The best photos of 2012 as picked by The Wall Street Journal

Not to be outdone by the AFP, The Wall Street Journal has served up its own collection of the images that best portray the year of 2012. The large roundup — comprised of 338 photos so far — spans a huge variety of locations and topics across the year, including the US and French presidential elections, protests and violence in the Middle East, and everyday life in countries such as China and India. Not every photo has captured such serious subjects, though: there are some more lighthearted examples, like the sofa made of sand sitting idly next to the River Thames, as well as the famous photo of a Colorado bear’s fall from a tree after being tranquilized. All in all, it's a stunning collection waiting to be perused, and the year isn’t even over yet.