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2016 has been a year like no other. We were blown away by the breathtaking pictures we have seen day in and day out from our amazing followers on Instagram.
In the last week of the year, we asked our followers to send their top shot along with the reason why they chose it; their words provide the captions that accompany their photos below.
From the thousands of entries we received through #DawnTopShot2016, here are some of the best pictures of the year — curated from photographers on our Instagram account.
"Taking a walk near Badshahi Masjid, on the food street I saw this artist singing a sufi number I can't recall but I totally found it mesmerizing. I kept thinking of so many artists that do not get exposure and they are just left to entertain people on the streets."
"I chose this particular image of mine as my top shot for the entire year because through this particular image I was able to capture the feel (sounds, smells and general chaos) of this particular area deep in Karachi's downtown area. This alleyway is a microcosmic representation of the day to day hustle bustle one experiences in Karachi where multiple parallel worlds coexist with one another simultaneously. The light coming from a skylight in the alley adds an extra amount of oomph to my picture."
"This shot was taken on our way to Rama valley Astore. I have not done anything special to take that shot, I just got lucky that I witnessed the most beautiful moment"
"Children are a symbol of hope, for me they are the game changers .Choosing this picture was for the same reason. Just a beginner but so much talented. When children start learning at an early age they are moving towards excellence. Whether it’s sports, art or any other field. Set them free and see how they rise."
"Some of the pictures that made in my favourites from 2016 includes this one. It was captured at Chenab River on a frozen evening filled with utter calmness. I stepped into the cold water with my cousins holding me. I have never seen things so silent. It felt like a storm had passed."
"It might look like an ordinary scene in the photo to others but for me it was a magical scene up there and I can still feel that magical view when I look at this photo. This picture was taken during Snow Lake trek at Biafo glacier earlier in July."
"My favourite shot from 2016. It reminds me of my beautiful journey across the Karakoram Highway. We had to move back towards Hunza from Sost just to fill our fuel tank and it provided me a chance to capture this beautiful light through my lens. A lucky shot."
"It seems like a deep story in this picture. This is the best picture of 2016 because these colours represent sufism in Pakistan"
"HAKUNA MATATA, A Swahili phrase; roughly translated, it means "no worries". Self explanatory: “It means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s a problem-free philosophy.” Relax! There are some things in life we cannot change; some things are out of our control. It's times like these you need to remind yourself “Hakuna Matata.” The way these children posed without any worries was the reason for selecting this picture."
"This is my top shot for 2016 because it is the only picture which shows both lakes of Ratti Gali in one frame plus this picture was shared and appreciated on many international forums because of its immense beauty and colours."
"I chose this shot because this is one of my favourite images from 2016. I had this composition from quite some time and I was waiting for the right location and time to make it. Fortunately I got chance to visit Deosai and shoot it. The end result is the blend of day and night images and my vision that I had in my mind while making this. Also this was loved by my friends and followers and got featured on so many Instagram hubs/accounts including Dawn.com.
This is a composite of two different images. The foreground was shot in Deosai and the sky was added from an other image that I took last year in Jand, Attock. Merged the two to create a composite and later applied my voodoo magic to create a night feel. In the end I added a rider with a horse to make the composition a little more interesting."
"Though 2016 has been the best year for my photography but, of all the memories I've stored throughout the year, this is the best one. This shot was taken on a cold afternoon at the Cold Desert of Katpana Skardu."
"It's the end of the year, I thought to entertain you with my top shot of 2016. I was browsing around looking for creative ideas for my macro work, I came across a photo which gave me the initial idea to put my own spin on it. I used some color pencils in the background and used red, green and blue colors based on RGB color model, hence the title of the photo RGB. The hardest part was to cut the pencils and place the glycerin drops on top. It took a lot of time and patience to set up this shot, took a total of 25 shots and then focus stacked to get all the details in focus."
"I was listening to music while passing by Shigar River in Skardu and enjoying the serenity of sunset behind mighty mountains. I was in a trance but nature seemed in hurry so I didn't stop myself from capturing this eye catching golden hour."
