In_pictures Readers’ pictures of the year 2019

Derek Payne: “This is the age of the selfie where we define our own identity.”

Anant Ganesh Patel: “Some dogs show interest in a hippo in Livingstone, Zambia, Africa.”

Gordon Calder: “I was visiting Liverpool for the first time a few years ago and stumbled across this amazing staircase and escalator combination.”

Penni James: “A rainy trip over Sydney’s Anzac Bridge (as the passenger).”

Rhonda Tough: “I love this picture taken without the subject’s knowledge. She is deep in thought with the daylight glow reflecting off her.”

Tracey Reid: “Puzzlewood. You may spot the coloured witch that inhabits there.”

Verna Evans photographed these ballerinas waiting in a queue for the loo.

Barbara Bryant: “The Norfolk Crazy Ladies enjoying a weekly dip in the River Bure at Horstead Mill. We swim all year round, in all weathers, in just our cossies, and always enjoy lots of laughter – and cake.”

Paul Granahan took this photo near Crater Lake, Oregon, USA. “I wanted to capture the way the hills disappeared into the early morning mist. I was inspired by the view from this location which was enhanced by smoke from the forest fires, which are a common occurrence in the pine forests.”

Dayve Ward: “Six years ago Paul Rose (the intrepid explorer) had an idea of clearing some of the flotsam and jetsam that lay at the bottom of Windermere in the Lake District. Paul had the idea of bringing a handful of divers he knew to help. That handful grew to over 260 plus 100 on-shore volunteers! This is one of the images I made.”

Janie Tonkin: “An old payphone contrasts against a vermillion wall in a block of artists’ studios in Taipei. It looks well maintained, clean and shiny; probably not used in a while.”

Richard Derwent: “Family and musical memories on top of the piano in my dining room.”

Betty Nesbitt: “Just waiting my turn to feel the view and the force of Niagara Falls.”

Sally Brown: “Skógafoss on the Skógá river in Iceland is beautiful during the day and spectacular at night, especially when the aurora decides to dance.”

Esther Johnson: “This sunflower was really struggling to open in the thick, Cornish mizzle.”

Paul Mazurek: “Two ruby-throated hummingbirds visit my backyard feeder in Richmond, Kentucky.”

Jenny Downing: “Drying a recently harvested crop of red chillies.”

Simon Lamb: “Highway maintenance technicians carrying out night-time road repairs in Cardiff city centre.”

Chris Jones: “In the wee hours of the morning, a man waits for traffic to clear before crossing a street in Seattle, Washington.”

Sergio Campanile: “Going south, taken during the autumn in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.”

Deborah Roy: “This bluebird is defending his territory against the bluebird in the mirror.”

Sophie Adams: “This picture was taken in Bolivia. We had spent four days driving across the Altiplano where we had encountered snow, lightning, gales and sunshine. I particularly like this image as it was the calm after a storm.”

Richard Derwent: “Family fun on our Spanish villa holiday, but someone just had to go and spoil the line-up…”

Vitalis Vasylius: “Myriads of stars.”

Carolyn DiFrancesco: “I waited for the perfect sunset while these daisies were in bloom.”

Matthew Jeanes: “I saw these two men sitting down to chat in the central square of the city of Bolu in Turkey.”

Gus Campion: “Sunset walk on the beach with my daughter Alannah and Labrador, Lola, in Lee Point Beach, Australia.” The next theme is “individuality” and the deadline for entries is 7 January 2020. Send pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or follow the link to “Upload your pictures here” below. Further details and terms can be found by following the link to “We set the theme, you take the pictures,” at the bottom of the page.