As the end of another eventful year comes to a close, we thought we’d take a look at some of the big photography moments of 2016. These moments didn’t necessarily mark big political or social events but did make us think about the importance of photography and its impact on the world. Here are just a few snaps that made a splash in 2016.

Dolphin Selfie

In February 2016 we wrote a piece for the blog about the importance of respecting nature as a photographer. This followed reports that tourists in Argentina had been taking selfies with a dolphin. The authorities later launched an investigation into what caused the dolphin’s death to find out if it was dead before it was taken out of the water. In March a swan in was also reportedly killed in Macedonia in the name of a photo opportunity.

Selfie deaths

It’s not just nature that has been paying the price for extreme photos in 2016, there has also been a shocking rise in the number of deaths associated with selfies. We know from the personalised portrait prints we produce that taking creative and interesting selfies continues to be a popular past time for many, but how far would you go to get the perfect photograph? According to the statistics 73 selfie takers died in the first eight months of 2016. This shows a sharp rise in comparison to 15 selfie related deaths in the whole of 2014. Back in November, BBC’s newsbeat reported that the problem is particularly bad in India where train track selfies are popular.

The faked competition winner

Controversy surrounding photography competition winners isn’t new – you can’t expect everyone to always agree with the judges. However, back in February a social media furore led one contest winner to be unmasked as a fake. The photograph was the January winner of the monthly Nikon competition. The photograph featured an aeroplane, seemingly in mid air at the end of a ladder climb. As eagle-eyed fellow photographers pointed out, the plane had been edited into the image to make it more striking. The photographer who submitted the photo later issued an apology.

Gunman snapped

In a storyline fit for a movie, the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey in December was caught on film by an Associated Press photographer. Photographer Burhan Ozbilici was at a photo exhibition in Istanbul where the ambassador was speaking. It was here he spotted and snapped gunman Andrei Karlov committing the crime.

Which photography moments have caught you by surprise in 2016? Do you have a photograph or photography moment of the year? If you have your own 'photo of the year' that you're particularly proud of, why not transfer it to canvas or build the canvas print from scratch?