Canzano: The 10 best photos of 2025
Which is your favorite?
I asked my lead photographers, Tim Healy and Naji Saker, to provide what they thought were their best photographs of 2025.
How do you pick a top 10?
How about the best photo of the year?
The full menu of every photo gallery from 2025 is a treat. Tell me in the comment section which one you think is the top picture. We’ll enter it in the Associated Press Sports Editors photography competition.
📸 — An Ohio State of Mind in Atlanta
Naji Saker’s post-game celebration photo from the College Football Playoff national championship game in Atlanta on Jan. 20 is a great place to start. Ohio State lost two regular-season games (vs. Oregon and vs. Michigan), then roared back in the playoffs to beat Notre Dame for the national title.
The Buckeyes won the game, 34-23. Confetti fell. The trophy was handed to the winning team, and Saker captured the joyous aftermath.
“It was a culmination of the season,” Saker said. “They deserved to be the champions. For me, it was a cool moment to be at the CFP championship. As much as it was a win for them, it was a big accomplishment for me and my career.”
📸 — High Flying Act in the Season Opener
Naji Saker’s photograph of Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq says so much, doesn’t it? Sadiq is a terrific run blocker, a big vertical threat in the passing game, and an absurd all-around athlete. He’s projected as a no-brainer high NFL Draft pick. He caught a pass in Oregon’s season-opening victory and jumped over a helpless Montana State defender. He didn’t just fool the would-be tackler; he duped the photographer by leaving the photo frame.
Saker was using a long lens (400mm), which is perfect for the shot.
“I didn’t send this photo at first because I didn’t get his head in the photo,” Saker said. “ bad photo, right? But when I went back and gave the gallery a second look, I thought it was cool that he completely cleared the tackler.”
📸 — Hoosiers Shoot Down Ducks at Autzen
Indiana made a statement with a resounding 30-20 victory at Autzen Stadium on October 11. The Hoosiers celebrated on the field. Oregon and Indiana could meet in a rematch in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs. Naji Saker had the sense to get in position for the IU celebration, capturing the scene.
Said Saker: “Do I shoot the dejection of the Ducks at the end of the game? Or get Indiana celebrating? I looked up and saw the Hoosiers going crazy and made the decision. It felt like Indiana proved itself in that game.”
📸 — White Out at Penn State Bends Minds
Oregon beat Penn State in double overtime on Sept. 27 in Penn State’s home stadium. The ‘White Out’ game drew 111,015 fans to Beaver Stadium, marking the second-largest crowd in stadium history.
Naji Saker scaled the walkway of the stands and captured a top-of-the-stadium photo of the fireworks just before kickoff. Saker later reported that the grandstand appeared to be moving and swaying beneath his feet as the fans roared.
Said Saker: “I walked up as high as I could, top row. Took the shot from the walkway, in front of one Penn State family who, when I asked if I could stand there, said it was okay as long as I didn’t like the Ducks. I just chuckled and kept taking photos. I didn’t tell them that I’d flown across the country to see the Ducks.
“Penn State fans were so eager to share this experience. People in Happy Valley were really happy to share what the ‘White Out’ was.”
📸 — Candid Look at the Pole Vault King
Tim Healy snapped this photo of Armand Duplantis — the world record holder in the pole vault — waiting for his turn at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene. Duplantis is a two-time Olympic champion, a three-time World outdoor champion, and a three-time World indoor champion.
Said Healy: “I was at the far end near the pit, and I could see his face through the rack of poles. I waited until he turned to look at the athlete running to their attempt, using the poles to create an out-of-focus color pattern since he would be the only thing in focus.”
📸 — Foreshadowing the Disbelief in Corvallis
Oregon State fans endured a difficult football season that ended with a 2-10 record and the midseason firing of Trent Bray. This photo, snapped after an interception during the season-opening loss to Cal, summarized the entire season. Tim Healy caught the image and captured the emotion with his camera.
📸 — Beavers upset Gonzaga at Gill Coliseum
Naji Saker captured the post-game euphoria as Oregon State upset No. 16-ranked Gonzaga at Gill Coliseum last January. Michael Rataj led the Beavers with a career-high 29 points, including 10 in the extra period. Fans spilled onto the court to celebrate, and the CBS reporter interviewed Rataj, while Saker snapped this photo.
Said Saker: “Fans rushed the court. You don’t see that often in a midseason game. Beating Gonzaga in the fashion they did was pretty cool.”
📸 — Oregon Ducks Knock Out Liberty in NCAA Tournament
Dana Altman and the Ducks peaked at the right time last season, finishing the regular-season strong and beating Liberty in the NCAA Tournament. Tim Healy snapped this photo of Mookie Cook during UO’s tournament win in Seattle.
Cook was celebrating a three-point shot against Liberty. He would transfer after the season to the University of San Francisco, where he’s currently averaging 10.6 points per game.
📸 — Turning the World Upside Down
Tim Healy captured this shot of Olivia Buckner on the beam for Oregon State gymnastics using his Nikon Z-9 camera. The photo composition — and the dismount — are both incredible.
📸 — A Range of Emotion on the Track
Donavan Brazier wins the 800-meter National championship over 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus in Eugene. It was the first time Brazier competed after a 1,110-day injury layoff. He won and celebrated a remarkable comeback after multiple surgeries.
Meanwhile, Lutkenhaus did the unthinkable. He set the under-20 world record and is celebrating alongside Brazier. Tim Healy captured it all in one place with this epic photo.
Turning the world upside down, best of the best!
Mondo, but I'm admittedly biased towards track and field.