Some of the best Arizona Daily Star photos of 2021
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Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Here you'll find some of the best photographs taken by Arizona Daily Star photographers in 2021.
Several photos are consensus favorites. Others are somewhat subjective picks by the photo editor. The criteria for selection varies (the photo editor's mood can be one criteria), but usually involves overall importance of the moment or event, timing, technical excellence (exposure, focus) and aesthetics like composition.
Sports can be particularly difficult, since the quantity of very good sports photos has exploded in recent years due to improvements in technology like automatic focus tracking and light sensitivity of digital sensor arrays. Photos that would seem great in the film era might now seem commonplace.
Photos shown were taken by the current staff, including Kelly Presnell, Mamta Popat and Rebecca Sasnett. Also included are former staffer Josh Galemore and intern Ana Beltran.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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A hot shot crew member keeps an eye on the Margo Fire as it burns in the San Pedro River Valley in Dudleyville, Ariz., April 8, 2021. As of Friday afternoon, the Margo Fire wildfire remains at 500 acres and is 20% contained. The fire burned 12 homes and buildings in the tow of Dudleyville.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes embraces Arizona Wildcats guard Aari McDonald (2) as the team celebrates their win over Indiana in the Elite Eight NCAA Tournament regional final game at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on March 29, 2021. Arizona wins 66-53 and is headed to the Final Four.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Arizona Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) and Arizona Wildcats guard Aari McDonald (2) celebrate their win over the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament Final Four game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on April 2, 2021. Arizona won 69-59 to advance to the national championship game against Stanford.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Roxanne Lee, manager of the Tucson Medical Center cath lab, stands with nurses and other colleagues in Lifegain Park during a memorial ceremony to remember those who have died of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), on Jan. 19, 2021. About 50 hospital staff showed up to the event which coincided with President-elect Joe Biden's national memorial for COVID-19 victims. 228 people have died of COVID-19 at the TMC including one staff member.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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A few members of the Arizona team sit on the bench after losing to NAU at home in 2021.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Arizona guard James Akinjo (13) manages to keep control from the lunge of UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) in the second half of their Pac 12 basketball game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., January 9, 2021.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Joel Gardner, 18, gets some air as he launches off a hill atop a saucer sled while enjoying the recent snowfall in Oracle State Park, on Jan, 26, 2021.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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C.J. Molina, 11, tries to catch snowflakes on his tongue as a rare snowfall takes place in Tucson, Ariz. on January 26, 2021.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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The clouds begin to break up behind a cutout of a cowboy herding strays on a snowy ridge just north of Sonoita, Ariz., January 26, 2021. A winter storm dumped several inches of snow over the valley in near blizzard conditions throughout the day.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Arizona head coach Adia Barnes gives forward Cate Reese's (25) ponytail a couple of twists before the Wildcats celebrate their win over Washington State in their Pac12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 12, 2021.
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Courtney Moreno, a dancer with the BANDALOOP troupe, performs a move while suspended from the Meinel Optical Sciences Building on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Ariz. on March 9, 2021. The dance company from Oakland is in Tucson to try out buildings for a vertical performance next year.
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Samairani Gamez practices a step-off, one of the pool entry techniques, and to keep her head above the surface during lifeguard training class at Sunnyside Pool, Tucson, Ariz., April 17, 2021.
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Salpointe's Taiya Texeria, 13, jumps in the air screaming after sliding to home plate during Salpointe Catholic's 5-4 win over Vista Grande in AIA's 4A State Softball Championship at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium,1700 E. 2nd St., in Tucson, May 14, 2021. The Salpointe Catholic Lancers are the 4A State Champions.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Arizona's Dejah Mulipola (8) flips her bat and watches her no-doubter two-RBI homer clear the left field grandstand to give the Wildcats a much needed cushion with two out in the bottom of the sixth against Ole Miss in their NCAA regional second round game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021. The homer was Mulipola's second of the day in the 'Cats 12-6 win.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Angel Roman, 4, right, gets a direct hit at his brother, Junior, 6, while playing at the splash pad at Catalina Park, 941 N 4th Ave. in Tucson, Ariz. on June 14, 2021. The official start to the monsoon has arrived and the forecast includes a small chance of afternoon showers through the rest of the week. It also calls for a potentially record-setting streak of high temperatures of at least 110 degrees.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Lighting strikes southwest of Tucson, Ariz., July 29, 2021, from one of several monsoon cells that moved through valley just before sunset.
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Ed Reno, right, and his son Eddie Reno discuss the University of Arizona as a possible college for Eddie while looking over the skyline on the outside patio at The Moonstone bar, 930 E. 2nd st., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 11th, 2021. The Moonstone bar, a rooftop bar on the top floor of the Graduate Hotel, opened at the end of last year and has wide views of the Catalina Mountains as well as the University of Arizona Campus.
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A woman wades into the flood waters of the Rillito River just west of Swan Road after an afternoon monsoon storm through the center of town got the washes flowing, Tucson, Ariz., August 17, 2021.