"The weather was awesome and I tried light painting on Jumeirah Beach near Burj Al Arab with my friends. Result was satisfactory and I am in love with this mood"
"Whenever I think about my achievements in life, the first thing which comes to my mind is this picture. For a lot of people, this won't be much. But for me, this is everything. This picture reflects a lot about the people of Pakistan. It's a tale of how terrorism was eradicated from a valley which was once filled with the sounds of gunfire and screams. That's the thing about Pakistanis. We always fight back. Mahoodant Lake, Kalam, Swat, KPK"
"This year's snowfall in February was a surprise for all the inhabitants of Abbottabad. It kept snowing for one whole night and one entire morning and everything was covered in thick layers of snow. In my memory, this was the first heavy snowfall that I witnessed in my hometown. Everything was covered in snow and it was SO bright that for a few minutes when I first stepped out I couldn't see a thing."
"This picture promotes education and empowerment. Living in a rural area did not make her feel uneducated or unaware of the world."
"It's not just a random click. It relives the mystery of the Karakoram Mountains. So heal your wounds by consuming the colours of mighty nature and spread happiness through your work of art."
"Bravery stone situated on the backside of Altit Fort in Hunza. It is famous for the selection of the special guardians of the Fort. Every one who want to join the guardians group, he must jump from the wall of Fort on this edge and back jump on the wall of the fort. Successful people become the part of special guardians and unsuccessful mostly lost their lives"
"Whenever I come to Lahore, I go to this place at sunrise. Last year I experienced extreme fog but this time this place was showing different scene. The colors of nature were showing their best part at a place of modern as well as historic architectures. This was best year for my photography and I learned a lot and still going on; but this shot and classical view will be remembered ever"
"At the sunny day with clouds hovering over amazing ancient architecture reflects Pakistan's rich heritage, the forty bastions of Derwar fort standing with grace in middle of Cholistan desert. "From cholistan desert to the peak of Nanga Parbat, this country is blessed with all the beauty of mother nature"
"Sta num dhe? (What's your name?)", I asked. "Zama num de Tayyab, agha num de Noor Shah (My name is Tayyab, and his name is Noor Shah) ", the one in green replied. And then they blushed as loveably as one could imagine. We saw these lads while exploring a desolate railway station near the Shangiani town. Most people here have been friendly, unlike the preconceived notion we had of an hostile environment. We have had the company of locals, many of whom invited us for dinner, but we declined with a heavy heart because of the limitations on our interactions. Balochistan was a great place to explore.
"One of the most spectacular sights and the best sunrise one can witness anywhere in the world. It becomes more special when you know that in very short time you will be away from this place. The sunrise right in front of the mighty Nanga Parbat. The uniqueness of this sunrise is when you capture the sun rays trying to overcome the mighty mountain and to know that the full illumination of Nanga Parbat will only be possible by noon time. It was indeed an unforgettable moment…"
"The 'Green Flag' fluttering in the evening breeze near Durrand Line, Pak-Afghan border. This picture was captured at Chapri top which is located at the height of 9941ft, Parachinar, Tribal Areas. I was delighted to find our dignity 'flag' at at such a place. This is one of my favourite pictures."
"Looking into my 2016 photography folder for choosing the best of the year wasn't easy for me. But I ended up selecting this picture as it won 3rd place in Silk bank's photography competition and also the title of Photographer of the week by @dawndotcom. Moreover this is one of the images that I gave up on initially and got right after several attempts"
"One of the best shots in my 2016 archive. Perfect light and scene at Fairy Meadows and Nanga Parbat in Diamir district, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan"
"This picture is my favourite from 2016 because it contains all of the composition elements I always look for; the tree at golden ratio, the shepherd adds human element, mountains in background perfectly borders the frame, rectangular shaped cropped field, soft tones and overall story that depicts lifestyle of rural areas of Balochistan"
"This silhouette was taken at Gorakh Hill Station, Sindh. I crossed the barrier to reach the last ridge accessible . The guy in Picture was some photographer capturing a time lapse of the sunset.
