After the positive reception from last year’s Top 50 ‘Pictures of the Day’ for 2011, the Sifter promised to highlight the top 25 ‘Pictures of the Day‘ at the end of every quarter, eventually culminating in an epic Top 100 for 2012.

That time has come! Below are the top 100 POTDs for 2012. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to check out the site. May you continue to be inspired, educated and entertained by our beautiful planet and all that inhabit it.

*Please note the photographs themselves were not necessarily taken in 2012, they just happened to be featured as a POTD this year. The pictures are also listed in reverse chronological order. There is no ranking amongst the photos 🙂

Enjoy! And stay Sifty my friends

 

100. CHICAGO FROM AFAR

 

Photograph by Robert Elves on Flickr

 

 

99. THE ROLLER COASTER
SUBMERGED BY SANDY

 

Photograph by Stephen Wilkes | Prints available

 

 

98. A DESERT OASIS IN LIBYA

 

Photograph by George Steinmetz

 

 

97. SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT AT NIGHT

 

Photograph by Andrew Choy

 

 

96. THE ALPINISTS

 

Photograph by Jakub Polomski on 500px

 

 

95. INSIDE THE OLD METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

 

Photograph via The Natioanl Archives and Records Administration

 

 

94. THE POWER OF AN ORANGE

 

Photograph by Caleb Charland

 

 

93. TITANIC’S ENGINES UNDERWATER

 

COPYRIGHT© 2012 RMS TITANIC, INC; Produced by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

 

 

92. SUNRISE OVER LONDON’S
TOWER BRIDGE

 

Photograph by Jason Pope

 

 

91. THE WHITE WHALE

 

Photograph by Dan Fisher

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

90. NUGGET POINT LIGHTHOUSE,
NEW ZEALAND

 

Photograph by Scott Robertson

 

 

89. VINTAGE NEW YORK, 1935

 

Photograph by Berenice Abbott

 

 

88. OUR SUN ERUPTS

 

Photograph by NASA/GSFC/SDO

 

 

87. THE EYE OF THE DRAIN

 

Photograph by Liammm on Reddit

 

 

86. SNOWMOBILING
THE NORWAY-SWEDEN BORDER

 

Photograph by haqbar on Reddit

 

 

85. A CABIN THAT FLOATS

 

Photograph by Marcus Peabody

 

 

84. THE SLEEPING GODDESS

 

Photograph by The Lost Gardens of Heligan

 

 

83. A TINY HERMIT CRAB CLOSE-UP

 

Photograph by sleepychinchilla on Flickr

 

 

82. PURPLE HAZE OVER EDINBURGH CASTLE

 

Photograph by Scott Hutcheson (SMHutch Photography on Flickr)

 

 

81. THE COCONUT OCTOPUS

 

Photograph by Mario Neumann (scuba.hamburg on Flickr)

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

80. A CLOUD ILLUMINATED BY LIGHTNING

 

Photograph by Mike Jones (mrjones131 on Flickr)

 

 

79. A TINY RIVER HOUSE IN SERBIA

 

Photograph by Irene Becker for National Geographic

 

 

78. A SUBMARINE SURFACES THROUGH ARCTIC ICE

 

Photograph by Tiffini M. Jones, U.S. Navy

 

 

77. A WALL OF FALL

 

Photograph by Eric Forey (Kala___ on Flickr) | Prints Available

 

 

76. AN AIRPLANE CROSSES THE MOON

 

Photograph by Chris Thomas

 

 

75. THE RED ZONE AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

 

Photograph by Elia Locardi on Google+ | blamethemonkey.com

 

 

74. ONE TRIPPY PROFILE PIC

 

Photograph via persnicketypoop on Reddit

 

 

73. LIONESSES AT THE WATERING HOLE

 

Photograph by Ranger Chad Cocking of the Motswari Private Game Reserve

 

 

72. DEATH BEGETS LIFE

 

Photograph by Ireena Worthy on Flickr

 

 

71. MOUNT FUJI FROM ABOVE

 

Photograph via news.mydrivers.com

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

70. SKYDIVING INTO BURNING MAN

 

Photograph via opi8 on Reddit

 

 

69. THE ONLY AMERICAN NOT ON EARTH ON SEPT 11

 

