of her project on finding girls who were celebrating their quinceañeras. “Since the piece was published, we’ve gotten really positive feedback from the community,” she said. “I think there’s been a lot of negative attention in that area, and they were grateful for a more holistic representation of everyday life that isn’t so dramatic.”
Lake Baikal, Russia, March 2
Runners crossed the frozen lake surface in thegrueling Baikal Ice Marathon in Siberia.

“They all disappeared into the endless white of ice and snow. The landscape doesn’t offer any perspective at all. I soon faced this white emptiness.”
4
April
Researching climate change, and a devastating fire in Paris.
Svalbard, Norway, April 6
Anja Sommerfeld from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research launched an “ozone-sonde,” an instrument that measures ozone levels.
Esther Horvathset out to photographa research expedition in the Arctic, armed with specialized training in how to work in extremely cold weather — and even how to mitigate polar bear threats.
“We all know that temperatures in the Arctic increase much faster than anywhere else on the planet. But who are the scientists that are delivering this information, and how do they work and live in one of the most remote locations in the world? This is what I am interested in,” Ms. Horvath said. “Working in freezing temperatures is always challenging for the equipment and physically. I feel extremely connected to the polar regions, especially to the Arctic Ocean. With my photography, I want to raise awareness about the changes affecting the most fragile environment of our planet, which is disappearing in front of our eyes.”
Paris, April 3
The pop icon Madonna peering through a 1991 photograph of herself by Steven Meisel.
Los Angeles, April 2
Mourners helda vigil for the rapper Nipsey Hussleoutside his clothing store, where he had been gunned down in the parking lot.

“When I was shooting that night, it was just a particularly heavy scene seeing people grieve on that scale. Being in that space, you could tell he was obviously an incredibly important person to that community. He clearly was seen as such a hero, and people were just ripped apart by it.”
Paris, April 15
Flames tore through Notre-Dame cathedral, causing the collapse of its spire, leaving the country stunned and generating an outpouring of grief across the world.
Green Bay, Wis., April 27
Supporters of President Trump got their cellphones at the ready as he prepared to speak at a rally. He won Wisconsin in an upset in 2016, taking the state by less than one percentage point.
Duhok Province, Iraq, April 17
Kristina, 12, was reunited with her parentsat a camp in northern Iraq, five years after she and her sister were kidnapped and enslaved by the Islamic State.

“She had this presence about her. I gravitated toward her, but I kind of adored this strong, very emotionally aware young girl. And everyone around her, I could tell, felt a bit the same. She was kind of this golden child.”
Shenzhen, China, April 12
An employee with the technology company Huawei rested at his cubicle during a lunch break.
The Messier 87 galaxy, April 10
It might look like just a lopsided ring of light. But look closer and you’ll see a one-way portal to eternity: the first ever image of a black hole.
Catania, Sicily, April 1
The Teatro Massimo Bellini isn’t just for tenors and sopranos. Chefs celebrated the second day of Cibo Nostrum, a festival of Italian food and wine, at the opera house.
Augusta, Ga., April 14
Tiger Woods captured his fifth Masters title and his 15th major tournament in a stunning comeback from a decade-long championship drought.
Negombo, Sri Lanka, April 22
Relatives lit candles after the burial of three members of the same family who died in Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people.
Nashville, Tenn., April 9
Zuleima Lopez with her 6-year-old son, Caleb, on a Greyhound bus as it arrived in Nashville, bringing her family’s long journey from Guatemala to an end.
Raqqa, Syria, April 4
Two men walked through a heavily damaged neighborhood, more than a year after the city’s liberation from the Islamic State.
Brooklyn, N.Y., April 17
The scene at an apartment complex in the Crown Heights neighborhood where Davion Powell, 18, was shot and killed, a victim of a spike in gang violence.
The Sahara, Morocco, April 7
Runners neared the finish line on Day 1 of the six-day Marathon des Sables, one of the world’s most punishing races.
Seko, Central African Republic, April 25
A camp for internally displaced people. Waves of violence by rebel factions have forced more than a quarter of the country’s residents to flee their homes.