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A boy squints while looking into the sun at the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds at Thunder & Lightning Over Arizona air show at Davis-Monthan AFB on Nov. 6, 2021. The show features dozens of aircraft flying and on display, from WWII to present day.
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A group of Xeromphalina Campanella mushrooms grow on a tree stump at Bear Wallow in the Santa Catalina Mountains outside Tucson, Ariz. on August 25th, 2021. Hernan Castro, mycologist and founder of Desert Alchemist, started Desert Alchemist, a local company, a couple years ago after his father got sick. He looked to medical properties of mushrooms and herbs to make extracts for his father. After a couple of months of taking the mushroom extract, his fathers condition improved. Since then Castro has been learning and researching a variety of mushrooms and creating extracts and other mushroom infused items such as lionsmane-mushroom-infused beer.
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An Empress Leilia butterfly rests on some leaves along Ventana Canyon Trail as the local insect population explodes along with the vegetation due to record monsoon rainfall, Tucson, Ariz., August 27, 2021.
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Pedestrians walk though the soaked intersection of Congress and 6th as the remnants of tropical storm Nora drops evening rains over Tucson, Ariz., August 31, 2021.
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Michelle Hamacher, center, rolls in wood chips while playing with her 7-year-old son at Hoffman Park, 4875 E. Cecelia St., in Tucson, Ariz. on Sep. 2nd. Since Hamacher's son participates in online school due to his auto-immune challenges, Hamacher likes to give her son a break from the computer screen and play with him outside.
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Robson Canceicao taunts Oscar Valdez as he does a post-match interview after defending his WBC Super Welterweight with an unanimous decision over Conceicao at AVA Amphitheater, Tucson, Ariz., September 10, 2021.
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Elsa Marcano, right, looks over at her husband, Juan, after he took the Oath of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony at the Tumacacori National Historical Park, 1891 I-19 E. Frontage Road in Tumacacori, Ariz., on September 17, 2021. Fifteen people from six countries took the oath in their final step to become U.S. citizens in celebration of Citizenship Day and Constitution Day.
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Sahuaro's Javez Blair, 25, fumbles the ball while being tackled during the first half of their game against Mountain View at Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 17th, 2021.
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The Sahuaro Cougars football team releases red, white and blue balloons in honor of Rick Botkin, a former sahuaro high school football player who lost his life in an automobile accident during his senior year in 1977, before their game against Mountain View at Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 17th, 2021. Mountain View won 26-7.
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Arizona forward Sam Thomas, 14, during media day at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on Oct. 1st., 2021.
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Mica Mountain head coach Amy Johnson rallies her squad for a match against Tanque Verde at the Hawk Invitational, Tucson, Ariz., September 25, 2021. The Tanque Verde game came after the Thunderbolts's first loss of the season, and history, against Catalina Foothills.
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Between matches the Thunderbolts gather to watch a video on a coaches phone during Tanque Verde Hawk Invitational for the Mica Mountain High School volleyball team, Tucson, Ariz., September 25, 2021.
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Desert View's Rudy Rodriguez (11) out jumps Marana's Alonzo Loree (7) for a big gainer in the second quarter of their game at Marana High School, Marana, Ariz., October 1, 2021.
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As the sunsets behind the visitor's bleachers, the crew of Bobcat TV get set up to record the highlights of Cienega's game at Mountain View High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 8, 2021.
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Salpointe's Luis Cordorva (72) shows off the ball after coming with the fumble by Desert View's Carlos Alvarez (20) in the first quarter of their high school football game at Desert View High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 15, 2021.
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Passersby stop to get cell phone photos of the objects and mementos left to those who passed at the Dia de los Muertos shrine on the north side of the MSA Annex, Tucson, Ariz., October 20, 2021.
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Arizona forward Cate Reese (25) gets battered from all sides in ripping away an offensive rebound against Eastern New Mexico at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., October 27, 2021.
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Cienega's Ethan Chavez (20) holds on to bring down Sunnyside's Diego Arellano (1) on a kickoff return in their game at Sunnyside High School, Tucson, Ariz., October 29, 2021.
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A group of attendees are nearly home free but get ambushed by a scary clown just feet short of the exit from the Terror Trail at Tomb Town , Tucson, Ariz., October 30, 2021. Tomb Town is Keith and Jenny Stewart's Halloween homage for the past 20 years, turning their front yard into a fright night hike for all comers. Terror town is open for one more night, October 31, from 5 to 10 p.m. at 8343 N Wanda Road, admission is a $1 donation to the Southern Arizona Community Food Bank.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) and Arizona Wildcats guard Anna Gret Asi (0) get tangled up with Graciela Roybal (3), of Arizona Christian, over a loose ball in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on November 5, 2021.
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A couple watch as a monsoon storm begins to drop rain in the eastern reaches of the Santa Catalinas from a lookout near Windy Point Vista on the Catalina Highway on June 30, 2021.
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From left to right, Judy Askenasy, Penny Fox, LaWanda Brothers and Kathern Ballentine react as the remains of Army Pfc. Glenn E. Collins, a Korean War veteran is laid to rest at South Lawn Memorial Cemetery, 5401 S. Park Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on November 11, 2021. A native of Tucson, Collins was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, after his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. His remains were turned over by North Korea on July 27, 2018 and accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on April 23, 2020. Brothers and Ballentine are his sisters.
