Photograph by Brendon Thorne, Getty Images
Police extinguish a flare as soccer fans head to Sydney's Allianz Stadium for a finals match between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners on April 21. The teams faced off as part of Australia's Hyundai A-League, with the Central Coast Mariners claiming victory.
Why We Love It
"Photography is all about light. This photo would not have the same impact without the sunlight filtering through the trees and the smoke. The faces both in shadow and in the red glow of the flare add another element of mystery and hints at revolution." —Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor
"When I look at this photo I see elements of both daytime and nighttime. On the left half of the frame, shafts of bright sunlight cut through the trees. On the right half, the shadows and flare make the image look like it was taken during an evening bonfire." —Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
—Korena Di Roma
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Alexander F. Yuan, AP
Members of the Korean Children's Union chat before a ceremony for inductees at a stadium in Pyongyang (map) on April 12. North Korean schoolchildren are brought into the union as part of a first step into the political structure of the isolated dictatorship, according to the Associated Press.
The ceremony occurred amid political tensions as North Korea, led by Kim Jong Un, continued to threaten missile tests and strikes against the U.S. (Get facts about the notoriously secretive country.)
(The story behind a photographer's popular Instagram feed from North Korea.)
Why We Love It
“I like the way this photographer was paying attention to the quiet moments before the main event.”—Chris Combs, news photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph from AFP/Getty Images
A family gathers for a meal outside their damaged home in rural China on April 22, two days after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Sichuan Province in the country's southwest, killing nearly 200 people. (Pictures: Strong Earthquake Strikes China's Sichuan Province.)
The quake was substantially smaller than a 2008 temblor—measured at 7.9 by the U.S. Geological Survey—that was responsible for nearly 90,000 dead or missing in the province. According to the AP, an initial survey found that no buildings built after that quake collapsed fully last week.
Why We Love It
"This sensitive image is a reminder that the effects of an earthquake linger long after the news coverage winds down." —Chris Combs, news photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Oli Scarff, Getty Images
Feathers fly during a pillow fight in Trafalgar Square in London on April 6. Pillow-wielding pugilists in 140 cities around the world—according to the Boston Herald—gathered to celebrate International Pillow Fight Day.
Why We Love It
“The movement and blur of the falling feathers are what really make this a fun and lighthearted moment. Everything almost appears out of focus, except the one woman right in the center who appears sharp, drawing your eye right to her.”—Adrian Coakley, photo coordinator
“A quick shutter lets us view an intense scene of chaos and action in one playful frame, with the pillows mimicking the shapes and color of the clouds above the fight.”—Ben Fitch, associate photo editor
“Building on what Adrian said, the woman in the center is what makes the shot for me—a frozen moment in a flurry of feathers.”—Alexa Keefe, photography producer
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph from AFP/Getty Images
Bloomed too soon? A sharp decrease in temperature hit northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in early April, causing spring and winter to clash in this garden in Hami (map), pictured here on April 8.
Why We Love It
"Weather can change so quickly, and this ice beautifully preserves and illuminates already fully bloomed flowers. Seasons collide." —Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
"This photo is perplexing—how can something so fragile withstand something as crippling as an ice storm? The blooms are perfectly frozen at their peak, illuminated by the sun." —Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Ammar Awad, Reuters
Samaritans mark Passover with a pilgrimage to Mount Gerizim (map) near the West Bank city of Nablus on April 30. Mount Gerizim is the holy mountain of the Samaritan faith—which shares similarities to Judaism—and is home to about 350 of its fewer than 800 surviving adherents.
Why We Love It
"The calm palette and soft light give the frame a subdued mood, fitting with the solemness of the ancient tradition portrayed." —Ben Fitch, assistant photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Kevin Frayer, AP
Rescuers search for survivors in the concrete rubble of a collapsed building near Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 25. The eight-story building that housed garment factories on its upper floors had collapsed a day earlier. Experts and officials say substandard construction is to blame for the disaster. (Read more about what may have caused the collapse.)
As of May 2, the death toll had reached 433, with another 149 people reported missing by police, according to the AP.
Why We Love It
"The photographer composed this image in a way that really maximizes the depth of the composition, pulling us right into the picture. The outstretched arm in the foreground leads us to the next layer of rescue workers in the middle of the composition and continues to carry us down through the visible levels of the collapsed building. There's really no wasted space in this frame." —Ben Fitch, assistant photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Andy Wong, Pool/AP
It's a wrap for a member of the honor guard at an April 22 welcoming ceremony for U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey in Beijing. The top U.S. military officer met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials during his visit.
Why We Love It
"This image is striking because the guard's face is made almost statuesque by the veil of this huge red flag. The satin fabric floats in such soft, beautiful patterns, and the blood red color is stark against the muted background of greens and browns." —Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph by Mostafa Elshemy, AP
A bus belonging to supporters of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood burns after reportedly being set aflame by antigovernment protesters in Cairo on April 19.
Clashes between Islamists and their opponents left over a hundred injured in the Egyptian capital, according to Reuters. The country has been plagued by violence and political instability since the election of President Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist, last year. (Pictures: Egypt in the Moment.)
Why We Love It
“The burning bus grabs our attention—its vibrancy is amplified by the muted, gray tones of the surrounding space. In the foreground, the protesters' silhouettes add dimension to the frame while also giving the image a sense of movement and chaos." —Ben Fitch, assistant photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Photograph from Reuters
Wearing a protective suit against a new strain of bird flu, a slaughterhouse employee stands next to chickens on a processing production line in Shanghai on April 12. (Pictures: New Bird Flu Hits China.)
The deadly H7N9 virus has killed 24 and infected more than 125 in China, according to the World Health Organization, which described it as "one of the most lethal" flu viruses.
Scientists say that for now the flu is being transmitted only from birds—most probably chickens—to humans, according to Reuters.
Why We Love It
"I love this eerie frame. We're brought into the final, dramatic moment between one unfortunate chicken and its slayer. The intensity is heightened by how the photographer framed the image, leaving out the faces and drawing all focus to the blood-spattered apron and knife." —Ben Fitch, assistant photo editor
"As with a scene from a horror movie that you can't turn away from, the viewer is dragged into this gory situation and leaves splattered with blood." —Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor
Published May 2, 2013
Old vs young, male vs female,the innocent vs the tainted, clean vs
dirty, top vs bottom. Whether intentional or not, the photographer has
captured so many contrasting elements in this picture, leaving the
observer with a lot of information to internalize. What's more: despite
the contrast, the capture is done at the most appropriate time, i.e when
they are united by one activity: communicating (which they all seem to
be doing among themselves) Such a great capture.
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