National Geographic The 21st Century: Photographs from the Image Collection (HC/DJ)

In just two short decades of the 21st century, National Geographic has ushered in a new era of visual storytelling excellence, including innovations in digital, drone, and smartphone photography, and reached out to a global audience through one of the world's most popular Instagram accounts, @NatGeo. In these 21 years, photography has transformed from a rarefied discipline to a universal medium of communication, available in the palm of everyone with a mobile phone. Through it all, National Geographic has remained at the forefront, shining a light on the beauty, wonder, and heartbreak of the world.