The best pictures of 2025 from early January paint a vivid portrait of a world simultaneously celebrating, mourning, competing, and confronting change. From packed beaches in Rio de Janeiro to the charged streets of Seoul and Caracas, photojournalists from around the globe captured moments that defined the opening days of the new year. This is part three of our ongoing series.
New Year Celebrations Around the World
Few images capture joy quite like a kiss framed by bursting fireworks. On January 1, 2025, a couple embraced on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro as the sky above erupted in color, photographed by Bruna Prado for AP Photo.
Across the Atlantic, London’s New Year’s Day Parade drew half a million spectators to the streets of central London. Among the 10,000 performers were the Kilgore College Rangerettes, captured mid-performance by Wiktor Szymanowicz for Anadolu via Getty Images.
In Dubai, the Burj Khalifa once again served as the centerpiece of a spectacular fireworks display on the night of January 1, 2025. Altaf Qadri’s photograph for AP Photo shows the iconic tower wreathed in light and smoke.
Not everyone rang in 2025 with warmth. In Geneva, a group of fearless revellers plunged into Lake Geneva on New Year’s Day — with the water sitting at just 7.3 degrees Celsius. Fabrice Coffrini documented the tradition for AFP.
In Berlin, Ebrahim Noroozi captured fireworks blazing over the iconic Quadriga atop the Brandenburg Gate, just minutes after midnight on January 1, 2025 — one of the most recognizable symbols of German reunification bathed in celebratory light.
Cultural Traditions and Festivals
In Banjul, Gambia, members of the “Ekum Baba” group took to the streets on January 1, 2025, as part of the annual hunting festival. The vibrant event blends music, dance, and friendly rivalry between hunting societies competing for the best display of animal heads, masks, and costumes. Muhamadou Bittaye photographed the festivities for AFP.
At Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, Bonnie Sowden and her friends marked the first sunrise of 2025 with a toast on Pineda Beach on January 1. The moment was photographed for USA Today as dawn broke above the Atlantic horizon.
Thousands of kilometers away, fireworks lit the night sky above Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The 9th-century Hindu temple complex — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — provided a breathtaking backdrop to the New Year display. Devi Rahman captured the scene for AFP.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, two women paused on January 2, 2025, to look at a large billboard featuring images of elderly people, erected for the New Year season. Tang Chhin Sothy’s photograph for AFP offers a quiet, reflective counterpoint to the fanfare seen elsewhere.
In Vilnius, Lithuania, the Epiphany Day celebrations on January 6, 2025, saw participants dressed as the Three Kings parade through the city streets. Mindaugas Kulbis documented the procession for AP Photo.
In Bolivia, thousands of parishioners observed Three Kings’ Day on January 6, 2025. In La Paz, a woman held images of the Baby Jesus as part of the religious custom of bringing such figures to Catholic churches to pray for peace and health throughout the year. Luis Gandarillas photographed the moment for EPA/EFE.
Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival spirit arrived early in 2025. On January 5, a stilt-walking reveler joined the unofficial kickoff parade of “Bloco Planta na Mente” — a colourful preview of the city’s world-famous festival season, photographed by Aline Massuca for Reuters.
In Chad, riders and their horses performed a fantasia on January 4 during the second edition of the Grand Prix Apec (Association des professionnels des établissements de crédit), which marked the opening of the AEARCT (Association d’encouragement pour l’amélioration des races des chevaux du Tchad) horse racing season at the Ouka-Djermaya racecourse in N’Djamena province. Joris Bolomey photographed the event for AFP.
World Events and Political Moments
On January 2, 2025, the Bridgewater Canal embankment in Little Bollington, northern England, collapsed under the strain of heavy rainfall that had swept the region on New Year’s Day. Adam Vaughan’s EPA photograph shows a boat left partially submerged in the aftermath.
In Seoul, South Korea, supporters of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol gathered near his residence on January 6, 2025. Investigators seeking to arrest the suspended leader had requested an extension of a warrant set to expire that day, as Yoon remained inside his compound. Anthony Wallace photographed the tense scene for AFP.
On January 7, 2025, Ghana witnessed a moment of democratic renewal as President John Dramani Mahama was inaugurated at Independence Square in Accra. Traditional dancers performed as part of the ceremony — captured by Misper Apawu for AP Photo.
In Düsseldorf, Germany, an unusual sight stopped traffic on January 6, 2025: a 50-tonne Italian luxury yacht, the Pershing GTX 80, was transported across a city street on its way to the upcoming boat fair. Martin Meissner documented the extraordinary logistics for AP Photo.
Tension gripped Caracas, Venezuela, on January 9, 2025 — just one day before Nicolás Maduro was to be sworn in for a third six-year presidential term, despite credible evidence that he lost the election. Government supporters and opposition protesters clashed in the streets, captured by Cristian Hernandez for AP Photo.
In Dayr Atiyah, Syria, a photograph taken on January 5, 2025, by Leo Correa for AP Photo shows the toppled statue of the late President Hafez Assad. The image stands as a stark symbol of Syria’s ongoing political transformation following decades of Assad family rule.
A World Captured in a Single Week
These nineteen images, taken between January 1 and January 9, 2025, span continents and contexts — from jubilant crowds on New Year’s Eve to the quiet gravity of political crisis. They are a reminder of what documentary photography does best: preserve the texture of living history.
For more remarkable photojournalism, explore our collection of best pictures of the year 2025, or look back at the best photos of 2024 for further highlights from the world’s top photographers.
