There’s more to cellphone snaps than selfies and documentation of everyone’s dinner. In 2012, photographers Brandon Barr, Aaron Coury, and Tim Moxley created the hashtag #weloveATL to curate Instagram shots for a gallery show. The label has become a badge of civic pride, with Atlantans tagging more than 100,000 photos. “We have been surprised from the beginning how much it has resonated,” says Barr. “I think it’s because we bring together a variety of people who don’t always get to interact—and empower ordinary citizens to tell compelling stories of their love of the city.” We asked the trio to select 14 images that represented this year.
Andrea Corrona Jenkins @hulaseventy
Living Walls celebrated its fifth year of murals around the city. But civic art is nothing if not controversial . . .
Amy Bley @amymbley
. . . just look at the Krog Street tunnel, painted over in October by artists objecting to a for-profit party there.
Jamie Allen @jameswilliamallen
Ponce City Market, we have witnessed your transformation and eagerly await your opening. 2015, promise?
Brea Kellam @BREAmusic
Georgia State licensed the (daytime) signal of its iconic station WRAS 88.5 to GPB, prompting music biz outcry.
Patrick Duffy @patrickduffy88
Get your Turner Field memories in now. Only two seasons left before the team decamps for Cobb.
Maggie White @bittyfats
At over $100 million, midterm election spending set a record in Georgia this year—as did early voting.
Jorge Sigara @_sig_
In late summer, illegal dirt bike and ATV riders took to the Atlanta streets in group rides.
Jennifer Bhagia @littlebrownjen
Janelle Monáe was just one artist who opened for Outkast during a three-night homecoming stand.
Tim Lampe @timlampe
For those not stuck in their cars, Snowpocalypse was a chance to do some Northeastern-type sledding.
Aaron Rich @aaronarich
Red sky at night? Nighttime rainbows? What’s going on here? June 5 was bizarre. And beautiful.
Kristen Buckley @maiownhero
On October 11, Atlantans (and everyone else) took to the streets for the 2014 Pride Parade.
Lucie Canfield @redbud
September 20 was a bad day for Zesto’s fans. The Ponce de Leon location shut down.
Jason Hales @jasonhalesphotography
The BeltLine’s annual Lantern Parade drew a record 20,000 marchers and spectators in 2014.
Yoyo Ferro @yoyoferro
King Kong didn’t attack downtown, but creative people of all stripes continue to move intown.
This article originally appeared in our December 2014 issue.
