It’s Christmas time and the year 2012 is almost at its end. In design industry, visuals haled a central position in all the social media boom this year. Infographics, 3D photography, photo of the day platforms, and graphic posters remained en vogue throughout.

From the special moments to news items, everything is now eagerly documented in image form on social networks. After that, these photos are shared and commented upon by friends or family, depending on the number of people in your contact list. On business fan pages, it’s even more successful as any user of that network can like and comment on the images you share. Photo Manipulation has surely changed the dynamics of business marketing during this year.

Since visual documentation is on the rise, photographers are producing and sharing more and more work on the internet. This not only gives them professional experience but also provides an excellent outlet for global exposure. Accordingly, we too have decided to showcase photography roundups as a Christmas and New Year treat for our readers. All of these photos were selected as ‘Picture of the day’ at other forums.

However, please note that they were not all photographed during 2012. They were only nominated as one of the best during this year. Also, there is no ranking amongst them as this is just intended as an inspirational collection post.

Enjoy the show, dear ones! Mary Christmas! J

1. First Rising Sun of 2012

Photograph by JIJI Press/AFP/Getty Images

2. Titanic’s Drowned Engine

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

3. Sun Eruption

Photograph by NASA/GSFC/SDO

4. The Sleeping Goddess

Photograph by The Lost Gardens of Heligan

5. Serenity Now

Photograph by ZAK NOYLE for SURFER MAGAZINE

6. Maelstrom at Kauai, Hawaii

Photograph by PATRICK SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

7. One Boat and 145 Water Skiers

Photograph by MARK SEATON PHOTOGRAPHY

8. The Eye of the Drain

Photograph by Liammm on Reddit

9. Putting the Size of a Whale in Perspective

Photograph via timz45 on Reddit

10. Pixel People Perfection

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

11. Multiple Takeoffs At Hannover Airport

Photograph by HO-YEOL RYU

12. A Pod of Sleeping Sperm Whale

13. The Most Incredible Aurora of 2012

Photograph courtesy of Jónína Óskarsdóttir for NASA

14. Yarn Bombing A Bus In Mexico City

Artwork by Magda Sayeg (Photograph by Cesar Ortega)

15. The Stunning Green Wine Snake

Photograph by SUHAAS PREMKUMAR for National Geographic

16. The Amazing Strength of an ANT

Photograph by Yu Wu for National Geographic – Your Shot

17. The Largest Raft of Canoes and Kayaks in the World

Photograph by NANCIE BATTAGLIA for National Geographic

18. Bora Bora from Space

Photograph by PLEIADES-HR SATELLITE

19. Felix Baumgartner Jumps From Space

© Jay Nemeth/Red Bull Content Pool

20. Meanwhile in Switzerland

Photograph by Reuters/Denis Balibouse

21. GÁSADALUR VILLAGE IN THE FAROE ISLANDS

Photograph by GARETH CODD PHOTOGRAPHY

22. Meditating Monks At Pongour Falls

Photograph by DANG NGO – Prints Available

23. World’s Edge

Photograph by RHYS DAVIES

24. Moon Bridge in Dahu Park, Taipei

Photograph by bbe022001 on Flickr

25. Street Artist Sainer Goes BIG in Poland

Photograph via Fundacja Urban Forms on Facebook

26. A Seahorse Inspects a Diver’s Watch

Photograph by Don McLeish

27. A Honey Bee’s Final Sting

Photograph by Kathy Keatley Garvey

28. The Molokini Crater in Hawaii

Photograph by Ron Garnett/Hawaii Tourism Authority

29. Everybody Was Kung Fu Fight

Photograph by China Foto Press

30. One Trippy Profile Pic

Photograph via persnicketypoop on Reddit

31. Base Jumping In Rio

Photograph by Wolfgang Luif/Red Bull Content Pool

32. Evolution of the New York Skyline

Photograph via Lee @ tier1dc.blogspot.com

33. Moth Trials At Night

Photograph by Steve Irvine for National Geographic

34. First Contact

Photograph by CMGW Photography on Flickr

35. An Olympic Full Moon

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

36. An X-Ray of a Stingray

Photograph by Ken Jones

37. A Dessert Oasis In Libya

Photograph by George Steinmetz

38. Mount Fuji From Above

Photograph via news.mydrivers.com

39. An Airplane Crosses the Moon

Photograph by Chris Thomas

40. Death Begets Life

Photograph by Ireena Worthy on Flickr

41. A Tiny River House In Serbia

Photograph by Irene Becker for National Geographic

42. If Jupiter Was The Same Distance As The Moon

Artwork by jb2386 on Reddit

43. The Roller Coaster Submerged By Sandy

Photograph by Stephen Wilkes | Prints available

44. An Illuminated Snow Tunnel In Russia

Photograph by Michael Zelensky

45. Purple Haze Over Edinburgh Castle

Photograph by Scott Hutcheson (SMHutch Photography on Flickr)

46. Snowmobiling the Norway-Sweden Border

Photograph by haqbar on Reddit

47. Nugget Point Lighthouse, New Zealand

Photograph by Scott Robertson

48. Sunrise Over London’s Tower Bridge

Photograph by Jason Pope

49. A Tiny Hermit Crab Close-up

Photograph by sleepychinchilla on Flickr

50. San Francisco Airport At Night

Photograph by Andrew Choy