Photographers call them "moments." Moments are those brief snatches of time which can transform a photograph. Turn a routine image into a great photograph. Give life to an otherwise dull image. Make a forgettable photograph memorable.

Vengeance swings for Nasty Rob's head in the first round of an organized backyard fight in Selah Sunday, March 2, 2008. "Photographers always say they'd rather be behind the camera than in front of it. While photographing a story on the local underground backyard fighting scene, I found this to be especially true."

Jim Zagelow feeds his beefalo at his ranch near Harrah. As long-time ranchers, Zagelow and his wife, Juanita, decided to raise and eat beefalo because it is a low fat, low cholesterol meat. "This photo was part of my photo column, "Here, Now," and one of my favorite stories to shoot this year. I loved following Jim as he cared for his herd and liked this image particularly because of the scattering of hay and the way it arcs between Jim and his cattle."

Dorados keeper, right, punches the ball away from a Minas player trying to head a shot on goal Sunday, May 25, 2008 at Chesterly Park in Yakima, Wash. "I chose this photo because it's a nice peak action photo with a good expression."

Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire thanks members of the Washington National Guard's 81st Brigade Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2008 following her speech at the Yakima Training Center in Yakima, Wash. In that speech, Gov. Gregoire said goodbye to the 2,500 members of the brigade who will be deployed to Iraq this fall in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Gregoire was in Iraq Jan. 6 visiting with troops from the brigade.

Simple stripes with tiny vines make an elegant and eye-catching trellis of a spring dress by Karizma. "This photo was from a fashion shoot I did this spring. Shooting fashion is a fun change that gives me complete creative control and freedom. This was shot in one of the paper's storage rooms with big rolls of newsprint stacked. I like this shot because it's graphically striking."

Foxie rests her hand on the door of the play area at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum Tuesday, July 1, 2008. The new, two-story sanctuary was privately funded and built by volunteers. "Even though chimpanzees spit on reporter Jean Guerrero and I while reporting on the new chimpanzee sanctuary in Cle Elum, we had a great time getting to know the new residents." --Kris Holland

Shania, a two-year old golden retriever from Battle Ground, Wash., center, and other dogs and handlers wait outside the ring for their turn in the Yakima Valley Kennel Club's All Breed Dog Show at the Central Washington State Fairgrounds Saturday, May 31, 2008. "I like the fact that amid all the bustle and formality of a dog show, a dog is still a dog, and knowingly reminds us with her eyes."

Fred Kamp, left, and Frank Freshwater inspect a section of the fuselage they found on Aug. 1, 2008 near Cliffdell, Wash., while searching for the survivors of a plane crash. The crash killed a man and a woman. "This is one of my favorite photos more for the way in which it was made than the photo itself. When a plane crashes we're usually able to cover it only from a distance, kept back by police barriers. In this case I got to the area soon enough to actually accompany the first group of searchers as they combed the rugged mountains for signs of the wreckage and any survivors. Finding bits of aircraft scattered in the trees and on the hillsides was a sobering experience and I could only guess at the fear felt by the plane's occupants as they crashed. As a bonus, I was able to get back to the office and get photos up on our Web site a couple of hours before the crash was reported by television news at 11 p.m."

Members of the FootLites Performance Team adjust their hair before the beginning of the parade through downtown Selah on Saturday, May 17, 2008. "This is an odd photo, just a moment that, to me, was compositionally interesting. It also reminds me of a photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson where the line of people's hands and arms connect them."

A kayaker disappears in a rapid during the annual flip-flop on the Tieton River Saturday, September 6, 2008. "This is just a humorous image captured in a fraction of a second."

Davis High School percussionist Bryan Cheatom stands at attention behind the chimes as he awaits his school's first performance in the Harvest Marching Band Festival at Zaepfel stadium in Yakima, Wash., Saturday, October 18, 2008. More than 3,000 musicians in 21 bands from Washington, Oregon and Idaho competed in the contest. "I like this photo for the lines of the chimes and the tonality of the photo, as well as the subject, who seems as steady as the instrument."

At sunrise Bill Door has already been harvesting Concord grapes for more than three hours on Oct. 23, 2008 near Prosser, Wash. Most of the nation's Concord grapes are grown in the Yakima Valley and the annual harvest will be completed in the next week. "The wonderful light of the sunrise and Bill Door's face make this one of my favorite photographs of 2008. Also, the content of the photo

Cornfield. Toppenish. "I drove all around Toppenish looking for the right corn, the right light. I like this photo because it communicates the feeling of quiet that I felt standing at the cornfield."

Wild horses run parallel to U.S. Highway 97 south of Toppenish Thursday, August 21, 2008. "This is one of those serendipitous moments in photography where being in the right place at the right time paid off."

Jacob Mujinya grimaces while doing a leg-lift exercise Saturday at an open tryout for the Seattle Sounders at Chesterly Park. About 250 people turned out for the event, from which four were chosen for a later tryout in Seattle. "Pure pain and an expression to match."

Moses Lake Christian's Jesse Bassett, left, and Isaac Murrell hug in celebration as the opposing Entiat High School players wait after Moses Lake beat Entiat 62-58 in double overtime in the state class 1B championship in the Yakima SunDome Feb. 23. "I like this photo because it sums up neatly all the emotions of the game in one image. The exuberance of the winning Moses Lake Christian players contrasts with the downcast expression of the losing Entiat players."

Prosser's Dylan Bolt, left, Scotty Donovan, center, and teammate Derek Small, right, react after Prosser's loss in double overtime to Lynden at the 2A state football championship game, held at the Tacoma Dome on Saturday, November 6, 2008. "This is my favorite photo of the year. It was my first time covering state high school football, and it was a great game with Prosser and Lynden neck-in-neck during the second half and into two overtimes. The team had played hard and their reaction to their unsuccessful attempt at two-point conversion was immediate and visceral. The expressions of the players tells the story in a moment, unscripted, immediate, real."

Washington gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi paces backstage before taking his podium for a debate with Gov. Chris Gregoire on Oct. 1, 2008 in Yakima, Wash. "I chose this photo because not only does it show how nerve-racking these debates are for the candidates, but also because the background speaks to the situation. The audience or, the voters, on the right side of the frame hold the key to the state Capitol on the left."

Doug Picatti, a founder of The Vineyards resort community, prepares to hit a drive off a ceremonial tee during a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008. "The absurdity of the moment draws me to this photo."

2008 YH-R photo staff: Gordon King, Sara Gettys, Kris Holland, Andy Sawyer.