Your pictures on the theme of 'my 2020'

We asked our readers to send in their best pictures from the past year on the theme of "my 2020".

"Soon after the end of the first lockdown, I was fortunate to experience calm conditions in the Lake District as the Sun rose above the surrounding hills to reveal a breathtaking display of vivid yellows and greens with the trees reflected in the perfectly still waters of Buttermere Lake.

"I think I could have left my lens cap on and still managed to get a decent photo."

"My photo is one I took in my courtyard garden of my son and grandson.

"They, and my daughter-in-law had come from London to visit for my birthday.

"The rules said that I wasn't allowed to hug them.

"And after their drive they were very tired.

"I suppose I used a mono treatment because it reflected my mood."

"This photo was taken shortly after the local lockdown in Mexico ended and we were finally able to take our dogs to the beach.

"It was sunset time.

"And despite the clouds in the sky, it was very hot and humid, so the dogs enjoyed running around and playing in the sea.

"They were a pleasure to watch.

"And they reminded me of the importance of enjoying every moment and being grateful for the little things in life, which, for our rescue doggies, were just pure bliss."

"With restrictions on socialising and other activities, the weekends for me were an opportunity to explore the outdoors and further my interest in wild foraging, with my dad.

"Here are some 'hedgehog' mushrooms found in North Staffordshire.

"We always make sure we forage responsibly in areas which are not protected and always leave plenty behind.

"We also only ever pick anything for eating when we're 100% sure on a correct identification of a fungus."

"Our granddaughter was five months old before we finally got to meet her.

"This photo was taken on that first special day, during a picnic in the local park.

"My husband is doing his best to get to know her - whilst at the same time trying to keep his distance."

"We put up a bird feeder at the beginning of lockdown.

"And the regular supply of food had all the birds of the neighbourhood nesting in our garden.

"In May, we had a fun week watching fledglings bouncing around the patio."

"My favourite picture of 2020 reminds me of sunny days spending time with nature in my garden during Lockdown 1.0 - taken with camera in my right hand while the robin eyed up his favourite treats in my left hand."

"Are you furloughed?"

"A herd of over 100 Red Deer roam wild on Big Moor, in the Peak District, only a few miles from the city of Sheffield.

"During a year of lockdown and travel restrictions, the local moors have been more popular than ever, providing an opportunity for meeting loved ones in a socially distanced setting or just an escape from the repetition of working from home.

"Despite the proximity of major urban centres and the presence of groups of walkers, the place can still feel almost as wild as the Highlands of Scotland during the rut, from late September to the end of October.

"I took this image during a quick visit after work one day.

"As with so many others, the opportunity to connect with the natural world during 2020 has kept me happy despite other restrictions."

"The lockdown time at home gave me something to focus on and learn something new.

"These tiny seeds with a water droplet balancing on each was very tricky.

"However, after watching several YouTube videos and persevering, I finally got the hang of it.

"I decided that I would take photographs that my husband and I would like to use as wall art.

"So now I had a task that passed many hours and days.

"I did get the image printed.

"And it now hangs on a wall in our living room."

"2020 was a difficult year - but it will always be the year that brought me my beautiful baby boy.

"He's coming into a very different world to the one I grew up in - but this Covid-19 baby gives me so much hope that future generations can cope and adapt to any crisis."

"Early retirement for BA 747s, at Kemble Airfield, in Gloucestershire - my family has been coping with the impacts of the Covid pandemic on the aviation industry since March.

"The spectacle of these redundant aircraft was quite something but also quite upsetting."

"My husband and I are both key workers - it feels like our 2020 has involved either working or walking.

"This photo was taken above the Lee Shaw Reservoir, Oxenhope, West Yorkshire, at the start of a 26-mile sponsored walk, which we did over three days, to raise money for our local hospice, Manorlands."

"I was heading for a wetland area near where I live, in south-western Ontario, when I was caught in a snow squall from Lake Huron.

"In the distance, I noticed the outline of a farmer ploughing his field and could just make out a flock of gulls following the tractor.

"Soon, the tractor turned and headed back up the field, with the gulls following, floating in the air as if being hauled behind a trawler in a fishing net far out to sea."

"Trying to get five minutes' peace after a stressful few weeks of Covid news and discussions of impending lockdown, only for my daughter to insist on joining me and putting on a show - her joyful nature definitely kept us going when we had to stay at home."

"A young gull picks up a discarded face covering in Carlisle.

"This was taken on the first day of mandatory face coverings.

"To me, it shows the impact of Covid-19 on nature and the environment."

"Back when the kids were young, I had a romantic view of home-schooling.

"I had images of us going for long walks and talking about what we saw, lessons in the sunshine, all harmonious and free-flowing.

"When the schools closed in March, I got a crash course in what it's really like.

"Suddenly, I had to become a teacher for my five- and seven-year-olds, planning individual lessons, printing out endless worksheets, explaining new concepts, while also squeezing in all the other daywork.

"This photo sums up the whole experience of home-schooling for me.

"His reaction was exactly the way I felt too - tired, overwhelmed and frustrated.

"Needless to say I have a new-found appreciation of teachers and am very glad the kids are back at school."

"This billboard was one I came across while cycling around Stockton, in June.

"The degree of dishevelment seemed to serve as an adequate metaphor for the dislocation experienced by many at this time.

"The inclusion of a fictional wizard might offer a ray of hope for the future or suggest a catastrophic experiment gone wrong, while the girl in the accidental face mask reminds us to remain vigilant while pondering the pros and cons of a seasonal holiday."

"It's downright scary how often we interact with our mobile (and not so mobile) electronic devices these days, especially in an isolating global pandemic.

"I found hard proof of this in this timed exposure shot of my screen habits, in the wee hours of the night in an apartment condo in Taipei, Taiwan."

"It's a boy - back in early February, I gave birth to my son via [Caesarean] section, at St James's Hospital, in Leeds.

"This photo was taken by the anaesthesiologist just minutes after.

"He captured such a beautiful moment of us greeting each other for the first time, alongside my mum, who is getting first cuddles.

"Despite everything this year has thrown at us, it's also been the most rewarding of my life."

The next theme is "my hobby" and the deadline for entries 12 January 2021.

The pictures will be published later that week.

And you will be able to find them, along with other galleries, on the In Pictures section of the website.

Send pictures to [email protected] or upload them.

Terms and conditions apply.

Further details and themes are at We set the theme, you take the pictures.

All photographs subject to copyright.