End-of-year photo collections are meant to reflect the moments that defined a year, but they also reveal something else: the editorial judgment behind them. That means what is emphasized, what is framed emotionally, and what is left out altogether.

The Associated Press’ selection of its top 100 photos of 2025 offers a telling example. Nearly one-fifth of the images focus on Israel and Gaza, despite the year including a full-scale war in Ukraine, a genocide in Sudan, armed conflict between India and Pakistan, and ongoing violence across multiple regions in Africa and the Middle East.

Quantity alone raises questions. Framing raises even more.