“I photographed sketchy diamond buyers, a warlord in his living room and another warlord surrounded by armed and drugged child soldiers. But everyday life for people in the Central African Republic is far more dangerous and heartbreaking in camps like these, where people had one set of clothing, little or no access to medical care and barely anything to eat.”
Queens, N.Y., April 4
Noah Syndergaard pitching for the New York Mets in an opening day game against the Washington Nationals.
5
May
A Trump administration battle, life rising from the ruins and a look to the future.
Washington, May 1
Attorney General William P. Barr testified before a Senate committee on the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Paris, May 20
Notre-Dame cathedral remained standing amid its renovation scaffolding after an extensive fire that threatened the complete destruction of one of France’s most revered monuments.
Democratic Republic of Congo, May 8
Even as deaths from an Ebola outbreak were rising in Central Africa, four teenage musicians offered a sense of normalcy in a churchyard in the city of Beni.
Finbarr O'Reillycovered theEbola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the second largest in history.
“I stumbled across the kind of scene that can momentarily catch you off guard — four teenage girls playing trumpets and trombones in a dirt yard adjacent to a half-built church on a hill, on the edge of a town called Beni,” he said. “There was something haunting about that sound in that place. Storm clouds rolled in, as they did most afternoons, and the air became heavy. It seemed to keep the sharp metallic notes from floating too far away. I knew the scene had no direct link to the Ebola story I was reporting, but I shot it anyway, trying not to disturb the girls. I wasn’t sure the image would be published, but I felt the moment was still important. These girls wanted to be better musicians and were rehearsing to improve. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and drama surrounding conflict or a catastrophic epidemic, but such moments represent what’s happening on the ground as much as any scene more obviously related to the Ebola narrative. It’s a quiet reflection of daily life amid an unfolding tragedy.”
Brooklyn, N.Y., May 17
Ivy Kush, born and raised in Morocco, at a drag show celebrating L.G.B.T.Q. Arabs in Brooklyn. Had she done anything like this back home? “Oh no, honey,” she said. “I can’t be myself in Morocco.”
Washington, May 2
Representative Elijah E. Cummingsleft a legacyas one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress.
Toas Island, Venezuela, May 6
Two-year-old Anailin lay suffering from severe malnutrition and a treatable disease as her country struggled in economic collapse.
Meridith Kohuthas been coveringthe economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuelasince it began in 2013. The longer the situation lasts, she said, the worse it gets.
In May, economists called the disaster in Venezuela the largest economic collapse outside of war in at least 45 years. An article on the crisis ran on the front page of this newspaper, accompanied by a photograph of a starving child, Anailin Nava. After publication, Ms. Kohut recalled, a nurse hitchhiked to provide medical care for the girl, and a nonprofit started a program to feed all of the at-risk children on the island where she lives. “The most rewarding part of doing this work is when New York Times readers feel compassion for the people whose stories we report — and reach out to help them,” Ms. Kohut said. “We went out to one of the country’s most affected states by the crisis and we went to this island and found a family with a 2-year-old girl who had severe malnutrition.” It was an area far away from big cities and lacking government resources. “Venezuela is the worst that it’s ever been,” she said.
Missouri, May 23
Dwight Days searched for a cellphone at hisripped-apart homein Jefferson City, Missouri’s capital. Two tornados hit the state, killing at least three people.

“It was an eerie feeling hearing voices — knowing there were people all around but not being able to see anyone because of the darkness.”
Yakawlang, Afghanistan, May 19
Students walked home over the mountains from Rustam school, seen behind them. Ninety percent of the school’s graduates get into college. Most are girls.
6
June
A historic meeting for President Trump. A deadly migrant journey.
Demilitarized Zone, June 30
President Trump became the first sitting American commander in chief toset foot in North Koreawhen he met Kim Jong-un, the country’s leader.

