Pictures We Love: Best of August

In the Crossfire

Photograph by Goran Tomasevic, Reuters

A Free Syrian Army fighter fires a rifle from a house in Aleppo, Syria, on August 14. Many cultural monuments throughout Syria have been damaged by shelling, gunfire, and ongoing violence.

(Related: "Pictures: Syrian Cultural Sites Damaged by Conflict.")

Why We Love It

"The contrast between the tense, poised sniper and the legs crossed fighter eating candy on the couch makes me want to know more about this moment. The lush drapes, the chandelier, and the slipcovers give a sense of what this room was and not what it is-a bunker and flophouse for fighters."—Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

That's Gonna Hurt

Photograph by Francisco Javier Torrent Andres, VWP/Zuma Press

An extreme closeup shows a female wasp's stinger, which is actually a modified egg-laying organ.

Though wasps are avoided by most people, they're actually beneficial: Nearly every pest insect on Earth is preyed upon by a wasp species, either for food or as a host for its parasitic larvae.

(See "'Zombie' Roaches Lose Free Will Due to Wasp Venom.")

Why We Love It

"The strong 'leading line' helps guide the eye through all of the rich texture of this picture."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Battling the Blaze

Photograph by Pedro Armestre, AFP/Getty Images

A volunteer firefighter combats a wildfire in Spain's Guadalajara Province on August 11.

A heat wave throughout Spain contributed to several wildfires that scorched several thousand acres of forests, grasslands, and farmlands and killed at least two, according to UPI.

(See wildfire pictures.)

Why We Love It

"This calm moment must have seemed surreal in the aftermath of a wildfire. The lighting is almost cinematic."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Through the Glass

Photograph by Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP/Getty Images

Members of the punk band Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (left), Maria Alyokhina (center), and Yekaterina Samutsevich, sit inside a glass enclosure during a court hearing in Moscow on August 8.

The women, who are charged with hooliganism for staging a "punk prayer" against Russian President Vladimir Putin, were due to deliver final statements on the last day of their trial, according to Agence France-Presse.

Why We Love It

"I love how unfazed the band members are sitting in their glass cage. Neither they nor the rumpled, expressionless guards look to be much of a threat. What are they all thinking?"—Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Big Splash

Photograph by Francois Xavier Marit, AFP/Getty Images

China's Qiu Bo competes in the men's 10-meter platform preliminary round during the diving event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 10. (See "Pictures: London Leaps Hurdles in Green Olympic Games Bid.")

Why We Love It

"The unusual camera angle makes for quite an eye-catching image."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Heads Up

Photograph from AFP/Getty Images

A squirrel stuck in a manhole cover pokes out of a street in Isernhagen, Germany, on August 5. The squirrel was rescued and set free by the police after several attempts using olive oil failed, according to Agence France-Presse.

(See squirrel pictures.)

Why We Love It

"A disembodied head of a squirrel—what's not to like? Plus, any rescue attempt that uses olive oil deserves some recognition."—Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor

"Good for a double-take! I'm glad the story ended well."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Mummy Ritual

Photograph by Yusuf Ahmad, Reuters

Family members hold up a mummy before giving it new clothes during a ritual in the Toraja district of Indonesia's South Sulawesi Province on August 23.

The ritual, called Ma'nene, involves changing the clothes of mummified ancestors every three years to honor the deceased. Locals believe dead family members are still with them, even if they died hundreds of years ago, a family spokesperson told Reuters.

(See "Pictures: Death-Cult Mummies Inspired by Desert Conditions?")

Why We Love It

"The family members appear so comfortable and at ease beside their long-lost relative, who doesn't look half bad for his age. This image is a great example of how a ritual that may seem shocking and even frightening to some is merely a tradition for others."—Ben Fitch, associate photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Making Hay

Photograph by Michael Buholzer, Reuters

Farmer Kari Gisler carries a bundle of hay on a steep hillside in the Swiss village of Flueelen on August 20.

The tradition of wild haying in central Switzerland dates back around two hundred years and is practiced from mid July until mid September on higher terrain that can't be easily reached with animals, according to Reuters.

(See blog post: "66 Tips to Swiss Bliss.")

Why We Love It

"Quite the setting! I imagine that it was challenging to compose an interesting photograph of hay-gathering while on the side of a mountain."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

Girl in Red

Photograph from Reuters

An ethnic Uighur girl poses at her home in Hetian, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, on August 20.

Why We Love It

"She seems older than her age. The spare background with interesting but muted details adds to the sense of her being collected and mature."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published August 31, 2012

See More Pictures We Love

Photograph by Xiao Yijiu, Xinhua/Zuma Press

Published August 31, 2012