Your most

memorable shot

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• 2025

It’s that time of the year again: since 2018, we have shared our most memorable shots of the past twelve months with each other. Now in its eighth iteration, the “Most Memorable Shot” has become a tradition we cherish at the beginning of each new year. No matter whether you’re a member of the Commons Photographers User Group or not, please feel invited to share your most memorable picture of 2025 on this page.

Mouryan

This is my first time participating in this competition. This is the only photograph of mine on Commons from 2025, and it happens to be of Devi Subhadra. That alone felt like a sign that I should share it here.
The Jagannath Temple, by Kalinga Cultural Trust, located at Road Number 12 in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad is a serene and beautiful place of worship dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Inside the Garbhagriha reside Lord Jagannath and His siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. Every year during Ratha Yatra, the deities, Jagannath (an Avatar of Lord Vishnu), Balabhadra (his brother), Subhadra (his sister), and Sudarshana Chakra (his weapon), are taken out in a grand procession. This time too, hundreds of devotees gathered with devotion and joy. In the midst of that crowd, I was fortunate enough to have Darshan of Devi Subhadra and to capture this moment.

Gnangarra

Just looking back I realise I didn't add one for 2024 but thats not surprising. Right at the end of 2024 we lost a good user/admin in User:JarrahTree, and I lost a very good friend. We are both from Perth and during 2025 we both reached 20 years of contributions to the movement. My 2025 has been hard and at time lonely because it was common to link with JarrahTree and head out taking photos, or working on small projects together. Around all of this I did get an opportunity to go to New York to be part of a WMF initative re its strategic plan and direction. The morning after I arrived I went out for a walk to Central Park and here I captured this shot, it sums up my year:

A little lost,

a little bit alone,

a little bit here and,

a little bit there.

As I move into 2026, I will reach 20 years of contributions to Commons in February. More importantly the project I started Common Quality Images will be 20 years old on 25th June. With 420,000 odd images to date, will COM:QI pass 500,000 by years end or by its 21st birthday only time will tell.

Dietmar Rabich

A year has passed and looking back is mostly positive. 2025 was a year of personal challenges and also the decision to focus more on photography again. I consider this important for personal reasons on the one hand and to promote goodness on the other. Perhaps good photos contribute a little to counteracting the calamity and widespread disrespect and spreading hope and optimism. In any case, photography helps you find yourself. Photographic art and creative photography now have a firm place in my life, and my picture of the year is part of that. The shot was a spontaneous idea and the vision of what it should become. The play of colors fit well with the title, which also didn't require much thought. As a small photo series, it underscores the intention. A quote that has accompanied me throughout the past year also fits very well:

Photography is not made to impress others. Photography is made to discover yourself.

— Selaru Ovidiu

At this point, I would like to make a small appeal to all photographers: Get involved in photography, experiment, and be creative. Wikimedia Commons deserves creative ideas—and you will also benefit from it yourself.

BTW: Every year (since 2011), I select the 12 best photos I've taken at the end of the year. That's a little easier than choosing just one photo. In addition, for the past few years, I've been making a photo book from the photos I like best. It's become a nice tradition and also documents my personal development.

User:Pigsonthewing (Andy Mabbett)

A visit to 'Barong Tanah Kilap', a traditional theatre on Bali, ticked an item off my bucket list—a live Gamelan performance. It was a wonderful thing to see and hear, made all the better by being in the company of a crowd of Wikimedia friends old and new, during the February 2025 Wikisource conference.

George Chernilevsky

It was a sunny autumn day. A walk through an unfamiliar before, beautiful autumn forest and picking brightly colored mushrooms. My happy day in a country at war -- George Chernilevsky ^talk 22:20, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

Radomianin

Baltic Sea view from Schmiedeberg hill in Rerik, Germany

First Light after Darkness

After two spinal surgeries within five months and the loss of my best school friend, who was also my best man, this moment was the first time I truly felt anything like joy again.

In late June 2025, I stood atop Schmiedeberg hill in Rerik, looking out over the stormy Baltic Sea. The rugged beach, the salty air, and the wind on my face brought a quiet sense of comfort - a brief moment of stillness amidst the chaos. -- Radomianin (talk) 22:42, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

Herbertkikoy

Minute Beauty

My first time to be attending a competition (Bird Photography Race) that is beyond my genre. Though I kinda have an interest on this field but it is quite elusive since I dont have the right gear for this.

