TIME’s Best Photojournalism of 2014

2 minute read

In 2014, TIME’s commitment to photojournalism remained as strong as ever, as the magazine assigned photographers to stories all across the U.S. and in Afghanistan, Brazil, Burma, Central African Republic, Finland, Gaza, Hong Kong, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, the Phillipines, Syria and Ukraine among many other countries.

From the gruesome civil war in Central African Republic to the geopolitical conflict in Ukraine, the devastation in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis in Syria, TIME’s photographers were on the front lines of a particularly violent year, bringing back some of the most compelling images produced over the past 12 months.

There were lighter moments, though, when TIME sent Magnum photographer Alex Majoli on the set of Mad Men, or when Christopher Morris documented this year’s U.S. mid-term elections. And there were moments of hope, as well, when Elinor Carucci of Institute followed the difficult and emotional first days of a premature infant.

2014 also marked James Nachtwey’s 30th anniversary as a contract photographer for TIME. This year, the celebrated photographer recorded the plight of Syrian refugees in Jordan and of Rohingya Muslims in Burma. He also witnessed the incredible resilience of protesters in Hong Kong, and the unwavering strength of injured U.S. soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland — proving once more that he remains one of today’s best photojournalists.

No one knows what 2015 will bring — many of this year’s conflicts remain unresolved — but there’s no doubt that these talented photographers and many others like them, will be reporting back.

