Top photo galleries
Backyard legends
![Backyard cricket with children on Melody St Coogee. Saturday 14th December 2013. Photograph by James Brickwood. SHD NEWS 131214. Story by Lucy Marks.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2014/01/03/5050493/DP-BackyardTH3-20140103143704208841-90x60.jpg)
Our fondness for games played with bat and ball doesn't start in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground, but in the backyard. Follow us at twitter.com/photosSMH
Fifth Test, Sydney - Day Two
![Ryan Harris celebrates the dismissal of Alastair Cook on Day two of the Australia vs England in the fifth test ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Photography Brendan Esposito
smh,4th January,2014](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2014/01/04/5052715/DP-AshesDay2TH1-20140104151716109559-90x60.jpg)
All the colour and action from The Ashes fifth test at Sydney's SCG. Follow us at twitter.com/photosSMH Like these photos? Go to www.fairfaxphotos.com
Best of the world
![RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JANUARY 03: A man flips off the rocks at Arpoador at sunset during a summer heat wave in the city on January 3, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Temperatures climbed to 104 in the city with a heat index measured at 122 degrees. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2014/01/04/5052791/DP-BOW5TH-20140104165937499937-90x60.jpg)
The best photos from the international wire services chosen by the Photo Editors at the Sydney Morning Herald. Follow us at twitter.com/photosSMH
Tacloban aftermath
![Tacloban Philippines devastated by cyclone Haiyan .](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/26/5035176/DA---Typhoon-20131226094422210106-90x60.jpg)
A gallery of photos taken by Fairfax Chief Photographer Brendan Esposito in the days after typhoon Haiyan devasated many of the areas around the Philippines.
Photos of the week
![Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was an exceptionally powerful tropical cyclone that devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, in early November 2013. Photography Brendan Esposito
smh,2013,22nd November](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2014/01/02/5048445/-----aaaaa-20140102155553654083-90x60.jpg)
A week in photos from award winning Fairfax photographers from the week ending January 2, 2014. Like these photos? Go to www.fairfaxsyndication.com. Follow us at http://twitter.com/photosSMH
Christmas in Sydney
![Christmas day on Bondi Beach with the North Bondi life savers.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/25/5034271/DA---xmas-20131225122831617985-90x60.jpg)
See how the Fairfax photographers captured the festive spirit from all over Sydney.
State Parliament Bomb Scare
![Bomb scare Nsw Parliament House. Photo:Peter Rae Friday 20 Dec 2013](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/20/5027331/H-bomb-20131220204523860042-90x60.jpg)
Heavily armed police officers take a man to an ambulance after dragging him from his car outside NSW Parliament House in Sydney. The stand-off between a man in a white car and police lasted about three hours, with police fearing the car held containers of flammable liquid.
Prawn fishing on the Hawkesbury
![Glen Howard , prawn fisher , trawls the Hawkesbury River early in the morning near Lower Portland for fresh produce for the upcoming Christmas period.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/19/5021640/DA---Prawn-20131219122837856902-90x60.jpg)
Glen Howard, prawn fisher, trawls the Hawkesbury River early in the morning near Lower Portland for fresh produce for the upcoming Christmas period. Photography by Nick Moir.
Training for 2013 Sydney to Hobart
![Fairfax journalist Liam Phelan at the helm training for the Sydney Hobart on the Clipper 68, CV5 on Sydney Harbour.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/20/5024357/DA---Clipper-20131220092737347716-90x60.jpg)
Fairfax journalist Liam Phelan and his crew mates trained on Sydney Harbour this week for the 2013 Sydney to Hobart yacht race onboard the Clipper 68, CV5. Photography by Dallas Kilponen.
Best of 2013 by Justin McManus
![Pictures of the Year](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/13/5007325/Justinthumb-20131213123210241710-90x60.jpg)
Age photographer Justin McManus shares his best photographs of 2013. Follow The Age photographers on twitter @theage_photo & Instagram agephoto
2013 The year in political pictures.
![Gillard](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/05/30/4449651/gillard320-90x60.jpg)
Three Prime Minister, two leadership ballots and an election campaign for 2013.
A Melbourne Scorcher
![Louise Beddoe and Ben Ebbage](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/19/5021997/a1thumb-20131219142219691074-90x60.jpg)
Victoria on track for hottest December day in 3 yrs as most of state passes 30 degrees.
Best of 2013 by Jason South
![6 year old Niamh swings high at the Gamon street park in Seddon as bushfires around Victoria make a spectacular sunset.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/13/5007050/Jasonthumb-20131213113326160331-90x60.jpg)
Age photographer Jason South shares his best photographs of 2013.
The photographer's toolkit
For stormchasing, learn to read weather charts
![A dead tree in front of a dying storm](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/10/4995692/th-weathertree-90x60.jpg)
Nick Moir The main challenge in stormchasing and weather photography in general is just trying to work out in the days and hours before an event occurs where you should be and what to expect when you get there.
Taking photos interferes with memory: study
![Say cheese: Taking photos may interfere with your memory of special events.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/10/4996924/1386646554249.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Sarah Knapton The modern obsession with photographing every detail of happy occasions such as birthdays or weddings could be damaging our ability to remember them, according to US research.
Apps for preserving tapestry of a lifetime
![Dominican Sisters Shirley King and Jill Shirvington working with Tapestry on an iPad.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/09/4993228/1389128293204.jpg-90x60.jpg)
Sylvia Pennington Digital image sharing has been seen as the preserve of the selfie-obsessed generation but some developers spot an untapped market at the other end of the age spectrum.
Get serious about photography
![Help books.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/11/06/4899550/HP-Greenguide-th-20131106102607392338-90x60.jpg)
IMAGING It's time to move on from the humble compact and embrace serious photographic gear.
Clouds fill Grand Canyon in rare event
![Grand Canyon cloud](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/12/02/4972590/th-2Grand-Canyon-Cloud-90x60.jpg)
A spectacular once-in-a-decade weather event has occurred at the Grand Canyon twice in three days.
Come home with better holiday photos
![Lauren Bath](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/10/16/4834570/th-Lauren-Bath-90x60.jpg)
Professional photographers can spend days waiting for everything to align for that one perfect shot. But what about the rest of us who want to return from our holidays with better photos? Leading photographers share their tips.
Professional smartphone photography tips
![iPhone macro photography. A human eye.](http://web.archive.org./web/20140108150911im_/http://images.smh.com.au/2013/07/16/4575496/JD-th-macro-20130716204453439836-90x60.jpg)
If you really want to make your pictures pop, it's about more than just point and shoot.
About Clique
Everything you need to know.
Prizes and benefits
How to redeem your benefits.
Monthly Challenges
Key dates for your diary.
Challenge upload
To log in & upload the Challenge
Workshops & Events
Information about events.
Best of Fairfax
Home use photos
How to order prints of Australia's best photos.
SMH Photos
Award-winning photography from The Sydney Morning Herald photographic team.
The Age Photos
The finest selections from The Age photographic team.