The 45 Most Powerful Photos Of 2012

<p><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/most-powerful-images-of-2012"><strong>LINK</strong></a></p>

<p>The Boston Globe, a newspaper long known for photojournalism, provides a better collection of the year's important and powerful photos <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/"> here</a>, divided into groups.</p>

<p>Wouldn't you say that the words "powerful" and "important" are somewhat subjective in this context?</p>

<p>Despite the thousands (millions?) of hours of video that you find all over the net, it's wonderful to see how evocative these still photographs are here well into the 21st century. Thanks for the link, Ton.</p>

<p>Many of the pictures I expected are included, but I can't help but label this the "best of doom and gloom." So many of the pictures are of tragedy, pain and disaster.</p>

<p><<<<em>Wouldn't you say that the words "powerful" and "important" are somewhat subjective in this context?</em>>>></p>

<p>I would, yes. But I wouldn't expect anything different. Best lists, whether of photos or movies or theater or songs, whether by newspapers or by individual critics or by the American Film Institute, are not only <em>somewhat</em> subjective, they are completely subjective. They couldn't be anything else.</p>

<p>Anyway, thanks, Ton, some great photos here . . . subjectively speaking of course. :-)</p>

<p>of course ;-)</p>

<p>While many of these images are indeed evocative, a lot are also extremely depressing showing the results of natural and man-made tragedies. I know the old press adage "if it bleeds, it leads." is still true, and that good news is often no news, but I think a more balanced selection would have been more representative of the nature of man. </p>

<p>I agree with John B.</p>

<p><<<<em>I think a more balanced selection would have been more representative of the nature of man.</em>>>></p>

<p>This seems a valid point. I come at it differently. I like passion. And passion can breed bias. Balance can often be forced and dispassionate, a little too much of an intellectual exercise, trying to please all sides. If I do want balance, which I sometimes do, I will seek out a variety of sources. But, sometimes, from each source, it's good to get a very unbalanced picture, a kind of "go for it" mentality. So, sure these are the choices of one source and many of them are tragic, and that shows the bias of the one doing the choosing. I know it's not representative of all kinds of photos. But I also know it represents a very strong and confident point of view, which I like in critics and I also like in photographers. I don't ask a landscape photographer to be more balanced and also do studio work. I like the landscape photographer's passion for the landscape. I simply go elsewhere to get my balance, if I like all kinds of photos.</p>

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<p>I like passion</p>

</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Green">Stanley Green</a> wouldn't agree with you. Perhaps you should eat more fruit?</p>

<p><<<<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Green" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Stanley Green</em></a><em> wouldn't agree with you.</em>>>></p>

<p>Yes. Well, thank goodness for Stanley Green and all the others who would do it differently. Were we all to approach life the same way, it would get awfully boring awfully fast. Like I said, I like passion. I didn't ask you to like it or Stanley Green to like it or anyone else to do so.</p>

<p>Hey Fred - I agree with you that it's all subjective and that this list is merely one person's concept of what made the most powerful images of 2012. My point was that as such, it's a pretty depressing way to look at life and imagery in general. I totally agree that we are all different and that we have different tastes - which is great (although it's not the same thing as expecting to see portraits at a landscape exhibition). Of course I don't have a problem his right to choose the images he wants, or the fact that other people's lists would be very different. I just find it depressing and my choices - and my view of life and imagery - would be very different!</p>

<p>If I have any issue at all, it's including a snapshot of someone in anguish because they have just learnt about the death of their sister. It has no photographic merit at all and I find it intrusive, exploitative and crass. Then again, that's a subjective opinion too and I'm sure others would disagree.</p>