Read next: TIME Picks the Top 10 Photos of 2014

Zaatari Camp, in Jordan, run by UNHCR for refugees from war in Syria.Daily bread ration supplied by WFP. Photograph by James Nachtwey.
December 2013. Za'atari refugee camp, Jordan. Syrian boys carry their daily bread ration supplied by the World Food Programme. From "Syrian Refugees by James Nachtwey"James Nachtwey for TIME
Zaatari Camp, in Jordan, run by UNHCR for refugees from war in Syria.Newly arrived refugees outside UNHCR compound waiting to receive basic living materials.Photograph by James Nachtwey.
December 2013. Za'atari refugee camp, Jordan. Recently arrived refugees in Za'atari wait in line to receive basic goods from UNHCR. From "Syrian Refugees by James Nachtwey"James Nachtwey for TIME
Zaatari Camp, in Jordan, run by UNHCR for refugees from war in Syria.Standing on high ground of earthen embankment surrounding camp searching for clearest mobile phone signal to call Syria.Photograph by James Nachtwey.
December 2013. Za'atari refugee camp, Jordan. Residents of the camp search for a clear cell-phone signal to call Syria. From "Syrian Refugees by James Nachtwey"James Nachtwey for TIME
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Jan. 25, 2014. Riot police keep a fire hose aimed at protesters continuously during rioting on Hrushevskoho Street in central Kiev. Freezing temperatures creates a dramatic landscape of fire and ice. From Fire and Ice in Kiev: Ross McDonnell on Ukraine’s Front Line"Ross McDonnell
Central African Republic-Bangui-A Christian man is destroying burn out cars in rage, next to a looted mosque that was set on fire earlier, in the capital Bangui.
Dec. 10, 2013. A Christian man destroys burnt out cars in rage next to a looted mosque in Bangui, Central African Republic. From "Witness to Collapse: William Daniels in Central African Republic"William Daniels—Panos
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January 11, 2014. Midwife Norina Malate delivers Analyn Pesado's baby on the side of a road outside Tacloban in the Philippines. Typhoon Hayien hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013, killing six thousand people and affecting 14 million others, destroying their homes and displacing families. There are currently over 250,000 pregnant women in the affected area, with much of the medical infrastructure destroyed. From "A Roadside Birth in the Philippines: Lynsey Addario’s Remarkable Photos"Lynsey Addario—Getty Images Reportage
This panoramic photograph from the top of New York City's One World Trade Center was taken with a camera attached to a 13-ft.-long aluminum arm projecting from the spire. It's made up of 567 images taken over the course of five hours. Experience the view from One World Trade Center with TIME's exclusive interactive panorama.From "1 World Trade Center: TIME's View From The Top of NYC"Jonathan D. Woods and Michael Franz for TIME
USA. Los Angeles, 2014. On the set of madmen (7th season).
Vincent Kartheiser (left), Elisabeth Moss (center) and Jon Hamm (right) take a break on the set of Mad Men. From "‘Mad Men’ Up Close: Photos From the Set of the Celebrated Show"Alex Majoli—Magnum for TIME
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March 25, 2014. Afghans line up for voter registration in Kabul. That morning, a deadly Taliban attack occurred at a nearby election-commission office.From "And Women Shall Lead: Lynsey Addario on the New Face of Afghanistan"Lynsey Addario—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
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March 27, 2014. Afghan women leave a rally for presidential hopeful Zalmai Rassoul. From "And Women Shall Lead: Lynsey Addario on the New Face of Afghanistan"Lynsey Addario—Getty Images Reportage for TIME
Miley Cyrus, "The Bangerz Tour"  at the Verizon Center in Washington DC.
Miley Cyrus performs during "The Bangerz Tour" at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. From TIME's "The 100 Most Influential People." May 5 - May 12, 2014 issue.Christopher Morris—VII for TIME
Approximately 24 hours after 2 landslides buried over 2000 residents of Argo district in the mountainous northeastern state of Badakhshan under hundreds of feet of mud. The first landslide buried some 300 homes and those who had been inside or on the streets at the time as well as those attending a wedding party. The second landslide struck as villagers attempted to rescue those trapped - digging with shovels and their bare hands. Today - Saturday - rescuers called off a search for survivors due to a lack of heavy machinery required for the massive task. Mohammad Karim Khalili, one of Afghanistan’s two Vice Presidents along with a handful of ministers travelled from Kabul to pay their respects at the site of the landslide today. Saturday 3 May, 2014. Photo by Andrew Quilty / Oculi for TIME. Men from the village look over the site of the landslide from a mound of mud that made it's way up the adjacent side of the valley. Saturday 3 May, 2014. Photo by Andrew Quilty / Oculi for TIME.
