I voted for this hippo image to be included in the Year in Pictures. Yes it's a zoo picture, yes, it's an animal -- so some would say it's not "serious" photojournalism and doesn't stand up against all of the important news of the year. Yes, all that is true, but also, it's nice to take a moment to appreciate the lighter moments that were captured. This picture makes me smile, in part because the hippo seems a little happy about the attention and the carrot is a fun, whimsical detail. See the images that did make the cut here.