Category: Portfolios & Galleries

The photographs in this collection capture those historic 12 months. Jeffrey Henson Scales, who edited The Year in Pictures with David Furst, said he had never felt such sweep and emotion from a single year’s images — from the “joy and optimism” of a New Year’s Eve kiss in Times Square, to angry crowds on the streets of Hong Kong and in American cities, to scenes of painful debates over race and policing, to the “seemingly countless graves and coffins across the globe.”

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to take a look at some of the most memorable events and images of 2020. Events covered in this essay (the first of a three-part photo summary of the year) include the disastrous Australian wildfires, the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic and the new reality of empty public spaces, innovative ways to cope with social-distancing measures, the Democratic presidential primaries, Brexit Day, and much more. Check back later this week for parts two and three, and be sure to see the earlier “Top 25 News Photos of 2020.”

As we approach the end of a year unlike any other in recent memory, here is a look back at some of the major news events and moments of 2020. The coronavirus pandemic took center stage worldwide, disrupting societies, sickening tens of millions, and killing more than 1.5 million people. In June, widespread protests against racial injustice and policy brutality erupted after the Minneapolis police killed George Floyd. In the U.S., political and cultural clashes took place in the streets, on the airwaves, and across social media during a tumultuous presidential-election year. California suffered one of its worst wildfire seasons in modern history, and so much more. Here, we present the top 25 news photos of 2020. Be sure to check back throughout the week for more comprehensive stories, presented as “2020: The Year in Photos, Parts 1-3.”