At each year end, readers pour over the moments of the year that changed them, the issues that played out or grew fiercer and the most important voices that shouted insistently above the rest. These moments - of protest, inspiration, love and amazing feats of human existence (whether in adversity or simply in the intrepid spirit of endeavour) - are captured forever thanks to the progression of camera technology and the creative eye that guides them.
Despite 2014 being the year when the selfie reached maximum exposure, and the epitome of self-loving social media - Twitter - hit a zenith with the Queen tweeting for the first time - some eyes were open to the world around them. And because not everyone spends all of their time snapchatting pictures of their genitals to each other that last a few fleeting seconds, or endlessly recycling morally repugnant leaked nude selfies, they captured some incredible shots from some of the year's biggest moments.
And of course, because art isn't always about those explosive moments, they also captured some images that deserve to be remembered for their simple beauty or their incredible silliness.
Behold, another year in which images spoke a thousand million words...
24. Christ The Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer statue is silhouetted against a full moon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, May 13, 2014.