“They were lifting me off the ground by my backpack and pulling me out of photo opportunities. It was definitely a challenge to be able to make images.”
New York, June 30
Attendees clambered for a view of the Pride March, a celebration of L.G.B.T.Q. identity. This year’s parade came 50 years after the Stonewall Inn uprising.
Brittainy Newmanreceived the first major assignment of her New York Times fellowship, a one-year training program:photographing the Pride paradein New York.
Ms. Newman wanted to get it right and even kept a close eye on the sky to try to follow the trajectory of the falling confetti. She found herself constantly rushing between the parade and quiet places like the lobby of a bank, where she could find a steady internet connection to send in her photos. Then toward the end of the parade, the last shot of her day, she nailed it. “I was so overwhelmed and exhausted,” Ms. Newman said. “I found this couple kissing against scaffolding with the march passing on the other side so they were silhouetted, and that just encapsulated the scene about what the Pride March means.”
Mexico City, June 3
Taxi drivers parked their pink and white cabs in the Zócalo, the city’s main square, in a protest against Uber and other ride-sharing apps.
Columbia, Mo., June 6
Noah Doolady, left, moved to the music with his skating partner, Kev Presley.
Washington, June 13
The United States Supreme Court, where, among other cases, justices agreed to consider the copyrighting of state laws.
Matamoros, Mexico, June 24
Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his 23-month-old daughter, Angie Valeria, migrants from El Salvador who drowned when they tried to cross the Rio Grande.
Jalapa, Guatemala, June 3
Luis Recinos, 10, prayed before lunch. His mother was killed by her husband, a victim of the widespread violence against women that has driven an exodus of migrants from Central America.
7
July
Political fireworks, a World Cup victory and a heat wave in Europe.
Dobrusa, Moldova, July 4
Grisa Muntean is the last survivor of the village of Dobrusa, but he has a multitude of animals, including ducks, geese, chickens and several thousand bees.
Laetitia Vancontraveled to Dobrusa, Moldova,a village with a population of one.
“He was such a sympathetic character — I enjoyed meeting him,” Ms. Vancon said of the last survivor, a farmer named Grisa Muntean.

“He always offered us red wine, from 4 a.m. to 11 at night,” she said. “Because of his loneliness he was really happy to communicate.” The day she photographed this image, she started out at 2:30 a.m. so she could be in place to capture him collecting vegetables as the sun rose. Then she spent the day with him until the last light. “Everybody was getting exhausted and couldn’t understand what I was waiting for,” she said. “I was waiting and shooting and waiting and shooting until, finally, everything was aligned and he was finishing his last glass of red wine for the day.”
Washington, July 24
Robert S. Mueller III, the former special counsel who investigated Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, after testifying before the House Judiciary Committee.
Lyon, France, July 7
Megan Rapinoe with her American teammates Samantha Mewis, left, and Alex Morgan after scoring her team’s first goal in the World Cup final.
Paris, July 25
Cooling off in the Trocadéro fountain asa heat wave swept Europe.

