to me, when it syat "top images, staff top images, or similar, it means exactly that ... these are the images the staff here thinks are the best of the ones they've viewed. When it says "staff picks", it is sorta like the book store, these are the staff recommendations, but not necessarily the TOP images.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together.
All things connect......Chief Seattle, 1854