Alan Taylor

A mother polar bear and her two cubs, in the mouth of an ice cave. (© Sunita Mandal / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

A group of synchronized swimmers pose in a cluster underwater, in a swimming pool. (© Delfina Pignatiello / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

A massive storm cloud shaped like an upside-down funnel looms over farmland on a broad plain. (© David Baxter III / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

In a dim bathroom, a girl crouches on a wet floor, visibly overwhelmed, staring at the window. Water pools around her feet. (© Shaohan Fang / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

Finalists From the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards Professional Competition - The top and shortlisted entries from the 10 categories in this year’s contest for professionals were just announced, selected from more than 430,000 submissions. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A close view of a shrimp perched inside a curling branch of coral (© Seong-Cheol Cho / UPY2026)

A close view of two young seals in shallow water (© Matty Smith / UPY2026)

A close view of the wide-open mouth of a leopard seal, seen underwater (© Sam Blount / UPY2026)

Five or six sperm whales swim very close together towards a shark, seen underwater. (© Ventura Romero / UPY2026)

Winners of the 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest - A collection of honored images from this year’s competition celebrating “photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools.” Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Official Team GB Paralympic photo, with the the crests and everything, and a professional headshot, but it's for "Pickle, A Very Good Girl", who is a black labrador, with a hi-viz harness and a red collar.

Some of you like dogs, in which case you may appreciate that guide dogs of Team GB for the Paralympics get official photos

A soldier in dress uniform stands guard in front decorated military gravestones and a light display. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP / Getty)

A drone hits an apartment building, sending up a ball of flames and smoke. (Gleb Garanich / Reuters)

A woman sits on a log in a snowy forest, posing with a sniper rifle across her lap, and a photograph of herself as a dance teacher at her feet. (Sergei Grits / AP)

A drone flies over a field littered with fiber-optic drone cables. (Francisco Richart Barbeira / NurPhoto / Getty)

Photos: Four Years of War in Ukraine - Constant bombardment and frontline fighting continues, at the cost of many thousands of lives. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A composite image of many snowboarders inside a halfpipe, at varying points in different runs (Hector Vivas / Getty)

An infrared image of a skier racing through a forest gives the trees a reddish color. (Ryan Pierse / Getty)

A motion-blurred pink-hued image of three bobsleigh racers running while pushing their sled. (Ryan Pierse / Getty)

A composite view of 14 different skiers in mid-air, making it appear as if they had all jumped at nearly the same moment. (Hector Vivas / Getty)

Different Views of the Winter Olympics - A collection of creative photographs from this year’s games featuring infrared imaging, vintage cameras, optical filters, digital composites, unusual angles, unexpected subjects, and more. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Four ski racers, seen in mid-air, jumping during a race (Cameron Spencer / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Cross Jump - Youri Duplessis-Kergomard of Team France leads Oliver Davies of Team Great Britain, Terence Tchiknavorian of Team France, & Melvin Tchiknavorian of Team France in Men's Ski Cross 1/8 Finals on Feb 21, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A freestyle skier grinds along the lip of an Olympic halfpipe, kicking up snow. (Patrick Smith / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Shredding the Halfpipe - Benjamin Lynch of Team Ireland competes in the first run of the Men's Freeski Halfpipe Final on day 14 of the 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on February 20, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A white humpback whale calf swims close beside its mother, seen from underwater. (© Jono Allen / World Nature Photography Awards)

Wood chips fly as a woodpecker pecks at a tree trunk. (© Hemin Patel / World Nature Photography Awards)

A giraffe spits out a spray of water that glitters, backlit against a dark background. (© Vaidehi Chandrasekar / World Nature Photography Awards)

A polar bear cub hugs its mother, sitting on floating ice. (© Michael Stavrakakis / World Nature Photography Awards)

Winners of the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards - A collection of some of the top images “highlighting the beauty, fragility, and power of the natural world.” Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

I captured the Andromeda Galaxy with an 8-hour integration time using my Askar FRA500 telescope, ASI2600MC Duo camera, and ZWO AM5N mount.

