Looking back at our best photographs and illustrations of 2025
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Looking back at our best photographs and illustrations of 2025
Curated by the NBC News Digital Art Department
Dec. 28, 2025
In a year marked by deadly wildfires and floods, the tumultuous start of President Donald Trump’s second administration and wide-scale immigration raids over most of the country, NBC News collaborated with photographers and illustrators across the globe to help tell the most pivotal stories of 2025. We lost Pope Francis and Ozzy Osbourne. We gained a democratic socialist mayor in New York City and we saw the proliferation of AI tools. Through all of it, rodeo contests celebrated 50 years of queerness in U.S. arenas.
Our photographers on the ground captured a presidential military parade in D.C. and thousands of Catholic pilgrims in Vatican City, showed life in an R.V. and poignantly depicted the stories of those abused and ignored by church leaders, correctional officers and Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, our illustrators conceptualized the failures of self-driving cars, Health Secretary RFK Jr’s relationship to raw milk and the trend of spicy lunches at schools. And yes, Gen Z is staring at you.
Not their first gay rodeo: Celebrating 50 years of queer cowfolks
Contestants and line dancers traveled from across the country to the World Gay Rodeo Finals in Reno, Nevada, to celebrate a half-century of gay rodeo.
Photography by Jessie McClary and Allie Leepson
Photo Editors: Zara Katz, Chelsea Stahl and Leila Register
What California families saved before wildfires destroyed their homes: Heirlooms, stuffed animals and more.
From practical items like clothing to sentimental keepsakes like journals, these are the belongings residents grabbed in the few minutes they had to flee.
Photography by Stella Kalinina
Photo Editor: Elise Wrabetz
What California families saved before wildfires destroyed their homes: Heirlooms, stuffed animals and more.
From practical items like clothing to sentimental keepsakes like journals, these are the belongings residents grabbed in the few minutes they had to flee.
Photography by Stella Kalinina
Photo Editor: Elise Wrabetz
Why are you being told to avoid seed oils?
Experts say the worries around seed oils are, in essence, a repackaged wellness fad.
Illustration by Kate Dehler
Art Director: Justine Goode
Why are you being told to avoid seed oils?
Experts say the worries around seed oils are, in essence, a repackaged wellness fad.
Illustration by Kate Dehler
Art Director: Justine Goode
See photos of Trump's military parade as ‘No Kings’ protests take place across the U.S.
Protests in all 50 states coincided with a military parade featuring more than 6,000 soldiers.
Photography by Lawren Simmons
Photo Editor: Chelsea Stahl
See photos of Trump's military parade as ‘No Kings’ protests take place across the U.S.
Protests in all 50 states coincided with a military parade featuring more than 6,000 soldiers.
Photography by Lawren Simmons
Photo Editor: Chelsea Stahl
Texas flood survivors offer mixed reviews of FEMA as the agency awaits uncertain future
The embattled disaster relief agency tackles Texas flood’s aftermath to rebuild a community — and its reputation.
Illustration by Leila Register
Texas flood survivors offer mixed reviews of FEMA as the agency awaits uncertain future
The embattled disaster relief agency tackles Texas flood’s aftermath to rebuild a community — and its reputation.
Illustration by Leila Register
Why won't you help me?' Pregnant women and their babies endure inhumane conditions in jails
Dozens of pregnant women locked up in county jails described excruciating pain, saying their cries for help were ignored as they miscarried or gave birth into cell toilets or on filthy jail floors.
Photography by Annie Flanagan
Photo Editors: Zara Katz, Chelsea Stahl and Elise Wrabetz
Haitian immigrants grapple with uncertainty as TPS end date looms
The decision to end temporary protected status for 500,000 Haitians living in the U.S. may force most of them to return to a country in crisis.
Illustration by Ibrahim Rayintakath
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
The 40-year mission to stop a Pentecostal preacher accused of raping children
Joe Campbell says his calling is to share God’s love, but a group of women say he sexually abused them as girls. An NBC News investigation uncovered decades of missed warnings and failures to act.
Photography by September Dawn Bottoms
Photo Editor: Matt Nighswander
The 40-year mission to stop a Pentecostal preacher accused of raping children
Joe Campbell says his calling is to share God’s love, but a group of women say he sexually abused them as girls. An NBC News investigation uncovered decades of missed warnings and failures to act.
Photography by September Dawn Bottoms
Photo Editor: Matt Nighswander
Tesla's 'self-driving' software fails at train crossings, some car owners warn
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told NBC News that it had spoken to Tesla about mishaps at train crossings.
Illustration by Erik Carter
Art Director: Justine Goode and Chelsea Stahl
Jeffrey Epstein accusers urge Trump to release all the case files and rule out a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon
Six women, along with relatives of prominent Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre, are speaking out as interest in the case returns to Capitol Hill.
Photography by Caroline Gutman
Photo Editor: Elise Wrabetz
Raw milk advocates wonder: Where is Kennedy?
