Pictures We Love: June

Portrait of Damage

Photograph by Reed Saxon, AP

The window of a home destroyed in Lake Hughes, California, frames destruction resulting from the Powerhouse fire in early June. The fire destroyed several homes and forced the evacuation of thousands in the area just north of Los Angeles.

Why We Love It

"The window frame brings it home for me. Including something familiar can make photographs of completely alien-looking landscapes, like this scene of devastation after a forest fire, much more understandable and impactful."—Chris Combs, news photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Prayer Preparations

Photograph by Joe Penney, Reuters

Bineta Ndiaye (left), age 22, and Coumba Faye, age 19, prepare to take part in Gamou-Ndande in the village of Ndande, Senegal (map). Gamou-Ndande, an annual Sufi Muslim ceremony, combines nights of praying and chanting with traditionally animist ceremonies.

Why We Love It

"You can tell the photographer framed this composition very carefully, capturing the young woman in the mirror perfectly straight-on while managing to avoid adding himself to the reflection. There is also a nice repetition of geometry in the image, with the angle of the broken mirror mimicking the shapes made by the second young woman's bent arms and legs."—Ben Fitch, associate photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

North Korean Subway

Photograph by Alexander F. Yuan, AP

Commuters ride a subway train at Yonggwang Station ("Glory Station") in North Korea.

Foreign visitors to this high-security nation are usually allowed to use just one branch of North Korea's subway line—the trip from Puhung Station to Yonggwang Station, on the north-south Chollima subway line.

Why We Love It

"Though the outside of the train separates us from the vehicle's passengers, the image lets us imagine what it would feel like to sit among them. The picture looks like a hybrid between a photograph and a painting, and the train's somber, strained atmosphere draws us in."—Alia Wilhelm, photo intern

"The elements combine so perfectly in this shot, you could wrongly assume the situation was set up: the wall mural seen through the train window; the motionless passengers with similar expressions; the muted colors with just the right amount of light to illuminate the people."—Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Book Burn

Photograph by Navesh Chitrakar, Reuters

This aerial photo shows police in Nepal looking through burnt books following a massive fire at a tourist hub in Kathmandu, Nepal (map). Local media reported that flames first sparked in the kitchen of a lounge and bar when a cooking gas cylinder exploded. Flames spread quickly to two other buildings, including a large bookstore.

No deaths were reported, but hundreds of books did suffer from the incident.

Why We Love It

"The overhead shot gives you a sense of how overwhelming the clean-up process will be for the police. The picture is intriguing because its subject matter is not immediately clear; we need to squint at it for a few moments to understand what is going on in the frame."—Alia Wilhelm, photo intern

Published July 2, 2013

Bathing in Beauty

Photograph by Peter Andrews, Reuters

Two women in Warsaw, Poland, enjoy the sun and sand alongside the Vistula River on June 21 as temperatures soared to over 85°F (29°C).

Why We Love It

"It's rare to see an empty beach like this, without hundreds of families and college students covering it inch to inch. The leftover tracks of a Zamboni (we can only assume) creates a textured, graphic-looking background for these two women."—Janna Dotschkal, associate photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Spanish Procession

Photograph by Alvaro Barrientos, AP

Grass carpets a street in Pamplona, Spain, during the annual procession of Corpus Christi. The ancient Catholic tradition ends with a benediction.

Why We Love It

"The orderly outfits with bright white stockings and slippers stand in stark contrast to the crushed damp grass on the cluttered street."—Monica Corcoran, senior photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Record-Breaking Birthday

Photograph by Rebecca Cook, Reuters

Jeralean Talley, a Michigan resident, walks down the aisle of her church during her 114th birthday celebration. Talley is currently the oldest living American, born before the turn of the century in May 1899.

Why We Love It

"This moment is very sweet because it shows how this woman is respected in her community. The photographer framed the image perfectly so that the action happening inside the frame is the focus of the image and not some fancy camera techniques."—Janna Dotschkal, associate photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Dapper Duck

Photograph from AFP/Getty Images

Bystanders in Tianjin, China, are mesmerized by a giant rubber duck floating on a local lake. The popular stunt has resulted in several copycat duck floatings in other locations throughout China, according to news reports.

Why We Love It

"This frame feels like a showdown between the duck and onlookers, thanks to the way the photographer framed it, with the people low down and distant to the duck. I can almost feel the duck creeping closer and closer to the crowd."—Janna Dotschkal, associate photo editor

Published July 2, 2013

Controlled Burn

Photograph by Gary Cameron, Reuters

A mannequin is silhouetted by the glow of a controlled fire demonstration. Photographers snapped photos of the intentionally set flames during a media open house at the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms National Laboratory Center in Maryland.

Why We Love It

"It's amazing to see such a large fire so controlled and confined in an otherwise quiet and undisturbed space. The various domestic props and the headless mannequin add an interesting human element to the image that makes the frame for me."—Ben Fitch, associate photo editor

Published July 2, 2013