Lucky to have joined and be part of PhilWiki's second team for the annual PPUR International Bird Photography Competition. It was my first time in the place and in the competition as well. What made it memorable is that we were able to land on the 7th place despite competing with seasoned photographers.

The image is not a winning one but it one of my quality shots during the competition.

-- Herbertkikoy (talk) 06:59, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Packer1028

This creek is the namesake of a middle school in my county. Most of my focus on this project (Wikimedia Commons) is to capture images to depict specific Wikidata items, a hobby I've come to call "photo-hunting," and this one was hard to get. Although I'd gotten its neighbor creek over a year before, most of Tomahawk Creek runs through either private property or main roads with no available parking. One day, while scrolling on WikiShootMe, I found a location where I could feasibly walk along the road to the creek while not being in too much danger. Sure enough, I got it!

The greenery, the reflection in the water, and the curvature of the creek add up to a pleasing composition for me. No, the water isn't crystal clear, but its muddiness actually enhances the color scheme of the photo, while still providing that reflectivity. Plus, it was a difficult shot to get, so to finally have achieved it and to have it come out with a good composition made this a no-brainer for my favorite shot of 2025.

Packer1028 (talk) 23:32, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

Jmabel

It's been a busy year, and it was hard to make just one selection, but I like the composition of this one, especially given that I didn't have a lot of time to think it over (175mm focal length, a lot of people walking through). I do remember thinking to get the fire alarm in the shot. Musician playing as part of a small street event by San Francisco organization A Better Chinatown Tomorrow, corner of Grant Avenue and Broadway, about half a block from where I was staying at the time. You'd never know this was in such a busy place.

I have a crazy backlog of photos to upload right now, including some from well over a year ago, so a fair amount of what I shot in 2025 has yet to be uploaded, along with some of what I shot in 2024. And I'm getting old. - Jmabel ! talk 01:00, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

PascalHD

I am new to this group as of the last year, so first time sharing. 2025 was a year well spent personally improving and refining my photography; getting familiar with shooting manual with my DSLR/Mirrorless cameras and having a better eye for what's out there. It's been a real fun time getting better at it, and I can go back and look at my progress. Although most of my photos don't make it to the Commons and stay on Flickr, one of my most memorable photos I contributed to the site this year was early on in February while I was in Toronto. There was a huge snowstorm that day, and I changed my plans to try and capture some nice photos. Due to the weather there were so many delays and took ages to get there. By the time I arrived at my destination it was already 2pm so I had maybe a couple hours of daylight left to work with. It was also quite cold out so I would walk along the Danforth for a bit then switch to the subway to warm up and then back out. Ah, what a fun day it was. Anyway, I think it really captures the gloomy beauty of winter in an urban context. PascalHD (talk) 01:17, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

PeterCooperJr

I still feel pretty new to this. 2025 was the year that I changed from "I sometimes take pictures occasionally" to "This is a hobby," and I started photographing with a "real" camera. I find photographing nature a good excuse to force myself to go outside for a while and maybe even get some exercise. This particular picture was when I was just spending time in the backyard with the camera since the rhododendrons were blooming. I was almost thinking of heading back inside when this butterfly showed itself. I took a bunch of pictures of it, which meant that at least one of them turned out half-decent. I very much like my pictures of New England winter & fall too, and of other critters that entered our yard, but I think I have to pick this one as my favorite for the year. My wife even got it made into a jigsaw puzzle as a Christmas present for me, which was very thoughtful of her.

Marcus Cyron

I uploaded in 2025 a much bigger number of files than the years before, but only 7 of them were originally photographed by myself. Starting with the ballot of the german election in early 2025, 4 public bookshelves and my Wiki awards up to a new work of public art in my home town. The last is the picture I chose here. Not one of these images is special, all are not more than for documentation. 2026 will most likely bring fewer rather than more new pictures from me, as I actually consider Wikimedia to have failed. Contributing further to a failed project would make little sense.

Bahnfrend

When I attend Wikimedia conferences, which I now do quite frequently, I take lots of photos for Commons. Not of the conferences themselves, but of things I see during my trips to and from, and in the countries where the conferences are held. As many of the conference venues are in developing countries, this habit of mine is part of my contribution to broadening Commons' and Wikimedia's coverage of interesting things we share.

In 2025, I attended conferences in Indonesia, the Philippines, and, most importantly, Wikimania in Nairobi, Kenya. At the last of these events, I was one of only a handful of participants who chose to stay in the Nairobi CBD, instead of in the somewhat more secure, and therefore safer, area surrounding the conference venue. Having been to Kenya once before (in the 1990s), I knew a little bit about the place, and I wanted to experience some more of the local culture that can really only be seen in the Nairobi CBD. Sure, foreign visitors are advised to take special care in that part of Nairobi. But I always felt reasonably safe, especially during the days, when a great many locals were sitting, standing or walking in the streets soaking up the atmosphere, much as I was doing.