“I was in the middle of the fountain and totally wet, hypnotized by the people.”
East Java Province, Indonesia, July 18
Crowds gathered near Mount Bromo for a Tenggerese festival, in which Hindu worshipers toss offerings of crops and livestock into the volcano.
New Jersey, July 25
A harmful algal bloom on Lake Hopatcong in the Crescent Cove area. The bacteria can cause skin rashes, flu-like conditions, headaches and other health issues.
Hong Kong, July 1
Antigovernment protesters clashed with the police before a ceremony to mark the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China from Britain.
New York, July 8
A protest group called Hot Mess held up images of Jeffrey Epstein, the financier indicted on sex-trafficking charges who died by suicide in August, outside the federal courthouse in Manhattan.
Brooklyn, N.Y., July 4
Kenny Thivener, a visitor from Ohio who was well-prepared with sunscreen, sunbathing at Coney Island on Independence Day.
Aktau, Kazakhstan, July 22
A child at a center for women who were once joined to the Islamic State. By providing child care and treatment, Kazakhstan hopes to root out extremism.
Tara Todras-Whitehillknew that photographing women at a center in Kazakhstan whohad been wives of Islamic State fighterswould be delicate.
The center was fenced in, but it had a garden area and a playground so the women and their children found a pleasant environment when they went outside. Some of the women didn’t want to be photographed, but Ms. Todras-Whitehill made a connection with others, including one who spoke English, allowing for an easy flow of dialogue without a translator. “I had more of a conversation with her and spent more time with her during the day and she had several kids there, so she was someone I just kind of followed around,” Ms. Todras-Whitehill said. “I also was able to talk to her,” she said of the direct line of communication, “so that made it easier and also made the women feel better too, because they felt more comfortable.”
California, July 11
Cove Beach is a favorite for locals of the Lost Coast, a remote and rugged shoreline where crowds are sparse and cellphones are useless (and you won’t care).
8
August
Protests boil over in Hong Kong, and the Democrats field their presidential hopefuls.
Hong Kong, Aug. 24
Demonstrators clashed with police officers in riot gear in the Kowloon Bay district as pro-democracy protests continued to rock Hong Kong.
Lam Yik Feiwas born and raised in Hong Kong andphotographed protests that were close to his homeand where he had lived as a child.
“The march started out peacefully, but I could sense aggression,” he said. “The protesters were ready for a fight. The police arrested one demonstrator, and others fought back.” Mr. Lam has covered nearly every protest in Hong Kong in recent months. “Suddenly, a firebomb landed in front of me. The police officer in the photo didn’t even realize it had gone off behind him.”
Pulwama, Kashmir, Aug. 17
Relatives of Fayaz Ahmed Mir, a tractor driver and Arabic scholar, cried after he was detained by security forces, as India carried out mass arrests of civilian leaders.
Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, Aug. 20
Brown bears flocked to the shores of Kurilskoye Lake to feed on wild salmon.
Diest, Belgium, Aug. 28
Marieke Vervoort, a 40-year-old Belgian Paralympic athlete, had a degenerative spinal disease that left her in excruciating pain. In October, she would end her life through euthanasia.
New York, Aug. 8
Dancers flung red feathers, like fountains of blood, at the end of “Under Siege,” at Lincoln Center in Manhattan.
Inukjuak, Quebec, Aug. 16
Nellie Nastapoka with her great-great-granddaughter, Annie. Rather than be evacuated to big cities, as was once the practice, around three out of four women now have their babies delivered in this remote village.
Amber Brackenwho is based in Edmonton, Alberta, said she was interested in midwifery in Indigenous communities in Canada and the way it was connected to the idea of sovereignty.
“What’s more hopeful or beautiful than a baby?” Ms. Bracken said. By focusing on midwifery, she added, “there’s a lot of opportunity for telling beautiful stories, uplifting stories about Indigenous communities.” When she visited the Indigenous community in Inukjuak, Quebec, for the first time, she was struck by how welcome many people made her feel. “I was at three different births,” she said, “so for coming in cold to a community I don’t know, that’s a pretty huge welcome.”
Des Moines, Aug. 9
A highly unscientific corn kernel poll at the Iowa State Fair assessed the popularity of the 2020 presidential hopefuls.
Aug. 7
F. and E. were sexually abused as children. A digital trail of the crimes continues to haunt the sisters a decade later.
Brooklyn, N.Y., Aug. 24
A watermelon-eating contest at a block party in the Marine Park section of Brooklyn. Block parties have a long history in the city.
Sarah Blesenerworried that she would be viewed as an interloper when she showed up with her camera atblock parties in New York neighborhoodsover the summer. But at one gathering, everyone was particularly welcoming.
“People kept grabbing me and telling me their stories, even about their grandparents growing up there,” Ms. Blesener said. “I was getting worried I had great stories but no images.” Eventually she went to work, trying to capture not just the sights, but also the sounds and smells — things that are hard to visualize but are an important texture of any block party. “I tried to focus on that feeling, the intensity of the music and the food. It’s pretty chaotic — there is so much happening at once — so it works to isolate certain moments.”
Brooklyn, N.Y., Aug. 24
Dancing in the streets during a block party in the Sunset Park neighborhood.
Hong Kong, Aug. 25
Protesters in the Tsuen Wan district. The city has been roiled by violent clashes as rallies over an extradition bill morphed into a broader call for political reforms and police accountability.
Los Angeles, Aug. 13
Lizzo, the rapper and singer behind one of the biggest hits of the summer, “Truth Hurts.”
9
September
Fires rage in the Amazon. Hurricane Dorian hits the Bahamas.
Brazil, Sept. 8
A fire reached the Amazon rainforest near the city of Porto Velho. The destruction of the Amazon in Brazil has rapidly increased under a new president.
Victor Moriyamatook two trips to Amazonian cities whose economic development is based onillegal deforestation.
“Covering the fires that erupted throughout the Brazilian Amazon was the longest report of my entire career,” Mr. Moriyama said.
Telling the story of illegal deforestation has always been dangerous. “Brazil has been a violent country since its inception, and we are the bearers of shameful killings of journalists and environmental activists, and in this current government we have seen increased violence against traditional Indigenous peoples,” he said.
For his recent assignment, Mr. Moriyama tried to photograph the fire that consumed the forest from various distances and at different times of the day. “Forest fires are common in various regions of the world and happen annually, but the burning in the Amazon this year sensitized the entire international community,” he said. “Our intention was to show the different aspects that constitute the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and to expand the coverage beyond the burning.”
Treasure Cay, Bahamas, Sept. 4
The home of Stafford Symonette lay amongthe ruins caused by Hurricane Dorian, which hit the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm. Across the islands, the destruction was staggering.

