Most Famous/iconic photographs in history

[HangingBasketCase]

Does anyone else enjoy photogtaphy? I've been looking at some of the most iconic photographs of all time, and I have a few favourites. I'll share three of them with you now.

Firstly lunch a top a skyscraper. Taken in New York during the building of the Rockerfeller Centre. I can't get my head around how they were able to sit on a metal beam, so high up without anything to secure them! If you ever visit the Rockerfeller centre you can recreate this photo, it's become that famous!

Secondly St Paul's Cathedral taken early in the morning following a devastating air raid on the city of London. All of the buildings around the cathedral were destroyed, yet almost miraculously St Pauls survived. How inspirational this image must have been to people at the time, seeing the dome of the Cathedral rising from the smoke like a Phoenix from the flames.

Finally "The Kiss", taken on VJ Day 1945, in Time Square. I believe the identities of the couple are unknown, but they weren't actually a couple. They were random strangers, he just grabbed hold of her and kissed her in happiness because the war was over. Wonder what we'd make of that now?

[TractorTedMum]

I have the skyscraper one hanging in our hallway. Those hats the men are wearing are the same as what my grandad wore when he worked building roads in the 50's, love it. I also love looking in the background of pictures like this and seeing hidden things, could look at it all day.

[TheHappyCamper]

This is one of my favourites.

It's by a local photographer called Frank Meadow Sutcliffe (outing my location here!). Most people know other pictures of his like 'water rats' but I love this one because you can see Whitby Abbey and the boat in the background. I think they all look so natural.

[CitronVert]

The moon landing one is pretty iconic

[PureMorning]

Tiananmen square

[MrsBungle]

I love these pictures, one picture tells so much.

[PacificDogwood]

Half Dome by Ansel Adams

Mapplethorpe lily - I like some of his other stuff to (NSFWP)

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

I have a Mapplethorpe skull in my kitchen

[BestIsWest]

We have that moon landing one here. It was in DS room while he was growing up.

[MardyBra]

@historicalpics on Twitter is great.

[PacificDogwood]

This is me btw

And 'too' in my previous post. Obviously

[missmartha]

Che Guevara's photo is pretty iconic.

[PacificDogwood]

You've got me google-imaging my favourite images and not the most iconic… sorry

[Camolips]

Roger Bannister crossing the tape. My dad is one of the spectators and was his only claim to fame!

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

I think the couple from 'The Kiss' are known - the guy was there on his first date with another girl when the news came in and he went round grabbing all the different girls giving them joyful kisses, the photographer captured this one. In the full shot you can see his girlfriend (now wife) in the background on the right!

[WowserBowser]

The Vietnam War one with the little naked girl running down the road.

The one I most remember is the one with the vulture. Horrific.

[NorbertDentressangle]

Pacific - I love Ansel Adams and was going to suggest one of his too.

[NorbertDentressangle]

oops pressed post too soon - meant to add that I was thinking of all my favourites rather than universally iconic

[WowserBowser]

This one

[PacificDogwood]

I had been thinking of that one too, Wowser

Norbert, Yosemite Park has a special place in my heart

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

There's a picture I love but it's pretty sad, called The Most Beautiful Suicide. I won't post the picture although it isn't gory or gruesome at all, it's incredibly beautiful for what it shows.

The article explains all about who she was and how the photo came to be taken. Very sad. Do scroll down to see her smiling.

[SorrelForbes]

All of the above plus:

[PureMorning]

Also a favourite modern one for me is the little dog in Mexico following the pope in 2011 with a cheering crowd

[PacificDogwood]

That's heartbreaking, TheWild - her suicide note gives a textbook perspective of what it's like to be depressed (her fiancé being 'better off without her).
I'd never seen this or heard of it before

[katiegee]

probably not famous or iconic outside of Northern Ireland... but the photograph of Fr Alec Reid giving the last rites to a soldier, beaten and bloodied by the IRA. Fr Alec has this incredible look of sadness and compassion in his eyes.... it's a haunting image.

[unclerory]

Dorothea Lange's migrant mother is pretty iconic.