The photo I display here is a rather specific example of a well-known genre: street photography. To be precise, it is a candid street photograph of a photographer creating a posed street portrait. I particularly like the dramatic pose of the photographer, which makes an interesting contrast with the far more relaxed stances of his subjects. The many bystanders add to the atmosphere in what is one of Nairobi's main business and shopping streets, Tom Mboya Avenue. As soon as I had uploaded this photograph, I added it to the English Wikipedia article Street photography, where it now combines with a number of other examples of the genre taken in Europe and North America to portray a more worldwide view of the topic than before.

Pierre André Leclercq

A lovely way to start 2025 with a beautiful winter walk, keeping in mind these words of Henri Cartier-Bresson A photograph is never a failure, it has a style!. My photo testifies to the tenacity of the photographer, on the lookout, equipped with professional gear, waiting for the perfect moment, in the Parc du Héron.- Villeneuve-d'Ascq.

Thank you for inviting me to participate in "Your Most Memorable Photo of 2025" challenge. Sincerely. Greetings from Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France.--Pierre André ^(talk) 22:57, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Юрий Д.К.

I had severe health problems in the beginning of August but recovered a bit to 15th. I've decided to go photographing with my new Nikon Z 8 camera and 24-120mm lens despite my condition. It was important to take a lot of photos before the cold and dirt autumn weather set in. I usually stroll on Sofia embankment at daytime, but today I decided to visit in the evening. In the rays of the summer sun, this Government building looked unusually calming and peaceful. Unfortunately, there was a long traffic jam and I was unable to photograph the building without distracting cars and buses.

Kiril Simeonovski

I was originally not supposed to take a picture of this church with an in-hand camera, as it’s yard was closed and it was more convenient to use a drone. However, the drone propellers collided with tree branches, and it eventually fell down on the steep forested mountain just opposite the village. After locating and rescuing the stuck drone, I realised this magnificent view and took this shot. --Kiril Simeonovski (talk) 13:29, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Koshur

While wandering through my yard, I was captivated by this vibrant Saffron flowers (Crocus sativus) blooming unexpectedly. I wanted to capture its delicate details, so I improvised a macro setup right there in the garden. Using a simple white sheet to create a clean, distraction-free background and relying on the natural brilliance of the sunlight, I took this shot with my Redmi Note 11 Pro. It is a reminder of the hidden treasures nature holds, even in our own backyards, and how mobile photography can bring them to life. •Koshur (talk) 13:33, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Lvova

Almost the entire year, I was preparing to emigrate and trying to capture my favorite city in as much detail and as best as I could. This photograph was taken during one of my last photowalks in Saint Petersburg. In theory, the spot from which it was taken is off-limits; I asked a museum staff member for permission to go down onto this platform, and only there I realized that I wasn’t failing to capture parallel lines in the lens because of camera distortion, but because such lines were invented by the architect. While taking the photo, I thought about how easily I had asked for permission, and how difficult it would be after moving to not being able to make equally simple requests in another language. Анастасия Львова^ru/en 17:09, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

ShiminUfesoj

Once, as I returned home from a delightful trip to Manila to the boarding house I was staying at in Taytay, Rizal, I noticed a charming little teddy bear resting on the road, where many people were passing by. In my perspective, I thought, "As I walked along, my gaze was drawn to this little bear on the side of the road. It seemed to have experienced quite a journey. I couldn't help but wonder about the child who once cherished it. Was he still filled with happiness? It's interesting how the things that once brought us so much joy can sometimes end up as forgotten treasures on the street." -- ShiminUfesoj (talk) 18:34, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Rosie Stephenson-Goodknight

I started covering literary festivals in 2025. In April, I was at the Sierra Poetry Festival in Grass Valley, California, U.S. On stage, Zsa'lai Grammer was mesmerizing. When they left the stage, I followed Zsa into the lobby and asked if I could take a photo. Zsa was peeling a tangerine, and held it up to their eye, and asked if this pose was okay. I said yes, and le voila! --Rosiestep (talk) 20:35, 5 January 2026 (UTC)

