In today’s fast-paced digital world of blogs, tweets, podcasts, and streaming videos, it’s easy to forget that there is often much beauty and insight inherent to the still photograph. Whether it’s the fear on the face of a firefighter saving a home, the joy apparent in someone celebrating an election victory, or the guilt seen on those convicted of a crime, pictures will always say at least a thousand words. To honor that reality, and to show off the best work of longtime staff photographer Paul Wellman and his lens-toting colleagues, we here at The Independent bring you our annual Year in Pictures issue, version 2009.