This is my favorite shot from 2016, because after visiting the place, I now realize that this is definitely one of the most underrated Hill Station in Pakistan."
"I consider this as my #dawntopshot2016 because... I just like the colours of fall"
"A Pakistani truck enroute to Sost, it’s a dry port passing through Gulmit village of Gojal. This road would change the demographics of this region when the CPEC is in its full flow. I hope that every region is given an extra share of education and health from where this road passes.
I chose this shot because it is the earliest picture that I captured when I started photographing and this picture holds a great importance in my life. "
Comments (146) Closed
Nature and culture - nice pictures.
larger than life photos !
Awsome pctures, subhanAllah
I was really lost in these pictures, when returned I thought What we have and what we do.
Superb - Pakistan Zindabad.
beautiful pictures. Thanks to all. All these man made barriers of lines like Durand line, redcliffe line and Mcmohan line need to be removed. Every nature loving human being should have access to these beautiful places in order to be one with nature. Because of few evil people the whole region is ruined. Imagine, how much tourism would have lifted the life standard of local people at the same time. Who says man is an intelligent being. we are worse than beasts when it comes to these things and fighting over things which we have merely borrowed from our children.
Beautiful, but where's the chai walla, would have liked to see that picture again
@ravi Marker I respect your think, but please do not start it. Regards
Wanderlust
Rubab boy winner
My Beautiful Pakistan.
Beautiful country, it is Pakistan.
First of All Congratulations to all those folks who got positions. Next congratulations to everyone whose photo has been appeared here.
Being a lensman I must to thankful for the dawn and its team for their untiring efforts with such super amazing, wonderful and highly cooperation for Photographers and documentarians from Our beloved Pakistan.
Infact The DAWN is the only agency in Pakistan who is supporting photographers.
LONG live dawn
Very Much Appreciate "Dawn" Effort for Display of such Fabulous and Magnificent Pictures. Pakistan is so Beautiful. Amazing.
A pleasant start of the new year. Excellent photographs. Thank you dear photographers. Thank you DAWN. Beautiful Pakistan.
Mega shots.
Really wonderful. No doubt all photographs are beyond any comment.
Good one
Beautiful pictures and excellent composition!
You've just made my day. :)
That Badshahi mosque pic... it's beyond amazing!
What a wonderful presentation on the New Years Day. Long live Dawn.
Wonderful and Amazing..Talent can be seen. Good job!
Photography at its best !!!!
I live in Riyadh and I showed these pictures to some Arab friends and all of them are astonished of the marvelous beauty of my country. I feel so proud.
The leaders of Pakistan have a great responsibility to protect and nourish this beautiful part of the World.Many thanks for the pictures.
@Ravi Marker - Appreciable thoughts.
'The magnificent Badshahi Mosque' by @ali_awaiss: Visited this once magnificent masjid recently-it is no more so. In fact it is crumbling-not being cared for.
Nature at its best....humanity at its best.....wonderful lovely pictures.
Thank you Dawn for the amazing collection and reflection of nature!
Beautiful!
Grand photos ,really marvellous.
Beautiful imagery. May God grant the people of Pakistan to raise the country the a giving super power. There is so much possibility in the people.
What a treasure. Let us wake up and preserve all the old beauties. Time is running out.
Thanks to Dawn. Living in Toronto I can tour Pakistan looking at these beautiful pictures.
Lovely shots
Stunning beauty...
@ravi Marker , so true . One day the dreams of all the peace-loving people will come true and you can visit Pakistan . I hope to visit India and take my parents to their ancestors' land before it too late. Until that day, it is just a dream. Peace out.
Our love our soil the land of pure, The Pakistan!
Awesome
The beauty and simplicity of Pakistan. A unique country in the world.
Great job Dawn News "dawntopshot2016"is a great work to highlight the natural beauty of Pakistan .