#astrophotography #astronomy #naturephotography #nature #longexposurephotography #longexposure #andromeda #galaxy #eastcoastkin #photography

A line of very small rounded columns of snow in a backyard, evidence of a trail of paw prints left by a cat earlier.

Inverse paw prints. A while ago, our neighbor's beautiful large cat padded through our backyard after a fluffy snowstorm, leaving a trail of paw prints. The next day it was warm and loose snow melted away, leaving compressed snow columns beneath each paw print behind: a cat-made stalagmite trail.

Three racers carrying skis on their backs run up a set of steps laid into a snow-covered mountain slope. (Rebecca Blackwell / AP)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: An Uphill Battle - From left: Poland’s Iwona Januszyk, China’s Cidan Yuzhen, and Spain’s Maria Costa Díez race up steps during a ski-mountaineering women’s-sprint heat in Bormio, Italy, on February 19, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

An athlete smiles and celebrates, holding an American flag behind them. (Agence Zoom / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: A Golden Smile - Mikaela Shiffrin of Team USA celebrates her gold medal win in Women's Slalom on day twelve of the 2026 Winter Olympics at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on February 18, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Three speed skaters race, seen close together wearing identical uniforms and helmets with mirrored visors. (Guglielmo Mangiapane / Reuters)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: In Pursuit - Lea Sophie Scholz, Josephine Schlörb, and Josie Hofmann of Germany race during the Women's Team Pursuit Final C against Belgium at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 17, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

An antlered deer roars among others, seen at a distance, silhouetted against a red sun. (© Huajin Sun / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

A train rushes past, the background blurred with motion, and a conductor visible inside the train. (© Maciej Lubomski / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

A small fox stands on snowy ground, during a snowstorm. (© Klaus Hellmich / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

A chaotic scene during a festival, where men splash in a river beneath huge torches that send sparks flying. (© Megumi Murakami / Sony World Photography Awards 2026)

Winners of the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition - The top entries in this year’s open contest were just announced, selected from more than 430,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A ski jumper flies through a flurry of snowflakes at night, backlit by a bright light. (Lars Baron / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Snow Jump - Domen Prevc of Team Slovenia jumps through a snow squall during the Men’s super-team final round on day 10 of the Winter Olympics at Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium on February 16, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

People gather at an information booth at the base of a very tall statue of an arm holding a torch, in a photo from 1876. (Sepia Times / Universal Images Group / Getty)

Hundreds of small boats and rowers cluster together in a broad canal in Venice. (Giovanni Battista Brusa / The J. Paul Getty Museum)

A view of downtown Manhattan, including a partially-finished Brooklyn Bridge, from 1876. (Joshua H. Beal / The New York Public Library)

Two portraits of Native Americans, from 1876. (Corbis / Getty)

150 Years Ago in Photos: A Look Back at 1876 - A collection of images showing events and sights from around the world in 1876—the year the United States celebrated its 100th anniversary with the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Biathletes stand side-by-side, rifles raised, during a shooting bout. (Alexander Hassenstein / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: On Target - Vanessa Voigt of Team Germany lines up alongside competitors in the Women's Biathlon 10km Pursuit, shooting at targets on Day 9 of the 2026 Winter Olympic games at Anterselva Biathlon Arena on Feb 15, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

I love this shot - it reminds me of a freeze-frame moment at the very end of a 90s movie. A powerful Tears for Fears song swells as the credits begin to roll...

A skier jumps up, fist held high, smiling, as he climbs atop a podium to receive a gold medal, flanked by the bronze and silver winners. (Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: A Victory Leap. Brazil's gold medalist Lucas Pinheiro Braathen jumps onto the podium flanked by silver and bronze medalists from Switzerland, during the medal ceremony for the men’s giant slalom event on Feb 14, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A crowd looks up as a snowboarder makes a high jump in the dark sky above them. (David Ramos / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Soaring Through the Dark - Yuto Totsuka of Team Japan competes in run three of the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe final on day seven of the 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on February 13, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

cc @dieworkwear.bsky.social

A bearded man wearing a mockup camera on his head and a formal suit adorned with dozens of photographs stands for a photo portrait.

