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Nat Geo drops stunning photos for 2024 ‘Pictures of the Year’: See the images

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Nat Geo drops stunning photos for 2024 ‘Pictures of the Year’: See the images

The end of the year is (almost) upon us and National Geographic is wrapping up 2024 with its annual “Picture of the Year” issue featuring photographers’ most breathtaking and culturally relevant photos from around the world.

“Pictures of the Year is one of my favorite things that we do all year,” National Geographic Editor-in-Chief Nathan Lump told USA TODAY. “It’s more than just a collection of great images, it’s a reflection of everything National Geographic embodies: curiosity, exploration, and a commitment to illuminating the beauty and complexity of our world.”

The magazine, on Tuesday, revealed its top selections chosen from stories they assigned to photographers working across the globe in 2024 for the fifth annual year-end retrospective. The final 20 photos were narrowed down from a pool of 2.3 million − 300,000 more than in 2023, Lump said, adding that Nat Geo’s “dedicated team carefully reviewed” all the photos with a singular goal: “to find shots that are visually compelling and that tell interesting and important stories that will spark curiosity in our audience.”

“The final 20 images serve as a reminder of photography’s ability to illuminate, provoke, and foster a deeper connection with the world around us,” Lump said.

Lump said this year’s selection stands out with regards to “its dual power as both a mirror and a lens − showing us the world as it is while offering a glimpse into what it could be.”

Describing the images as “visually arresting” and “deeply thought-provoking,” Lump said the photographs “tell stories of resilience and bravery in the face of change, innovation and adaptation that addresses challenges, and the enduring power of observation and documentation.”

Lump hopes the collection “yields a greater understanding of the world” and inspires audiences to “want to learn more.”

“Whether it’s a penguin jumping from a 50-foot cliff to take its first swim or the awe-inspiring sight of a volcano erupting at night or a group of scientists exploring a cave in Africa, each of these photographs has a real story to tell about the planet and what we are learning about it,” Lump said. “For me, these images serve as a reminder of just how incredible our world is, and how much we need to cherish and preserve it.”

See: National Geographic’s ‘Pictures of the Year’ 2024

Here are just a few of the compelling images highlighted in National Geographic, photographed by Rena Effendi, Peter Fisher, Bertie Gregory, Matthieu Paley and John Stanmeyer.

View the full collection at NatGeo.com/Photos or in National Geographic’s December issue.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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