Of course mesmerising photographs!
thanks
DEEP BREATH What is there to say?? I was just SPELL BOUND! Just spell bound by the beauty, the majesty & grandeur of the mighty Karakorams!
The enchanting, mesmerizing, captivating, cajoling (what other alike words are there in the dictionary? pick them ALL UP!) beauty of Hunza, Astore!
Those stunningly well captured stand-alone close up pictures of children and the old!
I mean, seriously PAKISTAN ZINDABAD are the first words that come into mind after feasting your eyes on this collection!
Save this link, share it generously with your near & dear ones.
Dawn, WELL! DONE!
Incredible, so much of diversity in one Place. Brilliantly compiled.
Awesome photos. The captions for each photos were inadequate. Instead of large photos filling the entire browser page these photos could have been presented in clickable small size for better navigation.
Good photos but presentation by Dawn is mediocre.
My beautiful Pakistan. Amazing.
Look into the eyes of the Swati Girl!
Amazing, amazing, amazing.
Awesome
amazing picture. Thanks for sharing...
Beautiful
@ravi Marker I strongly agree,love your thoughts
My Beautiful Pakistan my first love ❤️
Absolutely marvelous larger than life pictures. Gold bless Pakistan. Let all Pakistanis know the hidden face of their country.
Beautiful pics!
stunning! no words!
Pakistan, you continue to amaze me with your beauty.
Wow !!!!!!!! Thanks to all the photographers.
simply beautiful. Thanks for sharing some of the most amazing views of Pakistan
Great pictures and great effort!
wow...just wow!!!
Beautiful pics... Wish to visit Pak one day.
Thanks and lots of love for sharing this beautiful part of the motherland.
Great Idea by Dawn. Each picture is worth seeing several times.
COOL Work.....
MERA PYARA PAKISTAN!
For me ' village girl' is the winner. Look at her talking eyes, her beautiful innocent face...winner all the way!
Simply Amazing!!!
Excellent pictures. some of these don't need to be stretched
Awesome... All of you, totally nailed it! Loved the pictures and your write up! Thanks for showing Pakistan for what it actually is, rather than how its portrayed to be!
A serene collection!
I'm mesmerized . beautiful ppl and beautiful Pakistan .
why not our Pakistani politicians are beautiful like this beautiful Pakistan?
So beautifully photographer
beauty of my beloved home land "heart wining pics" after, very difficult to describe my feelings in world!
Excellent photography & places..
These photos are encouraging ... which means i can beat the quality & work with my collection ...
My Pakistan OUR Pakistan & LOVE you Pakistan!
Awesome pictures, beauty lies in the beholders eye. Thanks for sharing.
Great keeep it up, and hope the every pakistani should keep clean the mind, personel charachter and thoughts like the cool and beatiful nature sorrounding the pak. Next year we will see how would be the citizens so fresh or dirty. Its upto you......
all these pics are very persuasive, very inviting. we must go and visit these places. tourism means peace.
Breathtaking photos
My country is beautiful.
Nature at its best...SIMPLY ! It will always keep our believe in the Curator of such beautiful things. Congratulations and bravo to all the photographers who has shared there moments with us.
I can summarise the pictures in one word only - "AMAZING"
awesome.....kudos from india
thanks to all the photographers who captured the most beautiful face of Pakistan. these pics invites us to come and visit these areas.
Pakistan is beautiful!!
A great service to lovers of tranquility in Nature
amazing , fascinating
amazing , fascinating
proud baloch Pakistan......oh my beautiful Pakistan.
Just a word, "Subhanallah"......!
I find no hope for 2017 in these pictures. These beautiful things were there even in 2016 and 2015, and before, besides, they will be there in the future as well. All that they tell us that life can be beautiful at certain times and certain places and of course in pictures.
Absolutely breathtaking pictures
I am from India. I really like Pakistan. The pics shown here are beautiful. All the best for 2017.
