# \#1 photograph? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466 "2004-12-12T18:08:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/1 "2004-12-12T18:08:08Z")
The Mona Lisa is arguably the most famous painting in the world. Citizen Kane is also considered the best motion picture ever filmed. What is considered the best or most famous photograph in history? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/2 "2004-12-12T18:12:48Z")
The flag raising at [Iwo Jima](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima) might be the most famous. ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/3 "2004-12-12T18:15:32Z")
The [Victory Kiss in Times Square](http://www.iqpuzzles.com/bg331.jpg) might be pretty far up there. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/4 "2004-12-12T18:18:24Z")
There is a photo of young, naked, possibly Vietnamese running along a dirt road crying after being burned with Napalm. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/5 "2004-12-12T18:21:23Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > There is a photo of young, naked, possibly Vietnamese running along a dirt road crying after being burned with Napalm. [The picture in question](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.makethemaccountable.com/podvin/images/NapalmGirl.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.makethemaccountable.com/podvin/more/030204_War.htm&h=180&w=300&sz=12&tbnid=dO3bc0A4FZIJ:&tbnh=66&tbnw=110&start=20&prev=/images%3Fq%3DVietNam%2BWar%2B-memorial%2B%252Bgirl%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/6 "2004-12-12T18:25:57Z")
I was just going to post that one, **Six**. It’s [here](http://www.uiowa.edu/~policult/assets/VietNam/napalm_kim_phuc.jpg) [warning: disturbing]. Also, [Tiananmen Square: Man vs. Tank](http://i.timeinc.net/time/time100/images/main_rebel.jpg). [One Small Step for Man, etc.](http://www.childrensmuseum.org/birthday/images/moon_landing.jpg) Perhaps not one of the most famous, but one of the best in my opinion: [Sudanese child watched by vulture](http://www.asjarra.com/files/tig/updates/vulture.jpg) [warning: disturbing]. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/7 "2004-12-12T18:27:21Z")
Depends what you mean by “number one.” The _Mona Lisa_ is one of the most famous paintings, for various reasons, but it’s certainly not the _best_. [This](http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?aid=536315&item=309555) photo of Marilyn Monroe is one of the most-reproduced, though hardly a Great Work of Art. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/8 "2004-12-12T18:29:01Z")
I concur with Iwo Jima. That’s the first that came to my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/9 "2004-12-12T18:35:49Z")
I immediately thought of that National Geographic cover photo of the Afghani woman with the green eyes. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/10 "2004-12-12T19:02:45Z")
[This](http://www.newseum.org/pulitzer/html/5/main.jpg) came immediately to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/11 "2004-12-12T19:32:52Z")
The after-dinner photo of Jesus and the Apostles? ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/12 "2004-12-12T19:39:48Z")
I’m sure this shows my American bias, but I always thought of the Kent State massacre photo (you know the one) [link](http://www.uiowa.edu/~policult/politicalphotos/vietnam3.html) ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/13 "2004-12-12T19:40:16Z")
Iwo Jima was what I immediately thought of when I saw the thread. The [first](http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/an26/an26-3/an26-3a.jpg) photograph is pretty famous, too. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/14 "2004-12-12T19:46:57Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > The after-dinner photo of Jesus and the Apostles? “Look, we can’t all do big arms. We’ll look like a squadron of Spitfires.” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/15 "2004-12-12T19:47:55Z")
There’s a photo of a young firefighter going up the stairs of the WTC while everyone else is going down. I believe he got out alive, but who the hell would think to snap a picture during that time? And similar to Iwo Jima is the three firefighters raising the flag at the wreckage of the Twin Towers. Sorry, no link handy at this time. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/16 "2004-12-12T19:50:45Z")
> [@Nightwatch Trailer](#): > > The [first](http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byorg/abbey/an/an26/an26-3/an26-3a.jpg) photograph is pretty famous, too. What’s the story behind that? I’ve never seen it and can’t really tell what it’s a photo of. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/17 "2004-12-12T20:10:57Z")
**NightwatchTrailer** I don’t know exactly what that picture is. Did you get the correct link ? And you are correct that there is a photo of the first flag raising at Iwo Jima but (I think) it is nowhere near as dramatic as the more famous photo, which I believe is the most reproduced photograph of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/18 "2004-12-12T20:37:10Z")
_I’m sure this shows my American bias, but I always thought of the Kent State massacre photo (you know the one) link_ Originally Posted by CapnPitt That’s the one I thought of, too. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/19 "2004-12-12T20:38:44Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > What’s the story behind that? I’ve never seen it and can’t really tell what it’s a photo of. It’s a street in Paris, IIRC - it’s literally the **first** photo - or daguerrotype. …or so they say. I think [this](http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Che.jpeg) photo is perhaps the most reproduced - I at least see it everywhere ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466/20 "2004-12-12T20:42:30Z")
I think every country has its own version of the Iwo Jima photo. Here in Israel it’s [this one.](http://www.judaicaposters.com/pages/jp7.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-photograph/279466.md?page=2)