Photos of 2020: RNZ’s pick of the pics

RNZ's photographers and reporters were witness to a tumultuous year in 2020. Here is a selection of our favourite images.

Covid-19 turned New Zealand, and the world, upside down. Sending the country into a national lockdown.

In politics, the National Party was riven by internal divisions, starting the year with Simon Bridges as leader and ending with Judith Collins.

In between, Todd Muller was at the helm for just 53 days.

And in October, after a Covid-hampered General election campaign, Labour won in a landslide victory.

Our photographers also captured floods, fires, demonstrations and some lighter moments in New Zealand life.

Here are some of their images.

Lockdown

On 25 March the nation went into level 4 lockdown as the government pursued a policy of Covid eradication.

Photo of an empty car park with a sole shopping trolley in the middle. Auckland's Mangere on the morning of 26 March, on the first day of the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly

Photo of an aerial view of the motorway, with very few cars on it. Southern Motorway, Auckland, 8 April 2020. RNZ / Simon Rogers

Photo of the silhouette of a person taking a photo of the sunrise over Rangitoto Island. Auckland's Takapuna Beach on the morning of 26 March RNZ / Dan Cook

Photo of the motorway into Auckland, with the city in the background, and very few cars on the road. Auckland on the morning of 26 March, on the first day of the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown RNZ / Dan Cook

Politics

Black and white photo of David Clark walking through a doorway, followed by Grant Robertson. David Clark after announcing he is stepping down as minister of health. RNZ /Dom Thomas

Photo of Paula Bennet smiling in front of a bunch of microphones and cameras. Paula Bennett retires from politics. RNZ/Dan Cook

Photo of Todd Muller speaking to someone (Muller is shown over the shoulder of the person he is in conversation with). Todd Muller was National Party leader for 53 days. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Judith Collins in front of a group of National party members. Judith Collins is elected leader just weeks before a general election. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

On the campaign trail

Black and white photo of Jacinda Ardern smiling and leaning on a table, with Grant Robertson smiling in the background. Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson on the campaign trail RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Judith Collins enthusiastically giving the thumbs up in the foreground, with someone in the background holding a sign saying "Judith! Make Ardern Go Away." Judith Collins in Hamilton 14 October. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Kelvin Davis, Jacinda Ardern and Shane Jones sitting on a row of chairs, with people sitting behind them. Jacinda Ardern (middle), Kelvin Davis (L) and Shane Jones (R) on the campaign trail. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Black and white photo of David Seymour in the foreground in front of the Cardona Hotel. ACT Party leader David Seymour, on the Election 2020 campaign trail, in Cardrona, Otago. September. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Judith Collins holding up an election sign for Simon Watts. Judith Collins and supporters. RNZ / Sam Rillstone

Photo of Winston Peters smiling and standing in front of a clothing store. Winston Peters at a campaign event in Taupō. RNZ / Simon Rogers

Election night and aftermath

Photo of Jacinda Ardern smiling in the foreground with a light behind her. Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at the Auckland Town Hall on election night. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Judith Collins standing behind a microphone and in front of a National backdrop. Judith Collins concedes. 2020 Getty Images

Photo of David Seymour standing with a group of people. Celebrations at the ACT party headquarters RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly

Photo of Golriz Ghahraman, Chloe Swarbrick, Marama Davidson and Eugenie Sage with big smiles, standing in front of Parliament. Green Party MPs outside Parliament RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Photo of Megan Woods and Grant Robertson smiling and looking at each other, with people in the background behind them. Megan Woods and Grant Robertson in post-election in good spirits. RNZ / Dom Thomas

People

Photo of Ashley Bloomfield walking towards the camera with a neon sign in the background that says, "Don't Let It Get You." We would get to know this face well over the course of the year. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of Troy Bramley standing in the cockpit of a boat. Crayfisher Troy Bramley. RNZ /Dom Thomas

Photo of Nanaia Mahuta sitting and looking towards the camera. Nanaia Mahuta RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of two men on a track getting ready to sprint. New Zealand sprinters Eddie Osei-Nketia and Joseph Millar at training. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of a fireman standing in front of a structure that is on fire. Fire engineer Dr Kevin Frank. RNZ /Dom Thomas

Photo of a bunch of kids standing on the edge of a bridge with one kid midair doing a canonball. Popping a manu off Waitangi's one-lane bridge, Waitangi Day RNZ/Simon Rogers

Photo of a man holding a flag in front of a tree. Joseph Tavita Ogotau-Wright holding a Nuien flag at OurMarch in Auckland RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly

Photo of a girl holding a sign that says, "We gotta start making changes". Dafena Alo from McAuley High at the rally for inter-school peace RNZ / Leilani Momoisea

Photo of a woman looking at the camera, wearing a mask that says, "George Floyd". Mary Adeosun at a Black Lives Matter protest in Auckland. RNZ / Mabel Muller

Fire and flood

Photo of fireman spraying water on a burning house. Wellington’s famous ‘Anarchist House’ on fire. RNZ / Dom Thomas

Photo of a helicopter dropping water on a fire in some tress next to a road. A helicopter drops water on a fire near lake Pukaki in August. RNZ / Nathan Mckinnon

Photo of a woman standing in the middle of the road, in water past her ankles. The Napier floods caused havoc in December. RNZ / Dom Thomas