Over the last year, we’ve shared some of the best photos from all across the world. As 2016 winds down, we’re compelled to take a look back at the past 12 months and revisit the best of the best. With countless photographers constantly documenting every corner of the world, we’ve had a great year for a wide variety of stunning images. That includes everything from breathtaking landscapes and poetic portraits to heartwarming scenes and unforgettable moments.
It’s been difficult to choose, but we’ve compiled a list of 50 breathtaking examples. Each one caught our attention and earned a spot in remembering 2016 for what it was. It may have been a year filled with political discourse, laced with issues concerning social and cultural equality, but photography can help us unlock the many layers that define a year. Looking back at the past 12 months, we’ve had a wonderful abundance of celebration, heartwarming encounters, natural awe, and delightful moments of happenstance.
![best photos nicholas steinberg](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-1.jpg)
Photo credit: Nicholas Steinberg
![best photos darian volkova](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-2.jpg)
Photo credit: Darian Volkova
![best photos anthony lau](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Anthony-Lau.jpg)
Photo credit: Anthony Lau
![best photos laura zalenga](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-4.jpg)
Photo credit: Laura Zalenga
![best photo hiroki inoue](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Hiroki-Inoue.jpg)
Photo credit: Hiroki Inoue
![best photos alexandra bochkareva](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Alexandra-Bochkareva.jpg)
Photo credit: Alexandra Bochkareva
![best photos anne geier](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Anne-Geier.jpg)
Photo credit: Anne Geier
![best photos jess findlay](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-3.jpg)
Photo credit: Jess Findlay
![best photos alex bolen rainbow baby](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Alex-Bolen-rainbow-baby.jpg)
Photo credit: Alex Bolen
![best photos casey christopher](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Casey-Christopher.jpg)
Photo credit: Casey Christopher
![best photos charlie hamilton james](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Charlie-Hamilton-James.jpg)
Photo credit: Charlie Hamilton James
![best photos audun rikardsen](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Audun-Rikardsen-whale.jpg)
Photo credit: Audun Rikardsen
![best photos danny yen sin wong](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-5.jpg)
Photo credit: Danny Yen Sin Wong
![best photos mike mezeul](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-6.jpeg)
Photo credit: Mike Mezeul II
![best photos lorenz holder](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-7.jpg)
Photo credit: Lorenz Holder
![best photos Francesco Cattuto drone 2016](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/francesco-cattuto-drone-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Francesco Cattuto
![best photos sergey polyushko](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Sergey-Polyushko-animal-portraits.jpg)
Photo credit: Sergey Polyushko
![best photos vadim stein](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/vadim-stein-bodies-in-motion.jpg)
Photo credit: Vadim Stein
![best photos pete souza white house obama 2016](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/pete-souza-white-house-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Pete Souza
![best photos janet wheeland](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Janet-Wheeland.jpg)
Photo credit: Janet Wheeland Photography
![best photos kacper kowalski](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Kacper-Kowalski.jpg)
Photo credit: Kacper Kowalski
![best photos mike kelley](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Mike-Kelley.jpg)
Photo credit: Mike Kelley
![best photos peter adams shawn ringscapes](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Peter-Adams-Shawn-ringscapes.jpg)
Photo credit: Peter Adams Shawn
![best photos elia locardi](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-8.jpg)
Photo credit: Elia Locardi
![best photos brandon li](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-10.jpg)
Photo credit: Brandon Li
![best photos nyc dance project](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-11.jpg)
Photo credit: NYC Dance Project
![best photos anup shah the mara](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Anup-Shah.jpg)
Photo credit: Anup Shah
![best photos christian vieler](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-photos-2016-12.jpg)
Photo credit: Christian Vieler
![best photos gabriel Scanu](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Gabriel-Scanu-11.jpg)
Photo credit: Gabriel Scanu
![best photos](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Rf3NtB1kwIY4DpVBz2CN_nat_geo_contest10.jpeg)
Photo credit: Takeshi Marumoto
![best photos sergey pnoomarev](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/World-Press-Photo-Contest-2016-1.jpg)
Photo credit: Sergey Ponomarev / New York Times
![best photos john j. kim](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/World-Press-Photo-Contest-2016-3.jpg)
Photo credit: John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune
![best photos rania mater](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Rania-Mater-Invisible-Children-1.jpg)
Photo credit: Rania Mater
![best photos ben youssef](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Ben-Youssef-National-Geographic-Travel.jpg)
Photo credit: Ben Youssef
![best photos omar z. robles](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Omar-Robles-Cuba.jpg)
Photo credit: Omar Robles
![best photos mark cowan caimain butterflies](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/cowancaiman1.jpg)
Photo credit: Mark Cowan
![best photos tamara lischka](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-tamara-lischka.jpg)
Photo credit: Tamara Lischka
![best photos greg lecoeur](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Greg-Lecoeur-NGNP-Grand-Prize-Action1-1.jpg)
Photo credit: Greg Lecoeur
![best photos Santiago Borja](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Santiago-Borja.jpg)
Photo credit: Santiago Borja
![best photos pieter henket](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/pieterhenketrainbowdress5.jpg)
Photo credit: Pieter Henket
![best photos andrea sierra](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AndreaSierra2.jpg)
Photo credit: Gerardo Garmendia Photography
![best photos samira qadir](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/samira-qadir-moving-at-a-snail%E2%80%99s-pace.jpeg)
Photo credit: Samira Qadir
![best photos tim laman](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/best-of-2016-photos-Tim-Laman.jpg)
Photo credit:
![best photos Giuseppe Mario Famiani the power of nature 2016](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/famiani-the-power-of-nature-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Giuseppe Mario Famiani
![best photos Jacob Ehrbahn Refugee Stream 2016](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Jacob-Ehrbahn-refugee-stream-2016.jpeg)
Photo credit: Jacob Ehrbahn
![best photos Antonius Andre Tjiu Floating Market 2016](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Antonius-Andre-Tjiu-floating-market-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Antonius Andre Tjiu
![best photos Laura Barnett](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Laura-Barnett-Harvest-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Laura Barnett
![best photos erica wu](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/erica-wu-iphone-awards.jpg)
Photo credit: Erica Wu
![best photos Amin Abedini](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Amin-Abedini-Nasir-Al-Molk-Mosque-of-Colors-2016.jpg)
Photo credit: Amin Abedini
![best photos kristina makeeva](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/kristina-makeeva-moscow.jpg)
Photo credit: Kristina Makeeva