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Original poster

Most Famous/iconic photographs in history

206 replies

HangingBasketCase · 15/11/2014 14:08

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?

Most Famous/iconic photographs in history
Most Famous/iconic photographs in history
Most Famous/iconic photographs in history
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BalloonSlayer · 15/11/2014 20:50

I absolutely love this one of Churchill.

It's all in the pose, I think.

PacificDogwood · 15/11/2014 20:18

Interesting moral question - no idea what the answer is. Clearly no photographer/reporter can rescue every starving child or raped woman, but to have to walk away…? V v hard - not sure I'd be cut out for those jobs too chicken anyway

diddl, lovely picture of a wave and lighthouse, I thought. Right up until I saw the person ShockShock
DS(4) wants to know whether they got wet? Grin

diddl · 15/11/2014 19:02

I love this

SwedishEdith · 15/11/2014 18:45

Oh god, just seen the vulture one. I watched a fascinating programme on Don Mccullin once where he talked about that conflict - your job is show the truth so do you intervene.
.

Original poster
HangingBasketCase · 15/11/2014 18:44

This one is quite sinister. It's John Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman. A few hours later Chapman shot him dead.

Most Famous/iconic photographs in history
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troubleinstore · 15/11/2014 18:40

Coconut.... lost for words ....

Allalonenow · 15/11/2014 18:36

I like the photo of Lee Miller in Hitler's bath in his flat in Munich, taken by Scherman in April 1945 just as the war ended.

Also the photos of the Statue of Liberty being built in Paris are amazing.

Clawdy · 15/11/2014 18:29

I remember a wonderful photo years ago of Muhammad Ali and Jackie Kennedy laughing with their arms round each other in a sportscar, it was not real! photoshopped in some way, but such a lovely image. I've googled to try and find it several times without success. Sad

SwedishEdith · 15/11/2014 18:15

The Vietnamese girl reminds of the horrific one of the guy about tobe shot.

PacificDogwood · 15/11/2014 18:08

but not one

So sorry.

PacificDogwood · 15/11/2014 18:08

It is a very upsetting image but one we should not flinch away from IMO.

I did not know that the photographer committed suicide.

Tragic all round Sad

CoconutAmericano · 15/11/2014 18:07

Oh god sorry, i thought i had deleted the image from my message Sad

CoconutAmericano · 15/11/2014 18:06

Im not sure i should post it as its very upsetting but the image of a starving child in their final moments of life. There is a vulture in the background waiting. The photographer was wracked with guilt afterwards for not holding or comforting the child in their final moments and later committed suicide. Just awful.

AWholeLottaNosy · 15/11/2014 17:59

And now I just figured out how to post it from my phone!

Most Famous/iconic photographs in history
AWholeLottaNosy · 15/11/2014 17:58

This is a controversial, shocking and not widely known photo taken in NY on 9/11. The article's interesting too...

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/02/911-photo-thomas-hoepker-meaning

BikeRunSki · 15/11/2014 17:57

I love reportage photography and stydied for a City and Guilds in
Photography in the evenings before the DC were born. DS's bedroom used to be my darkroom! I'm going with these:

Battle of Orgreave

Migrant Mother, very similar to the more recent Afghan Girl

Saw Migrant Mother in New York on my 40th birthday. It is surprisingly small, but all the more significant for that.

Neither of these photos are especially well known, but I think they are both very powerful illustrations of the story they are telling.

Rivercam · 15/11/2014 17:56

I immediately thought of Marilyn Monroe.

AWholeLottaNosy · 15/11/2014 17:53

Bugger, that didn't work! Will try again.

AWholeLottaNosy · 15/11/2014 17:52

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PacificDogwood · 15/11/2014 17:41

Oh, yes, JFK jn saluting next to his mother and brother…

Reminded me of this one - never fails to pull me up short.

Camolips · 15/11/2014 17:35

Yes, another fascinating 1963 photo is the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald. Someone clicked at the same moment as Jack Ruby fired the shot.

Marylou62 · 15/11/2014 17:30

As an avid photographer...my first thought was the little girl running naked whilst her skin burns.... Vietnam...powerful...and I was pleased to read an article about her and she was a mother...

The other was the first time a baby had been photographed in the womb..I have the original book and all the pictures are amazing..I know it was controversial too as I think a lot of the photos were of aborted babies, I found out years later...but still incredible..

BalloonSlayer · 15/11/2014 17:27

Agree with all the others.

I'd add Raising the Soviet Flag over the Reichstag although it had to be altered apparently as one of the soldiers had 2 watches on which meant he had been a-lootin'

The girl running from the napalm attack was also altered as the original had lots of people standing about, taking photos and gawping at her but not helping - the photo was cropped to make it look less obvious how many soldiers were there.

I would also add Jackie Kennedy watching Lyndon B Johnson take the oath of office on Air Force One. You feel so sorry for her, her face . . . Sad here

And on that theme, little JFK Jnr saluting his father's coffin

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HangingBasketCase · 15/11/2014 17:07

Ive seen the beautiful suicide one before. Can't remember where though.

Another good example of a modern one is the famous falling man, taken during the 9/11 attacks.

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SwedishEdith · 15/11/2014 16:24

That Beautiful suicide one is incredible I'd never heard of that before. And the Afghan girl now - how old is she?
I was going to say the Tianemen Sq one as well but also the view of earth from the moon is pretty powerful as well.