If there is one publication that has been part of my life forever, it’s National Geographic.
Long known for quality and impact of it’s images showing the world around us, this is the pinnacle of the photographic world.
When a photographer can add the credit ” National Geographic Photographer” to their bio, it is a badge of honor like no other.

This year, National Geographic is also celebrating PICTURES OF THE YEAR across social media by inviting global audiences to share their own photos and videos of the year using the hashtag #NatGeoYourShotPOY25 from now through the end of December, with a chance to be featured on @NatGeoYourShot. Nat Geo photo editor Anne Farrar will select her favorites by Dec. 31 to be shared across Nat Geo’s social accounts.

They have just released their selection of:

25 UNFORGETTABLE IMAGES THAT CAPTURE A PLANET IN FLUX — FROM WILDLIFE AND WONDER TO HUMAN DISCOVERY

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 18, 2025) – Today, National Geographic unveiled PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025, highlighting the images that most inspired and defined the past year through the eyes of its photographers and editors.

This year’s collection showcases 25 extraordinary images that span the breadth of National Geographic’s storytelling, from intimate wildlife portraits and sweeping composites of changing landscapes to groundbreaking scientific discoveries and compelling human narratives. The photographs capture nature’s most remarkable moments, cutting-edge exploration, and the diverse experiences of people around the world.

The standout images include the first underwater photograph of a great white shark in Maine,

Photographer Brian Skerry has been chronicling marine life for decades, but this image represents his first run-in with a great white shark in the Gulf of Maine, a place he did not expect to encounter one—especially from four feet away. Sightings of sharks like this 10-footer are increasing from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, perhaps due in part to changing climate patterns. (Photo by Brian Skerry)

the largest religious gathering in the world, the last Indigenous people of Europe;

In the misty highlands of Angola, entry to one of southern Africa’s least studied ecosystems is controlled by King Mwene Chivueka VI, leader of the Luchazi people. For generations, his community has venerated an elusive herd of elephants native to the area—which outside scientists have only recently begun tracking, with the king’s permission. (Photo by Jasper Doest)

the planet’s largest land migration documented by drone, a female polar bear feasting atop a sperm whale in Svalbard,

the new benchmark record set for a nuclear tokamak reactor,

With an eye toward solving the global energy crisis, scientists are developing powerful nuclear fusion devices called stellarators. This model was created at a German lab where international researchers built a much larger one that generated an astonishing 54 million-degree-Fahrenheit reaction. For a record-breaking 43 seconds, it was the hottest entity in the entire solar system—including the sun’s center. (Photo by Paolo Verzone)

and the precise moment an egg transforms into a chick.

For years, photographer Anand Varma has attempted to document when an egg yolk can still be seen but a bird form has clearly emerged. He experimented by incubating embryos in artificial shells before finally capturing the transformation at 12 days old. Varma separately raised some embryos to chicks, which he donated to people in the community. (Photo by Anand Varma)

A sunflower chimney bee rests on a pillow of velvety ochers in the early evening, likely already snoozing after a long day’s work pollinating plants. This species of bee often nests at the base of sunflowers, moving with commercial farmers as they rotate their crops. (Photo by Karine Aigner)

While each image was selected from hundreds of thousands of images captured in the field this year, the final PICTURES OF THE YEAR collection of the top 25 photos paints a sweeping portrait of a changing world as seen through the lens of Nat Geo’s global network of photographers across more than 20 countries.

“PICTURES OF THE YEAR is a project that is always inspiring and thought-provoking,” said Nathan Lump, editor-in-chief of National Geographic. “Each year, our photographers and editors sift through thousands of images, searching for those rare moments that stop us in our tracks. Individually, these photographs speak to beauty, fragility, and wonder. Taken together, I see a collective sense of urgency — a call to preserve what’s in danger of being lost, as well as a reminder of the poetic beauty to be found in carrying on, in daring to dream of a better future.”

The full selection of National Geographic’s PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2025 is available now at natgeo.com/photos and in the December 2025 issue of National Geographic.

This year’s retrospective also includes behind-the-scenes anecdotes, including the unique process behind photographer Stephen Wilkes’ day-to-night images. Looking forward to that!