May 3, 2014. At least 2,100 people are presumed dead after two catastrophic landslides buried hundreds of homes in the Argo district in the mountainous northeastern state of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Men from the village look over the site of the landslide from a mound of mud that made it's way up the adjacent side of the valley. From "Hopes for Survivors Fade After Afghan Landslide"Andrew Quilty—Oculi for TIME
Local citizens burned trolleybus, bus, marshrutky in the centre of the city during the attack of the Ukrainian army to block the passage of the vehicle to the city executive office. Kramatorsk, May 3
May 3, 2014. Local citizens gather near destroyed vehicles that were burned by pro-Russian separatists in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine. From "This is War." May 19, 2014 issue.Maxim Dondyuk for TIME
David, an infant born at 28 weeks gestation, is seen in an incubator at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. From "Meeting Baby David: Elinor Carucci’s Powerful Portraits of Preemies"Elinor Carucci for TIME
Homs Syria May 12 2014Residents return to devastated Homs to salvage what remainsThe people of central Homs came to salvage what remained of their belongings and homes after years of conflict and siege after government troops entered the neighborhoods as part of an agreement that granted rebel fighters safe exit from the city.
May 12, 2014. Once filled with cafés and shops, the Qabaris neighborhood in the Old City area of Homs has been reduced to rubble. From "Syrians Return to Devastation in Homs"Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME
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May 12, 2014. In the wake of a cease-fire, residents of Homs reclaim belongings from their devastated homes. From "Syrians Return to Devastation in Homs"Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME
More than two years of war has destroyed the once-thriving middle-class neighborhood of Qabaris, in the Old City area of Homs. May 13, 2014.
May 13, 2014. More than two years of war has destroyed the once-thriving middle-class neighborhood of Qabaris, in the Old City area of Homs.From "Syrians Return to Devastation in Homs"Yuri Kozyrev—NOOR for TIME
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JUNE 2014: Carlos Henrique do Nascimento, 46, is known as Caíque. He is a bricklayer and goes to all the games Vasco play. Caíque is reputed to bring luck to the team. Vasco is his religion. He goes to all the games with a banner that reads ‘faith’ and the leaves of a rue plant that many people in Brazil believe brings luck. (Photo by Sebastián Liste/ Reportage by Getty Images)
Rio de Janeiro. June, 2014. At every game played by Rio club Vasco da Gama, Carlos Henrique do Nascimento carries a placard that reads faith and a plant that some fans believe brings luck. From "Football Comes Home." June 23, 2014 International issue.Sebastian Liste—NOOR
Rohingye people, a Muslim population, living in Rakhine State on the northwest coast of Burma have been restricted to their villages and placed in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps by the Burmese government. They have been the victims of persecution and communal violence by numbers of the Buddhist majority in Rakhine. International NGO's such as MSF have been expelled by the government, leading to a soaring crisis in health care.Photograph by James Nachtwey.
Abdul Kadir, 65, who has a severe stomach ailment and malnutrition, is cared for by his wife in one of the camps. More than 140,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have been forced to live in camps, where disease and despair have taken root.From "The Rohingya, Burma’s Forgotten Muslims by James Nachtwey"James Nachtwey for TIME
Rohingye people, a Muslim population, living in Rakhine State on the northwest coast of Burma have been restricted to their villages and placed in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps by the Burmese government. They have been the victims of persecution and communal violence by numbers of the Buddhist majority in Rakhine. International NGO's such as MSF have been expelled by the government, leading to a soaring crisis in health care. Brick kilns operated by Rohingya IDP's. Workers are IDP's. Adults are paid 2,000 kyat per day for about 10m hours of work. Children are paid 1,000 kyat per day. Children in photos are from age 6 to 8 and the oldest is 14.Photograph by James Nachtwey.
Workers at a brick kiln are seen tossing bricks. More than 140,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have been forced to live in camps, where disease and despair have taken root.From "The Rohingya, Burma’s Forgotten Muslims by James Nachtwey"James Nachtwey for TIME
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The remains of a passenger on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that was shot over eastern Ukraine, July 17, 2014. From "Malaysia Airlines Ukraine Crash: ‘Unreal’ Scenes from Photographer Jerome Sessini"Jerome Sessini—Magnum
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Sinjar Mountains, Iraq. August 12, 2014. A wounded man is carried away from an Iraqi air force helicopter that crashed shortly after takeoff during a rescue mission.From "Tragedy on Mount Sinjar"Moises Saman—Magnum for TIME
