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AP's 2025 Photo Selection Highlights Vertical Format Shift

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2026/04/01 .. -selection-highlights-vertical-format-shift.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Wednesday, April 1st 2026 at 5:08 GMT by The Telegraph
      Locales: CHINA, INDONESIA, PERU, FRANCE, ITALY, ICELAND, JAPAN, NAMIBIA, UNITED STATES, KENYA

Associated Press

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

The Associated Press today released its selection of top photographs from 2025, marking a year defined by global upheaval, quiet resilience, and a continued adaptation to changing consumption habits. While the subject matter remains profoundly impactful - ranging from conflict and displacement to celebration and recovery - the presentation itself underscores a key trend in modern photojournalism: the dominance of vertical imagery.

For decades, the horizontal photograph reigned supreme, mirroring the format of traditional print media and early digital displays. However, the ubiquity of smartphones and the corresponding shift towards mobile-first content consumption have fundamentally altered how we experience visual storytelling. The AP's decision to highlight its 2025 photos specifically in a vertical format isn't simply a stylistic choice; it's an acknowledgement of where - and how - most people now encounter news and visual narratives.

The images themselves paint a stark portrait of the past year. Bernat Armangue's photograph of an Afghan man mourning his son powerfully illustrates the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the Taliban's restrictions on women's education and the country's economic struggles. This image, when viewed vertically on a smartphone, focuses the viewer's attention directly on the father's grief-stricken expression, intensifying the emotional impact.

Contrast this with John Minchillo's photograph from Nanterre, France, capturing the raw emotion of protests following social unrest. The vertical framing emphasizes the towering flames and the desperate energy of the demonstrators, conveying a sense of chaos and urgency. Marco Longarini's vibrant scene from the Rio de Janeiro parade offers a moment of joyous respite, the vertical crop highlighting the performer's dynamism and the energy of the cultural event.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to generate profoundly moving images. Rodrigo Reyes Marquez's picture of volunteers assisting displaced families near the Polish border serves as a potent symbol of the humanitarian efforts underway, while the heart-wrenching photograph by Alaa Badwan of a child clutching a teddy bear in a Gaza field hospital is a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of conflict. The vertical format allows these images to be shared widely on social media, reaching a larger audience and prompting calls for aid and understanding.

However, the AP's selection wasn't solely focused on hardship. David Goldman's serene image of a swimmer in Lake Tahoe showcases moments of quiet beauty and individual perseverance. Similarly, Hassan Ammar's photograph of a boy waving a flag during the anniversary celebrations of the Arab Spring in Tunisia offers a glimmer of hope and the enduring spirit of democratic aspirations. Felipe Dana's image of a couple enjoying New Year's Eve fireworks in Rio represents shared joy and the universal desire for celebration. Even Gulshan Shah's photograph of an elderly woman receiving a COVID-19 vaccine in Mumbai, while documenting a public health initiative, captures a heartwarming moment of individual vulnerability and collective resilience.

The rise of vertical storytelling isn't without its challenges. Some photographers argue that cropping horizontal images to fit a vertical frame can compromise artistic integrity and context. However, proponents emphasize that it forces a different kind of compositional thinking, prompting photographers to prioritize impactful central subjects and streamlined narratives. Moreover, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have trained audiences to expect - and even prefer - vertical visuals.

Looking ahead, the AP's approach suggests that photojournalism will continue to evolve alongside technological advancements and audience preferences. The future likely holds more interactive vertical formats, incorporating video, audio, and augmented reality to create immersive and multi-layered narratives. While the core principles of impactful storytelling - capturing truth, conveying emotion, and fostering understanding - will remain constant, the medium itself is becoming increasingly fluid and adaptable. The 2025 selections aren't just a collection of powerful images, but a signal of how we will see the world in the years to come.