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10 hot air balloons for a night glow event at the third annual MHC BalloonFest on Saturday November 13, 2021 at the MHC Healthcare campus. The funds raised at the Balloonfest go to the MHC Healthcare Foundation and helps raise funds for Medical Residence Training Program to help address the national shortage of physicians, family nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
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Canyon del Oro's Zack Rogowski, 9, runs out of bounds after his one handed touchdown catch during the first half of their game against Sahuaro at Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 12th, 2021.
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Millennium's Xavier Sanchez (14) and /m team up to keep Desert View's Jah'Li Govan from a touchdown catch in the third quarter of their 5A State Playoff football game between Desert View High School and Millennium High School at Desert View, Tucson, Ariz., November 19, 2021.
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The Salpointe Catholic sideline reacts to a fellow teammates catch after a long pass during their game against No. 15 Phoenix Sunnyslope for the first round of the 5A class playoffs at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Nov. 19th, 2021.
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Landis Kearnon sits in her front doorway to watch the rain and feel the cool breeze at her home on W. Simpson Street on July 27, 2021.
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Goodyear Desert Edge's Vinny Mansfield, 5, is tacked in the end zone by Salpointe Catholic's Mason Sanchez, 11, during the first half of the Class 5A State Semifinals between the Salpointe Catholic Lancers and the Goodyear Desert Edge Scorpions at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 3rd, 2021.
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Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin (0) gets everybody hopping as he finishes off a fast break with a dunk against Wyoming during the first half in the NCAA men's basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and Wyoming Cowboys at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., December 8, 2021.
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Amphi's Kevin Quintero (23), left, and Andrew Santillano (24) squeeze Pueblo's Isaiah Hill (2) out of a rebound in their boys basketball game between the Pubelo Warriors and the Amphitheater Panthers at Pueblo High School, Tucson, Ariz., December 14, 2021.
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Kendra Guerrero takes her son two-year-old son Kanian through the lights and sights of the pediatrics courtyard, the annual holiday treat for the kids having to spend the holidays in the pediatric unit of Tucson Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz., December 15, 2021. TMC's facilities team decorated the courtyard with lights, inflatables and artificial snow machines so the children and a family member got the opportunity to get out of their rooms for a bit and feel a little cheer.
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Body Builder, personal trainer and actor commonly known as "The Original Hulk" Lou Ferrigno and Hulk fan Johnny Kupferschmidt, 8, compare hand sizes at Harley's Toys and Comics in the Tucson Mall in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 18th, 2021. Ferrigno played The Hulk in "The Incredible Hulk" television show from 1977-1982.
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A woman climbs out of a Nissan pick-up as Northwest Fire District firefighters position themselves for a water rescue in the CaÃąada del Oro Wash north of Tucson, Ariz., on Aug. 10, 2021. Firefighters rescued three people from one of two vehicles in the wash, swollen with runoff after an early-morning downpour dumped nearly two-inches upstream. (Rick Wiley, Arizona Daily Star)
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A crowd of a couple of hundred yells through the doors of the Vail Education Center after being held out of the Vail School District governing board meeting, Tucson, Ariz., April 27, 2021. The meeting was canceled before it was officially started when most of the crowd refused to wear masks or accept limits on the number of people allowed into the building.
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Frances Sanchez becomes emotional as Lily Dolan prays with her during a drive-thru banquet at the Gospel Rescue Mission located at the H.S. Lopez Family Foundation Center of Opportunity, 4550 S. Palo Verde Road in Tucson, Ariz. on November 24, 2021. Participants received a traditional Thanksgiving meal, an apple pie and a box of non-perishable food items and hygiene products. Twenty-five hundred meals were made to be handed out, according to Victor Hightower, marketing manager.
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A pair of bikers pass by poppy blooms along the shoulders of Valencia just east of Houghton Road, as the local vegetation bounces back with record monsoon rainfall on August 21, 2021.
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Arizona head coach Sean Miller gets his money's worth during a discussion with one of the game officials in the first half against Arizona State at Desert Financial Arena, Tempe, Ariz., January 21, 2021.
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Arizona second baseman Allie Skaggs (9) loses her grip on the ball while colliding with right fielder Isabella Dayton (4) letting Team Mexico's Brigette Del Ponte reach on a pop-up in no-man's land in the second inning of their exhibition game in the Bear Down Fiesta at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 10, 2021.
2021 Arizona Daily Star photography
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Tyler Claiborn stands on a rock while watching his daughter play in a pool near the bottom of the Sabino Dam at Sabino Canyon Recreational Area on July 26, 2021. After being dry in 2020, Sabino Creek roared back to life with runoff from heavy rain in the mountains north of Tucson.
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Fans rushed the field after University of Arizona secured the win 10-3 for the homecoming game vs the California Bears on November 6th, 2021.
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It was clear skies at sunset over the Rillito River, running almost bank-to-bank near its junction at the Santa Cruz River, September 1, 2021, the day after several hours of rain.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