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Sinjar Mountains, Iraq. August 12, 2014. Yezidi women stranded in the Sinjar Mountains wait for the arrival of a rescue helicopter.From "Tragedy on Mount Sinjar"Moises Saman—Magnum for TIME
Demonstraters during clashes with police that erupted folwoing a mostly peacful protest at 12:30 AM on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014 in Furguson, MO.Photograph by ANDREW CUTRAROÑREDUX FOR TIMEIssue Date: September 1, 2014 / U.S. Edition / Volume 184 / Number 8*FINAL *LOW RESFROM SHOOT* RETOUCHED FILE* Please contact photographer for usage
Demonstraters protest the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown by police, during clashes with police that erupted following a mostly peacful protest early on Aug 20, 2014 in Furguson, Mo.Andrew Cutraro—Redux for TIME
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Kaapo, a nine year old Great Dane from Finland, meets performers from the Helsinki dance group High Heels backstage during the first day of the 2014 World Dog Show on Friday, August 8th, 2014, in Helsinki, Finland.From "Hounds of Helsinki: Behind the Scenes of the 2014 World Dog Show"Landon Nordeman for TIME
Japan, Okuma, 2014. Inside the Central Control Room for Reactor 1 and 2 which both had a meltdown and exploded after the earthquake and tsunami hit the east coast of japan in 2011.
The abandoned control room for Reactors 1 and 2, both of which overheated and suffered meltdowns, Fukushima, Japan, June 3, 2014. Dominic Nahr for TIME
Japan, Namie, 2014A dozen cow remains are dumped into a large pit along side almost two thousand cow carcasses inside the 20km exclusion zone only a few kilometres from the stricken nuclear plant.
Japan, Namie, 2014. A dozen cow remains are piled in a large pit among thousands of other cow carcasses buried inside the exclusion zone a few kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.From "See Inside Fukushima's Lethal Reactor"Dominic Nahr
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Oct. 4, 2014. A young woman pauses to read messages of encouragement, thoughts, and demands left by protesters near the government offices in Hong Kong. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators have occupied central Hong Kong for nine days now. The unprecedented protests continue as the government and demonstrators remain in a stalemate. From "A New Generation Speaks." October 20, 2014 issue.James Nachtwey for TIME
Gaza Strip, Gaza City: Relatives of four boys, all from the Bakr family, killed by Israeli naval bombardment, mourn during their funeral in Gaza City, on July 16, 2014. . ALESSIO ROMENZI
Relatives of four boys from the Bakr family, mourning at their funeral in Gaza City, July 16, 2014. From "'Caught in the Crossfire': Shocking Photographs from Gaza"Alessio Romenzi
Wounded American service members in rehab at Walter Reed Hospital. Wayne Waldon, Army Capt., retired - leg amputee. Rock climb. Cedric King, Army Master Sergeant - bilateral leg amputee. Swimming pool. Stephanie Morris, Army E4 - external leg prosthetic. Adam Hartswick, Army Sergeant - bilateral amputee. Video monitor therapy.by James Nachtwey
In August 2012, Cedric King woke up at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland to his mother and wife beside his bed. Both his legs had been amputated. A week before, King was on a combat patrol in an explosive-making factory in Afghanistan when insurgents attacked. While trying to get his fellow soldiers to safety, King stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED), which immediately threw him out into the air and blew his legs off.From "8 Remarkable Photos of U.S. Veterans Readjusting to Life After War"James Nachtwey for TIME
Schoolchildren head to class at the Sobhi Abu Karsh School in the Shujai'iya neighborhood of Gaza, Oct. 20, 2014.Peter van Agtmael—Magnum
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Nov. 4, 2014. Winning campaign Supporters gather at a hotel in Louisville, Ky., to celebrate Mitch McConnell’s victory. From "GOP Wave: How Mitch McConnell Won the Day." November 17, 2014 issue.Christopher Morris—VII for TIME
CHINPALCINGO, MEXICO - 31 OCTOBER 2014:Holding portraits of the missing students in Chinpalcingo Zocalo (Main Square) while a woman sell ballons for the Dia de los Muertos. Chilpancingo de los Bravo is the capital of Guerrero State and is located just 14 km from the Raul Isidro Burgos de Ayotzinapa College. This city is the head of the demonstrations against the government for the lack of proof and responsibilities for the 43 disappeared students on September 26th in Iguala.
Portraits of 43 missing students allegedly abducted and killed by a drug gang, aided by corrupt police officers, in Mexico’s Southern Guerrero state. hang in the main square of Chilpancingo de los Bravo, the capital of Guerrero State where the drug cartels operate with impunity, Oct. 31, 2014.Sebastian Liste—NOOR for TIME
Ferguson Police Protester Dasha Jones
Dasha Jones, 19, is arrested for unlawful assembly during a protest ahead of the grand jury decision in the case against Darren Wilson, who shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, outside the Ferguson Police Department in Ferguson, Mo. on the evening of Nov. 20, 2014.Barrett Emke

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