“I would spend several hours on the beach — the only place without buildings — to get a clear satellite signal.”
El Paso, Sept. 14
Luis Calvillo, in physical therapy with Antonio Magana, survived a mass shooting at a Walmart that killed 22 people. But his journey to recovery had just begun.
Abaco Islands, Bahamas, Sept. 4
Hurricane Dorian wrought devastation on the Abaco Islands, where the deadly storm made landfall.
London, Sept. 7
Police officers formed a line in front of pro-Brexit demonstrators in Parliament Square. The Brexiteers refused to leave to make way for a previously booked anti-Brexit rally.

“The way I’ve approached it is to travel around and shoot portraits of daily life, because it’s such a significant moment in time. Every part of the U.K. you go to has a different interpretation of the problem.”
10
October
Violent protests rocked nations around the world.
Santiago, Chile, Oct. 29
A burning barricade marked the end of a long day of unrest in the capital. Protests that began over a subway fare rise spiraled into violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators.
Tomas Munitalives in Santiago, Chile, and regularly works around the world. But in 2019, hecovered protests in his own hometown. He called the demonstrations “a sudden and somehow expected awakening.”
“At first glance the violence, destruction of public spaces and looting is quite shocking,” Mr. Munita said. “It will always be. But it is important to understand that we Chileans have seen for decades the looting of our seas, forests, health, universities, indigenous lands, etc., helplessly.” As he photographed the protests, he was shot with rubber bullets and had stones thrown at him on several occasions. But that was hardly surprising, he said, because he was in the middle of battles between protesters and the authorities.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Oct. 16
A girl cried at her father’s funeral, which was organized by government opposition. A growing movement to oust President Jovenel Moïse has pushed the nation to the brink of collapse.
Baghdad, Oct. 28
A protester was treated for the effects of tear gas fired by security forces, as growing antigovernment demonstrations gained support around Iraq.
Hong Kong, Oct. 1
Protesters were engulfed in tear gas in the Wong Tai Sin neighborhood as the violence there overshadowed China’s National Day parade in Beijing.
Mihama, Mie Prefecture, Japan, Oct. 12
Typhoon Hagibis, the most powerful storm to strike the country in decades, brought huge waves, strong winds and torrential rain, and killed dozens of people.
Kavalcik, Turkey, Oct. 27
Ammar, a Syrian refugee, harvested parsley alongside Turkish women and children.Turkey has proposed a “safe zone” for refugees in Syria, but many are wary of returning.

“I held up the camera and started shooting. There was no objection toward me. They kept on harvesting parsley, so I kept on working until the last daylight faded away.”
Oakland, Calif., Oct. 7
“Jimmy,” with his dog Ellie Mae in a sprawling homeless encampment. There are over 550,000 homeless people in the United States. In Oakland alone, across the bay from San Francisco, there are over 90 camps.
New York, Oct. 18
Backstage at “Madama Butterfly,” a revival of the film director Anthony Minghella’s production at the Metropolitan Opera in Manhattan.
Victor Llorentehad to wear a hard hat as hewandered around backstagefor a weekend of shooting at the Metropolitan Opera.
“It was pretty cool to see how everything works,” he said. He was also trailed by a public relations representative the entire time. He had been using a flash, but removed it right before snapping one last picture just seconds before “Madama Butterfly” began. That image turned out to be the strongest from the shoot. “Right after I took this picture,” he said, “the lights went off and the show started. I was about to see the people in the audience so I had to run away.”
Near Tel Tamer, Syria, Oct. 16
Black smoke rose from tire fires, set to decrease the visibility of Turkish warplanes, amid sporadic fighting between Turkish and Kurdish forces.
Northeastern Syria, Oct. 22
Boys peering out from a crowded cell at a prison for Islamic State suspects. Their parents were either dead or detained.
Ivor Pricketthas been covering the conflict with the Islamic State for years. So it was a strange feeling to sit down with Islamic State suspects when he and a Times correspondent, Ben Hubbard,were granted access to prisons in Syria.
“They brought us down into the basement where a number of the cells were located, and only two or three of these Kurdish guards were with us, and none of them were armed,” Mr. Prickett said. “They were afraid of being overpowered and then the prisoners getting guns. They opened the door to one of the cells. There was a second where we just looked at each other and wondered, ‘Is this a good idea?’ The guards told us, ‘Just stay close to the door and don’t go too far inside.’”
At a second prison, Mr. Prickett was shocked to find that dozens of children were detained there. “They really became the focus of the story in the end,” he said.
Coming face to face with the adult suspects provoked a range of emotions: animosity, initially, knowing all the acts of violence the men were accused of, and then pity. “It did feel like the last missing piece of this puzzle we’ve been covering for years,” he said.
Windsor, Calif., Oct. 27
Firefighters battled the Kincade fire, which forced the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people in Northern California.
Max Whittakeris well aware that California allows the news media generous access to wildfires. But that means photographershave to take their safety into their own hands.
Mr. Whittaker has taken training courses and carries all the proper equipment, yet he says he has to make more judgment calls when he covers fires in California than other places with more restricted access. Not only does he have to keep himself safe, but he must be mindful to stay out of the firefighters’ way.
Then there’s the matter of getting to a spot that will make a great photo. “It can take hours to drive from one side to another,” he said. “Much of the driving is done on little, tiny roads where you have to pull over to let oncoming traffic pass.”
Forest fire photos can seem generic, especially as they become a seasonal fixture in California, he said. “I try to capture this larger atmosphere and the vibe, and try to show the scale and the immensity of what firefighters are working against.”
11
November
A protest gets personal in Hong Kong. President Trump campaigns for 2020.
Hong Kong, Nov. 12
Protesters clashing with riot police officers on the campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Georgia, Nov. 8
President Trump arrived at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta and later stopped in Atlanta, where he kicked off a new campaign effort targeting black voters.
Sonora, Mexico, Nov. 5
Relatives examined wreckage from the massacre of a Mormon family in rural Mexico. The nine deaths horrified a nation facing a record-high number of murders.
Bolivia, Nov. 14
Supporters of ousted Bolivian President Evo Morales held up the multicolored Indigenous flag during a protest near Cochabamba.