Wojciech Pędzich

I have been trying to get access to Mystic Festival, one of Poland's largest if not the largest metal fests, happening in my city for a few years. I got the pit pass in 2025. It was raining much of the time, but I went to photograph a few cool bands. Absu was playing in a club, with much erratic lighting, including strobes, not much light from the front of the stage, pretty much your coursebook variety of black metal gig lighting. But when I went through my shots from this show I saw THIS.

modern_primat

2025 çektiğim fotoğraflar bakımından çok bereketli geçmedi. istatistiğe vurmayı sevmem, ama önceki yıllarda çok çeşitli fotolar yüklerdim. bu yıl çoğunlukla mezar fotoları yükledim. en azından bu yıl foto yükleme ivmemi korudum. 2025 için gözüme en hoş gelen fotom ise karşıyaka mezarlığını düzgün biçimde gösterdiğini düşündüğüm ha bu fotodur:

Adi

This was my first year treating photography as a serious pursuit and hobby. I purchased my Nikon Z6II as part of my and this photo was one of my earliest with my new camera. This was a once-in-a-lifetime journey for me, and I really loved the detail that the image captured of the dome. This dome was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever laid eyes on, and I was lucky to be let inside to photograph it. For me personally, this photo represents the start of something new, the desire to learn and pursue art, and growth in ways I've never expected.

This was also my first year (hopefully of many to come!) contributing to Wikipedia (and what better way to do it than with my new hobby!) and I am really grateful to be a part of this community and to have the opportunity to make some small contribution toward expanding one of our species' most important resources for recording and distributing our knowledge.

Ainali

This wasn't a year with a lot of memorable or spectacular shots for me, but I did go visit my mother who recently moved to a new village. The photo itself is just the phone through the car window, but kind of illustrates the problem of trying to illustrate a tiny village which is not much more than a couple of houses on each side of the road.

Matthias Süßen

The Hamburger Hallig is one of my favorite places on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein. The small island is located in the middle of the Wadden Sea and can be reached from the mainland via a dam. Halfway there is the Schafsberg, where a nature conservation organization operates a lodge. I used this as the foreground for my photos of the Milky Way. And I immediately applied to be a volunteer at the lodge.

It has now been confirmed that my application was successful. See you there in August!

Cart

For several reasons, I didn't get out and about as much as I would have liked to this year, so I was very happy when I could do a photo session of a major event right where I live, the blood moon. It was a calm and magical night, with the moon not so much rising as emerging in the sky. It was below our horizon for the first part of the eclipse and rose in the sky dark. A bit later the evening mists rolled in and added some cool effects to the rest of the photos. --Cart (talk) 02:39, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

Nv8200pa

I love spending time in and photographing the state parks of my home state of Texas. Texas has about 90 state parks with a wide array of habitats including deserts, grasslands forests, rolling hills, and many reservoirs (Texas has very few natural lakes of any size). My goal is to visit all of the parks, and I am about 80% complete. I went low and wide with this shot of the Copperas Creek Camping Area in Bastrop State Park to try and show the scale of the loblolly pines that are the dominant tree in the park.

Aristeas

Since I began seriously pursuing photography in 2015, the annual Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) competition has been a constant companion and inspiration. I learned a great deal about photography in general while shooting and editing photographs of historical buildings and sculptures, as well as when I had the opportunity to serve on the German jury for WLM twice, in 2020 and 2022. However, in recent years I have increasingly moved away from this focus. Firstly, the WLM jury and I apparently simply have very different ideas about what constitutes a good photograph of a historical building. Secondly, I have discovered other aspects and techniques of photography, particularly reduced and abstractish compositions and the intentional use of the contrast between sharp and blurred areas. The year 2025 marks the point at which I no longer participated in WLM and now focus on making the beauty and significance of everyday things visible. The adjacent image is typical of the photos that made me happy this year.

Alvesgaspar

I have selected this photo as the most memorable shot of 2025 not because of its quality (it was taken with a small hand-held Ricoh GR III) but due to the dramatism of the figures. This is part of the sculptural group “Compianto sul Cristo morto” (Lamentation over the dead Christ) made by Nicoolò dell’Arca near 1463 and is kept in the main chapel of the Church of Santa Maria della Vitta, in Bologna. I was deeply impressed when I saw this terracotta work for the first time, as the pain expressed by the faces and postures of the figures is very uncommon among the contemporaneous paintings and sculptures. Other views of the sculptural group can be seen here. -- Alvesgaspar (talk) 16:02, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Ziko