Photograph by NASA

 

 

68. THE VENEZUELAN POODLE MOTH

 

Photograph by Arthur Anker on Flickr

 

 

67. THE PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER

 

Photograph by David Kingham on Flickr | Prints Available

 

 

66. AN X-RAY OF A STINGRAY

 

Photograph by Ken Jones

 

 

65. THE POWER OF ONE SMALL STEP

 

Photograph by NASA

 

 

64. MOTH TRAILS AT NIGHT

 

Photograph by Steve Irvine for National Geographic

 

 

63. JUST A PINCH

 

Photograph by mmarsupilami on Flickr

 

 

62. EVOLUTION OF THE NEW YORK SKYLINE

 

Photograph via Lee @ tier1dc.blogspot.com

 

 

61. AN ELEPHANT MEETS A SEA LION

 

Photograph by Michael Durham via The Oregon Zoo

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

60. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

 

Photograph via moctodtidderptth on Reddit

 

 

59. AN OLYMPIC FULL MOON

 

Photograph by REUTERS/Luke MacGrego (via Reuters Olympics on Facebook)

 

 

58. BASE JUMPING IN RIO

 

Photograph by Wolfgang Luif/Red Bull Content Pool

 

 

57. THE BOMBING OF DRESDEN

 

Photograph by Richard Peter

 

 

56. HOTTEST. KISS. EVER.

 

Photograph by Dallas Nagata on Google+

 

 

55. WHERE THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA MEETS THE SEA

 

Photograph via Better_Be-Safe on Reddit

 

 

54. THE CHICAGO SKYLINE FROM INDIANA

 

Photograph by Tom Adams on Reddit

 

 

53. LIVING ON THE EDGE

 

Photograph by Tim Kemple

 

 

52. THE MOLOKINI CRATER IN HAWAII

 

Photograph by Ron Garnett/Hawaii Tourism Authority

 

 

51. IF JUPITER WAS THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE MOON

 

Artwork by jb2386 on Reddit

 

 

50. A SEAHORSE INSPECTS A DIVER’S WATCH

 

Photograph by Don McLeish

 

 

49. AN ILLUMINATED SNOW TUNNEL IN RUSSIA

 

Photograph by Michael Zelensky

 

 

48. THE HONEYBEE’S FINAL STING

 

Photograph by Kathy Keatley Garvey

 

 

47. EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING

 

Photograph by China Foto Press

 

 

46. STREET ARTIST SAINER GOES BIG IN POLAND

 

Photograph via Fundacja Urban Forms on Facebook

 

 

45. MOUNT RAINIER CASTING A SHADOW ON CLOUDS

 

Photograph by Nick Lippert (via Komo News)

 

 

44. FIRST CONTACT

 

Photograph by CMGW Photography on Flickr

 

 

43. THE IRISH SKY GARDEN CRATER

 

Photograph by Liss Ard Estate

 

 

42. MOON BRIDGE IN DAHU PARK, TAIPEI

 

Photograph by bbe022001 on Flickr

 

 

41. FLIGHT OF THE DEVIL RAYS

 

Photograph by FLORIAN SCHULTZ

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

40. GÁSADALUR VILLAGE IN THE FAROE ISLANDS

 

Photograph by GARETH CODD PHOTOGRAPHY on Flickr

 

 

39. WORLD’S EDGE

 

Photograph by RHYS DAVIES

 

 

38. THE CAPILANO SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN VANCOUVER

 

Photograph by MICHELLE LEE

 

 

37. FRACTAL PATTERNS IN DRIED OUT DESERT RIVERS

 

Photograph by ADRIANA FRANCO for National Geographic

 

 

36. MEDITATING MONKS AT PONGOUR FALLS

 

Photograph by DANG NGO – Prints Available

 

 

35. HANGING OUT ON THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, 1914

 

Photograph by Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives

 

 

34. A SUNSET ECLIPSE

 

Photograph by GIL NARTEA

 

 

33. BORA BORA FROM SPACE

 

Photograph by PLEIADES-HR SATELLITE

 

 

32. THE LARGEST RAFT OF CANOES AND KAYAKS
IN THE WORLD

 

Photograph by NANCIE BATTAGLIA for National Geographic

 

 

