Some are silly. Some are poignant. Some are action-packed, others reflective and still others defy any simple description. Some show iconic athletes and seminal sports moments. Others show athletes you've never heard of and never will again.
But all of these photos are stunning in one way or another.
Mashable combed through Getty Images' 2013 Year in Focus archives to pull 50 of our favorite shots from the past 12 months. The results are below. We hope you enjoy getting lost in this celebration of human art, emotion and athleticism as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Homepage image: Patrick Smith/Getty Images