PTDC should pay these photographers, cause they have been able to show us what PTDC failed to do, and THIS is their job !! if I was in power for a day, I would replace PTDC completely !!!
superb****
Beautiful Pakistan
too much beautiful...
These amazing and wonderful pictures shows to the rest of the world what kind of cultural and natural beauty we have in Pakistan.God bless you and appreciate your excellent presentation.
Very beautiful photographs. Congrats !
Every inch of this country sparks beauty of its own kind, but if we rank them, GB wins across the board. Be it natural beauty or peace.
That is why we are known as amazing people from an amazing country. Pakistan and its people are beautiful. Pakistan is known as mini Switzerland for its beauty. People are know as resilient. It is rich in heritage, minerals and has the best canal system in the world. It has K2, Indus Valley, five seasons, got its own unique culture. Known for its music, historical sites, known for sufis kalam, presence of historical places, breath taking scenery of Kunjrab, Sawat, Malakand, Naran, Kaghan, Sri pae, Abbotabad, Muree, ..........Terrorists will never succeed. Our security forces and eliminating them and they are on the run. Pakistan is my jaan.
Amazing...
oh dawn,once again amazing photos of my neighbour country,
No words for these lovely pictures. Hats off for the person who took these lovely shots.
Just one word.......Awesome
90% of Pakistanis have not seen these beautiful places because of insecurity, places are not developed , no night life and many other factors, tourists from Pakistan and other countries will never go there. God has given the natural beauty but its men who has to develop it.
Wonderful! Nicely done Dawn.
These beautiful can be made into recreational and money making projects, but there is a big IF.
Great Pictures. Thank You for sharing them with us.
Magnificent.
Fascinating. Pakistan is really beautiful country but unfortunately we are look after it
Absolutely beautiful country of ours!
I'm truly awestruck by all of the pictures.
My beautiful Pakistan and beautiful people. Long live Pakistan :-)
Great pictures. I hope we can make use of these beautiful places.
Awesome.... would love to visit...
Amazing pictures.
beautiful pictures. Specially Snrise Lahore, Badsahi Masjid and 'Village girl' Amazing photography.
Which of these photo is the best nobody can choose. These are simply stunning and very artistic and projective.
@ravi Marker The governments will keep on pressing with barriers. It is the common mans job of both the countries to press hard for removing those barriers
May be it's a blessing that these areas are not easily accessible.. Nature is in peace...
Pakistan is so beautiful, and so happy to know this.
Its beautiful Collection i feel Pakistan shall have good impact on tourism because of Nature photography in year 2016 seen great increase in tourism and Pakistan tour and travel a leading tour operator in domestic circuit feel business shall flourish more . For more updates visit www.pakistantourntravel.com
The real beauty of Pakistan.
I appreciate photographers and media team of DAWN news for exploring natural beauty and heavenly places of Gilgit Baltistan specially Hunza. Such photography will boost tourism and attract world to visit GB. LONG LIVE GILGIT BALTISTAN
Excellent shots , loved it.
Absolutely beautiful.
BEAUTIFUL PICTURES....BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Dawn.com is doing great effort in promoting the fantastic views across Pakistan.
Good job. Thnx for the pics.
Transport is the main subject for trade of any country,In the past,so many person attended of this subject,above Picture nice picture according to winter.
Transport is the main subject for trade Many person have attained over that subject in the past on your way,above picture nice according to winter.
Words cannot justify describing the immense beauty captured in these photographs. Great work. Imran
this is what pakistan is...proud to be pakistani
Absolutely wonderful. Lovely pictures and my beautiful Pakistan. God Bless Pakistan.
i have heard that mountains of Pakistan are beautiful, but this beautiful ? Stunning.
I have a Single word about the nature "Fantastic"... No doubt Pakistan is Heaven on World.
Fabulous Pics ...
wow! this is real face of Pakistan, most beautiful and peaceful.
What a beautiful country. Please get rid of terrorism so that we can visit and enjoy the beauty. May it always stay serene and beautiful.
I`m Iranian. These photos are truely beautiful. Especially That little boy playing music.