I know, the filter is not going to fool anyone. :-) When being on a walk with my Fuji XS20 and some new filters, I noticed a number of vintage cars in the parking lot. A conversation with a car owner informed me that there was the meeting of a Dutch association of vintage car lovers. So I took a nostalgic filter and tried to make use of the occasion. / Thanks for the inviation, I really enjoyed seeing all these images here and read the texts. Lots of happy little moments, it seems. Ziko van Dijk (talk) 18:40, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Justice Okai-Allotey

In December, I had an opportunity to get a press pass to photograph the Zaama Disco concert organised by Ghanaian musician Black Sherif. This image stood out to me, given where I was standing when I took it. The concert was great, with many memorable moments. You can find more images using this Category:WikiPortraits at 2025 Zaama Disco. --Owula kpakpo (talk) 08:26, 11 January 2026 (UTC)

Ahmad Ali Karim

After bracing through the scorching summer heat, the sun finally sets on the island of Yumeshima. As much as they were relieved, they were also excited for the next show about to come. A grand fireworks show will begin at any moment, as the operators wait for the right conditions and the exact scheduled time. The crowd was both silent and loud at the same time - silent in anticipation of the show, but loud in excitement for what's to come. Far off in the distant across the Water Plaza, a larger crowd stands around the Grand Ring which circles around within the expo venue. More people flock in to the centre as they see the others assemble. This show will be spectacular, they know it. But the wait feels unbearable.

I took this while visiting Expo 2025 in Osaka. It was especially memorable for me both because it was an amazing trip, and because it was the day before presenting at the expo relating to Wikimedia projects. The fireworks show that followed was amazing, but the moments before was something even more special for me. EmpAhmadK (talk) 08:39, 11 January 2026 (UTC)

Rkieferbaum

I didn't take many "planned" photos this year because I've been experimenting with a workflow to create morphological digital twins of monuments and buildings. I took this one casually with my phone and liked how it turned out. The sun was in an interesting position relative to the monument's curves. I also have a personal attachment to this monument, which makes it all the more special to me. Rkieferbaum (talk) 13:56, 13 January 2026 (UTC)

Fuzheado

I have always wanted to visit Teotihuacan, and I was fortunate enough to have a clear and cool day to capture this on my trusty Insta360 ONE RS 1-inch 360 Edition.

Uschoen

The majority of my contributions are photos of cultural properties in the vicinity of my home base. If I can spare a few hours of my free time, I take my camera and my bicycle to visit some older buildings. This rather opportunistic approach to photography usually leaves some room for improvement. Often, the weather is not as nice as it should be for the perfect picture. Or the light might be too bright, posing challenges for the dynamic range. For some of the objects, it is difficult to find a meaningful perspective from an FOP point of view. There might also be identifiable people in the shot or parked cars obstructing the view. But sometimes, everything works out nicely. This shot of Jegenstorf Castle was one of these cases for me. The weather cleared up during my bicycle ride, leading to a pretty blue sky and the sun hitting the building from the side I wanted to capture. I was able to find a spot with a decent point of view, even adding some trees and branches as a foreground. The other visitors in the park conveniently strolled out of the shot all at once. This makes that image my most memorable shot of 2025. -- Uschoen (talk) 19:22, 23 January 2026 (UTC)

Bijay Chaurasia

This photograph, Portrait of a Nepalese Hindu Priest in Kathmandu during Maha Shivaratri, is my best shot of 2025 because it captures a rare moment of quiet intensity amid one of Nepal’s most powerful spiritual festivals. As a photographer, I was drawn to the priest’s direct gaze, the vivid red tika on his forehead, and the natural light that gently frames his face. Taken during Maha Shivaratri in Kathmandu, this image reflects why I photograph Nepal: to document authentic human expressions within their cultural and spiritual context, with honesty and respect. -- Bijay Chaurasia (talk) 09:57, 26 January 2026 (UTC)

Penny Richards

I didn't contribute too many original photographs this year. This one was for WikiOfrenda 2025. Sometimes I drive to get a photo to upload, or take photos while traveling; but this temporary, repurposed furniture ofrenda was a short walk from my house. Penny Richards (talk) 17:51, 4 February 2026 (UTC)

Adoscam

. I contributed very little to wikicommons in 2025. This photo was taken during a photo shoot for Commons:Wiki Loves Earth 2024 in Benin but uploaded in 2025 for Commons:Wiki Loves Africa 2025 in Benin. Best Adoscam (talk) 16:07, 5 February 2026 (UTC)

Javier Perez M.