31. ADAPTIVE ROOTS IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE

 

Photograph by HORST KIECHLE

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

30. THE HAMILTON POOL NATURE PRESERVE

 

Photograph by DAVE WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

29. ABOVE THE CANOPY

 

Photograph by MICHAEL NICHOLS for National Geographic [Print Available]

 

 

28. COLLIDING RIVERS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

 

Photograph via I_let_my_dog_lick_my on Reddit

 

 

27. THE STUNNING GREEN VINE SNAKE

 

Photograph by SUHAAS PREMKUMAR for National Geographic

 

 

26. AURORA AUSTRALIS (SOUTHERN LIGHTS) FROM SPACE

 

Photograph by André Kuipers / ESA / NASA

 

 

25. MOUNT KILIMANJARO FROM ABOVE

 

Photograph by KYLE MIJLOF @ kylemijlof.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

24. THE AMAZING STRENGTH OF AN ANT

 

Photograph by Yu Wu for National Geographic – Your Shot

 

 

23. YARN BOMBING A BUS IN MEXICO CITY

 

Artwork by Magda Sayeg (Photograph by Cesar Ortega)

 

 

22. FELIX BAUMGARTNER JUMPS FROM SPACE

 

© Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool

 

 

21. THE MOST INCREDIBLE AURORA OF 2012

 

Photograph courtesy of Jónína Óskarsdóttir for NASA

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

20. THE WATERFALL ISLAND AT IGUAZU FALLS

 

Photograph by Andrew Murray on Flickr

 

 

19. OVERGROWN RAILROAD TRACKS IN THE FOREST

 

Photograph by T.-C on Flickr

 

 

18. A POD OF SLEEPING SPERM WHALES

 

Photograph by Wild Wonders of Europe [www.wild-wonders.com] via Business & Biodiversity Campaign

 

 

17. 7 HOURS IN ONE IMAGE

 

Photograph by Isil Karanfil (isilkrnfl on deviantART)

 

 

16. PIXEL PEOPLE PERFECTION

 

Artwork by Craig Alan via Artexpo (Eric Smith) on Flickr

 

 

15. GALACTIC MONSOON

 

Photograph by BRET WEBSTER

 

 

14. STRIKING ARTISTRY OF MULTIPLE TAKEOFFS
AT HANNOVER AIRPORT

 

Photograph by HO-YEOL RYU

 

 

13. THE KEEL WALK

 

Photograph by ALEX THOMSON RACING

 

 

12. A SEA OF PURPLE IN THE BADLANDS OF UTAH

 

Photograph by GUY TAL PHOTOGRAPHY | Print Available for Sale

 

 

11. PUTTING THE SIZE OF A WHALE IN PERSPECTIVE

 

Photograph via timz45 on Reddit

 

 

For more info, click any title or image to see the original post

 

 

10. MEANWHILE IN SWITZERLAND

 

Photograph by Reuters/Denis Balibouse

 

 

9. ONE BOAT AND 145 WATER-SKIERS

 

Photograph by MARK SEATON PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

8. SALAR DE UYUNI AFTER SOME RAIN

 

Photograph via Paean on Reddit

 

 

7. OUTDOOR JACUZZI ON THE MATTERHORN

 

Photograph via Iglu-Dorf.com

 

 

6. THE PRECIOUS BLUE MARBLE

 

Photograph by NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring

 

 

5. MAELSTROM AT KAUAI, HAWAII

 

Photograph by PATRICK SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

4. CAPSIZED CRUISE SHIP COSTA CONCORDIA
FROM SPACE

 

Photograph by DIGITALGLOBE.COM

 

 

3. Serenity Now

 

Photograph by ZAK NOYLE for SURFER MAGAZINE

 

 

2. BEAUTIFUL BERN FROM ABOVE

 

Photograph via loki010 on Reddit

 

 

1. FIRST RISING SUN OF 2012

 

Photograph by JIJI Press/AFP/Getty Images

 

 

 

See all ‘Pictures of the Day’

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, the Sifter highly recommends:

 

The 50 Most Perfectly Timed Photos Ever

 

 

 

The Top 25 ‘Pictures of the Day’ for 2013

 

 

 

The Top 50 ‘Pictures of the Day’ for 2011