Powerful Pictures

I'd like to fancy myself as one who holds his own opinions about things. That's why I get queasy come time for end-of-the-year top-N lists. On one end, I feel like I'm allowing myself to be quasi-brainwashed by other people, but on the other end, some of these toplists are so amazing.

Fortunately, there are the lists of the "top" photographs--beau

tiful and powerful and beyond ranking. Once you view them, whether or not something should be in the top ten seems so inane.

Here are some of my favorite collections and selections:

Boston.com: The Year 2008 in Photographs -- One of the most amazing collections of photographs I have ever seen.

TIME Pictures of the Year 2008 -- With an obvious emphasis on news events.

The Sydney Morning Herald Pictures of the Year -- Music to go with the pictures, too.

Pixcetera People's Choice Awards -- Generally much more lighthearted than the previous three, but there are some repeats.