OPB's 2017 Photos Of The Year

NEWS | Photojournalism has always been a huge part of telling a complete story. In 2017, the images captured during political protests, the exhausting wildfire season and the countless human stories across our region gave a much needed visual component to a year packed with daily news alerts.

A counter-protester named Anthony holds his hands in the air after being hit with pepper spray balls by Portland police during protests downtown Sunday, June 4, 2017.

Coya Crispin stands outside her St. Johns neighborhood apartment with her daughter, Saraia, and her son, Titan, February 2017.

Mourners gather at a memorial for victims of the May attacks on a Portland MAX light-rail train.

Todd Kelsay, left, assists federal police officers in handcuffing an Antifa protester at a pro-Trump rally in downtown Portland.

A hotshot firefighter sprays water on the area surrounding Multnomah Falls as the Eagle Creek Wildfire burns nearby.

People protest U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' visit to Portland in September.

A sign condemns "white silence" during one of the many protests in 2017.

Steve Amen says goodbye to a crowd of "Oregon Field Guide" fans during an event in Bend, Oregon.

Johanna Varner attempts to get a glimpse of her research sites in the Columbia River Gorge. She settled for a vantage point on the side of the road in Cascade Locks because of fire hazards from the Eagle Creek Fire.

Steve Hiatt says thick smoke from the Eagle Creek Fire spooked his five horses and four cattle. "I can see they're really freaked out after last night," he says.

Culture | From the summer music festival schedule to the reopening of Portland's Japanese Garden, culture has always been an undervalued gem in Oregon and its neighboring regions. In 2017, the eclectic mix of stories through the eyes of a lens, were a positive reminder of the uniqueness of the Pacific Northwest.

One of the aims of the long-awaited Cultural Village at the Portland Japanese Garden is to immerse visitors in traditional Japanese arts and culture.

A big batch of kimchi calls for a big bucket. Sambal oelek, a chunky red chili paste, is added to a mixture of spices, Napa cabbage and other delights. Find the recipe here.

Performers from the world-famous Darcelle XV Showplace drag show ride along the Portland Pride Parade route on Segways Sunday, June 18, 2017.

After the annual July 4 prayer circle, Rainbow Family of Living Light gatherers kick up dust in the main meadow as they frolic and dance in celebration at the 2017 gathering in the Malheur National Forest.

Solange performed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall for the 2017 Soul'd Out Music Festival in Portland.

Scenes from the 2017 running of the Hood To Coast and Portland To Coast relay races in August.

The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne and 'State of Wonder' host April Baer inside Coyne's installation 'King's Mouth' at PNCA.

Adrianne Franch shows off the Portland Thorns' 2017 NWSL championship trophy during a celebration at Providence Park Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017.

Destinations | The unprecedented landscape of the Pacific Northwest is truly an American treasure. Capturing such wondrous lands is some of the most rewarding work a photographer can do while working their beat. Here we highlight the region's beauty and the photographers who captured its radiance.

A night shot during Oregon Field Guide's Crater Lake ski expedition.