A closer view of a bearded man wearing a mockup camera on his head.

A detail view of the man's trousers, featuring many photo portraits.

A kindred spirit from about 150 years ago: 'Photography Man'. Box camera for a hat, amazing beard, photograph-suit with tails, what's not to love? Untitled, taken between 1865-1880. (Carleton Watkins / The J. Paul Getty Museum) www.getty.edu/art/collecti...

A motorcyclist rides in a caravan with a small dog resting on their handlebars. The dog wears a leather vest, bandana, helmet, and doggles. (Johan Ordonez / AFP / Getty)

A speed skater looks up while celebrating a win. (Joosep Martinson / Getty)

A Seahawks defensive football player grabs the Patriots quarterback to sack him, crushing a Patriots offensive lineman between them. (Matt Slocum / AP)

People in the back of a congressional hearing room stand and raise their hands. (Roberto Schmidt / AFP / Getty)

Photos of the Week: Plum Blossoms, Iron Fireworks, Carnival Queen
A stranded fuel barge in Puerto Rico, a traditional opera ball in Austria, scenes from Super Bowl 60, images from the Winter Olympics, and much more. www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A grim-looking athlete wearing a blue beanie and yellow jacket holds up a gray racing helmet adorned with many images of other athletes. (Robert Michael / DPA / Reuters)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Disqualified for a 'Helmet of Remembrance' - Ukraine's Vladislav Heraskevych shows his helmet, featuring images of Ukrainian athletes killed during Russia's invasion, after he was barred from racing on Feb 12, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

An Olympic athlete sprints on an ice track, bent over, pushing a small sled at the start of a run, legs and arms blurred by motion. (Stefano Rellandini / AFP / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Starting Speed - Austin Florian of Team USA begins a run at a skeleton men's training session at Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d'Ampezzo on February 11, 2026, during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

Three speed skaters slide and fall as they crash into each other at the end of a race, as one other remains standing, crossing the finish line. (Jared C. Tilton / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Wipeout on the Ice - Corinne Stoddard of Team USA, Rika Kanai of Team Japan, and Arianna Sighel of Team Italy crash as Team China’s Wang Xinran crosses the finish line to win a short-track heat on February 10, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A skier, wearing a Swiss flag as a cape, celebrates while mid-jump during a ski run. (Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: A Midair Celebration - Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland, wearing a Swiss flag as a cape, celebrates winning the gold medal in the Women's Freeski Slopestyle Freestyle Skiing event at Livigno Snow Park on Feb 9, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A luge rider races on a curving ice track in a resort town beneath a towering mountain. (Marco Bertorello / AFP / Getty)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Sliding Beneath the Mountain - Pomagagnon, a mountain in the Dolomites, towers above Cortina d'Ampezzo & the Cortina Sliding Center, where Italy's Dominik Fischnaller competes in luge men's singles on Feb 8, 2026. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A close view of an owl looking right at the camera, with its wings and feathers puffed up. (Binnur Ege Gürün Koçak / Anadolu / Getty)

A snowy owl glides over a snow-covered field. (Chi Shiyong / VCG / Getty)

A crow harasses an owl, flying at it with talons out. (Alper Tuydes / Anadolu / Getty)

An owl soars past a tree covered in Spanish moss. (Harry Collins / Getty)

Superb Owl Sunday X - A special Sunday event: our tenth-annual photo collection celebrating these magnificent birds of prey. If you have some time before the big game (or are skipping the event entirely), we invite you to have a look. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

A skier catches some air during a downhill race, followed closely by a camera drone. (Christian Hartmann / Reuters)

Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Drone Chase. A camera drone follows close behind Barnabas Szollos of Team Israel, as he hurtles down the course during the Men’s Downhill in Bormio, Italy, on February 7, 2026, day one of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...