Levittown, Pa. Nov. 2
David Wisnia, at his home in Pennsylvania, reconnected with Helen Spitzer, his girlfriend in Auschwitz, 72 years later to ask her if she was the reason he survived.
Hong Kong, Nov. 6-8
Clockwise from top left: Sing, a construction worker, is among those who have takena dangerous role in the antigovernment protests, clashing with the police at the front lines of the fight; K, a volunteer medic, was struck in the eye during a protest: “Only in a totalitarian, distorted society would people be forced to defend it with life and blood.”; Tung Au Yeung, who has also been working as a volunteer medic; and Regina Ip, a pro-Beijing lawmaker, said this of the protesters: “Their real objective is to take over Hong Kong.”

“I had mixed feelings when I saw so many brave young people come out to the street to fight for freedom. Many scenes really touched me, such as the peaceful march that drew millions. I can see the protests become more violent day by day.”
Washington, Nov. 20
Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) makes a statement during a break from the testimony of Gordon Sondland, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, at a House Intelligence Committee impeachment inquiry hearing on Capitol Hill.
Washington, Nov. 14
President Trump departed from the South Lawn of the White House, passing reporters, to board Marine One for a campaign event in Louisiana.
Damon Winterhas covered national politics at The Times for years, but had not spent many days at the Trump White House. He found that the president’s departures from the South Lawn had turned into a fully organized media event.
“Most days, the president stops in front of this gathering and shouts responses over the idling engines of his waiting helicopter,” Mr. Winter said. But on this day, with open impeachment hearings underway, it was “just a wave of the hand, a slightly grimacing smile and a long, solitary walk to Marine One.”
12
December
An impeachment inquiry by Congress, and protests in Paris.
Washington, Dec. 5
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that a House committee would begin drafting articles of impeachment against President Trump. She said the facts on Ukraine had “changed everything.”
Paris, Dec. 5
Riot police officers secured an area during a demonstration in Paris, amid mass strikes over the government’s retirement reform.
New Delhi, Dec. 9
A woman wept for a deceased family member outside a mortuary after a fire that killed 43 people.
Washington, Dec. 10
Representative Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, with committee members, lawyers and aides, reviewing the articles of impeachment against President Trump before publicly announcing them.

Learn how The Times’s photo editors distill the Year in Pictures →
Curated byDavid FurstandJeffrey Henson Scales.
Interviews byDionne SearceyandRachel Dry.
Designed and produced byUmi SyamandEden Weingart.
Additional production byJustin Baek,Peter Blair,Eric Dyer,Natasha King,Valencia PrashadandJessica Schnall.