Each year, more and more people are able to tune into major world events from their own homes. Photojournalists are tasked with creating unforgettable images that make an immediate impact, provide crucial visual context, and remain as unbiased as possible. Photographs are often our first and longest impression of a news event—we see the image before the headline as we scan our social media feeds, and images can be disseminated faster than journalists can write. Long after we’ve forgotten the details of a particular feature, the feeling of a powerful image remains.

This year, images of Hong Kong protestors have become emblematic of the fight for autonomy under increasingly dystopian settings. Photographs of Notre-Dame and the Amazon burning triggered ardent international attention. And young girls saw the best gymnast in the world perform history-making routines at the United States and world championships. These 10 images represent the most powerful photojournalism moments of 2019.