Though the health and human services secretary has been avid fan of raw milk, he hasn’t pushed for changes to federal policies — yet.
Illustration by Erik Carter
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
Priced out of traditional housing, more Americans are living in RVs
Moving into an RV may seem like a way to save money, but it can come with unexpected costs and trap families in a cycle of debt.
Photography by Minh Connors and Stacy Kranitz
Photo Editor: Claudia Hernandez
Dozens of boys say they were abused in a Christian scouting program that vowed to raise godly men
Boys in the Assemblies of God join the Royal Rangers for Bible study and backpacking. But the ministry has also drawn sexual predators, an NBC News investigation found.
Illustration by Leila Register
How a city in Nebraska is recovering after the state's largest worksite immigration raid
Omaha is trying to forge ahead following the raid's chilling effect on the local workforce and the community at large.
Photography by Dan Brouillette
Photo Editor: Shahrzad Elghanayan
Black Men Smile prioritizes Black joy in bleak times
A decade ago, one man made it his mission to promote images of men smiling amid political turmoil #BlackMenSmile became a hashtag with a purpose.
Illustration by Macy Sinreich
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
A moment of profound emotion and reflection': Pope Francis' faithful mourners
A look at some of the hundreds of thousands of Catholics from around the world who flocked to Vatican City to pay their respects to the late pontiff.
Photography by Sam Gregg
Photo Editor: Max Butterworth
Some Americans are shifting their summer plans to avoid tariff price hikes
“The tariffs are making high prices even more unreasonably high,” said one consumer, who opted not to splurge on new clothes this summer.
Illustration by George Wylesol
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
A virtual education company was a lifeline to a rural district. Now they're at war.
What began as an emergency option for New Mexico students during the pandemic has spiraled into dueling lawsuits and drawn government scrutiny.
Photography by Sharon Chischilly
Photo Editor: Vanessa Leroy
A virtual education company was a lifeline to a rural district. Now they're at war.
What began as an emergency option for New Mexico students during the pandemic has spiraled into dueling lawsuits and drawn government scrutiny.
Photography by Sharon Chischilly
Photo Editor: Vanessa Leroy
These leading dental experts say you're probably brushing your teeth wrong
As more places in the U.S. look to ban fluoride in drinking water, it's more important than ever to know the best ways to care for your teeth and gums.
Illustration by Justine Goode
These leading dental experts say you're probably brushing your teeth wrong
As more places in the U.S. look to ban fluoride in drinking water, it's more important than ever to know the best ways to care for your teeth and gums.
Illustration by Justine Goode
Ozzy Osbourne’s last stand
With tears in his makeup-shadowed eyes, Osbourne, the ailing and retiring frontman for Black Sabbath, raged against the twilight of the metal gods.
Photography by Dougie Wallace
Photo Editor: Max Butterworth and Roisin Savage
Schools spice up lunch as students ask for more global foods
Flavors like sriracha and hot honey are increasingly on menus: "The cafeteria is a classroom."
Illustration by Lauren Martin
Art Director: Justine Goode
The next league of their own: Hundreds of women's baseball players try out for the pros
The fledgling Women's Professional Baseball League held tryouts in Washington, D.C., this weekend with Mo'ne Davis, the former Little League World Series star, the biggest name to work out.
Photography by Noah Willman
Photo Editor: Shahrzad Elghanayan and Leila Register
Women's sports bars expected to quadruple across the U.S. in 2025
The boom coincides with the soaring viewership and popularity of professional and college women’s sports.
Illustration by Allie Sullberg
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
Zohran Mamdani details how he'd combat Trump — and where they could work together
The New York mayoral hopeful declined to express confidence in Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and talked about speeding up housing construction.
Photography by Laurel Golio
Photo Editor: Chelsea Stahl and Claudia Hernandez
He hasn't cut his hair in 323 days. His favorite sports team is to blame.
Frank Ilett announced in October he wouldn't trim his locks until Manchester United won five matches in a row. He's still waiting.
Illustration by Leila Register
It's the golden age of 'Josh'
In politics, sports and culture, Joshes are hot. It’s a sign of generational change.
Illustration by Tilde Oyster
Art Director: Chelsea Stahl
After 34 years, a chapter comes to a close for iconic lesbian party The Dinah
Affectionately dubbed "lesbian spring break" by some attendees, the multiday event has brought thousands of queer women to Palm Springs, California, every year.
Photography by Stephanie Noritz
Photo Editor: Justine Goode
Gen Z is staring at you. It may be more than just a quirk.
The “Gen Z stare” is a blank look zoomers give to their elders. It’s the latest intergenerational spat to take over TikTok.
Illustration by Chelsea Stahl
Gen Z is staring at you. It may be more than just a quirk.
The “Gen Z stare” is a blank look zoomers give to their elders. It’s the latest intergenerational spat to take over TikTok.
Illustration by Chelsea Stahl