Live is motion! Panning, a technique where you move the camera while exposing and keeping the subject still in the frame, capturing pure movement... The beauty of moving subjects in their surroundings. The city as a blurry stage. Peace. (talk) 1:49, 7 February 2026 (UTC)

Roger Bamkin

I don't claim to be "a photographer", but I am enthusiastic about open knowledge. UK law gave poets, artists and writers automatic copyright so that unscrupulous publishers could not steal their hard earned effort and imagination. Photographs at the time required 50 kg of equipment, a laboratory and a week of effort. Worth protecting!

This pic took me 4 or 5 secs or so, but unlike the millions taken every second in the UK, (& every tweet and every facebook post), this one doesn't have a copyright - thanks to creative commons licensing. So Janis has a pic and a Wikipedia article. It seems very strange and I'm sure unintended that every minor publication now attracts copyright.... and its really strange that copyright law prevents me from freely using anyone else's ephemeral images ... but not it seems if you an AI bot - funded by a huge corporation ( unscrupulous publishers ?). Victuallers (talk) 11:14, 9 February 2026 (UTC)

Frank Schulenburg

In the fall of 2024, I decided to get back into analog photography. I had used a Nikon FM2 during college, and my curiosity about medium format led me to purchase a used Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex camera on eBay. It took some time, however, before I could reliably produce results that I found at least somewhat satisfying. Shooting vintage cameras means that the process is more important than the outcome. I deeply enjoy listening to the shutter sound and lingering over a camera that is purely mechanical and built as if it could last for hundreds of years. Today, my fridge is filled with 120 roll film of all sorts, and I'm waiting for the next opportunity to load a fresh roll, advance the film with the crank, and head out in search of a great subject and good light. --Frank Schulenburg (talk) 00:06, 16 February 2026 (UTC)

Nirmal Dulal

My very first bird photograph — a Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) — taken on 15 October 2013 in Panchkhal Valley. I still remember the excitement of that moment. The tiny bird, glowing in shades of crimson red with a metallic shine, moved swiftly among the flowers, sipping nectar with its curved beak. Photographing it was not easy — it was fast, alert, and constantly fluttering. But that challenge made the experience even more special. That single click of the camera marked the beginning of my journey into bird photography. It taught me patience, focus, and the joy of observing nature closely. Even today, whenever I see a Crimson Sunbird, it reminds me of where it all started.

2013 was not just a year — it was the start of a passion. --Nirmal Dulal (talk) 02:58, 19 February 2026 (UTC)

Rainer Halama

In early 2025 my wife and I spent 6 weeks in Southern India. My first visit after more than 50 years on occasion of my Class of '75 anniversary at KIS (back than only Kodai School).

I returned with almost 10.000 exposures. A lot of that was museum-photography, where half the images are of the descriptive plaques, so I can upload such files with meaningful descriptions and fitting categories. But of course most of the other shots where classical touristy shots because we were, as much as I tried to avoid it, on a If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Pondicherry routine. No time to wait for the last person to move out of the way, or this one cloud to pass, or picking just the right time to catch that tiger.

I used WLE, WLM, WLF, Wiki Science Competition 2025 in India and Wiki Loves Museums 2025 to structure my imagine processing and upload schedule. Shall we discuss if our Wiki loves... campaigns are to be competitions of quantity, or quality?

Because of my many uploads I have given up on submitting images to Commons:Quality images. The assessment process - a self nomination, being nodded off by one peer - also strikes me as somewhat insufficient. But I admit it flatters me, if some utter stranger is struck by one of my images and decides to put it through the process.

And this is why this image, where somebody found this one needle in this haystack of mine and is willing to bring it through the whole process, down to POTD is my most memorable shot of 2025. --Rainer Halama (talk) 11:02, 24 February 2026 (UTC)

UnpetitproleX

A Himalayan town deep in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Sangla is as beautiful as it is remote, located as it is some 2.6 kilometres above mean sea level in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by towering peaks perpetually covered in snow and ice. I happened to be there in the middle of March, around the festival of Holi for which it is increasingly becoming famous now. This was not my first time here. I had heard from locals that the weather here is unpredictable, but I was about to find out just how so. Et voila, white started falling from the sky at a time when spring had already started to make its presence felt. It snowed the entire evening and through the night. Everything covered in white. Next morning, on a walk around town, I clicked this picture (and several others). 'Himalaya' in Sanskrit means abode of snow, and in the literature(s) of the languages of the Indian subcontinent, the mountain range is often described as a mystical paradise where dieties reside. And in moments like above, these descriptions come to life. —UnpetitproleX (Talk) 01:56, 1 April 2026 (UTC)