NPR member station photographers share memorable photos from 2021

"Photojournalists capture moments of celebration, perseverance and the beauty of everyday life," Brian Munoz, a multimedia reporter at St. Louis Public Radio, says.

We asked photographers from NPR's member stations to contribute memorable images from 2021. They shared stories of grief along with moments of joy.

In another year where the COVID-19 pandemic raged on, vaccines were distributed to Americans, old and young. This year we saw unsettling weather events and natural disasters where communities were fighting off wildfires in California to residents assessing damage after tornadoes struck Missouri.

There were still things that brought joy during this tumultuous year, including graduations, race cars and cowboys. Throughout the images, there is a strong focus on what binds communities together.

"While out creating photographs, I spend time trying to understand people's experiences," Dee Dwyer, a photographer at WAMU in Washington, D.C., says. "My goal is to show all aspects of human life with the primary focus being humanity."

Here is a selection of memorable stories from this year.

Grace Widyatmadja is a photo editing intern at NPR. [Copyright 2021 NPR]