“famous” is so hard to define. There are a lot of people in the world who aren’t barraged by a daily dose of media. Maybe we should be asking what photographs are most recognizable around the world? That would rule out most regional events like anything-Vietnam and people like Che and Mao. How many could pick out Mao in a lineup consisting of Mao, Kim Il Sung, or Dung Xiao Ping. More generic photos of say, a mushroom cloud, Hitler, astronauts walking on the moon, the pyramids of Egypt, George Washington on the $1 bill would all be known by a greater number of people than say “Dewey Defeats Truman” or “Lenin’s Tomb”. Just a thought.
These were all great photos, but oddly enough the first one I thought of, and the one that I’ve seen most often over the years, was the one of the iron workers all sitting on a beam of the Empire State Building while it was being constructed, eating lunch, way above the city scape of New York.
Yeah, there was a secret place in the back of my brain rooting for someone to say something like “the most published photo, according to the National Photo Rights Agency…”
But this is really an IMHO, as folks say. Off it goes.
Che isn’t very well known in Asia, although I’ve seen people wearing his t-shirt in Japan. Don’t recall ever seeing his photo in China, and WAG his photo is probably not well known in India. So between China and India, close to half the world’s population doesn’t know the picture.
Maybe a Ghandi photo? But I can’t recall a single famous one that instantly comes to mind. I guess that also would suggest we are not talking about the world’s most famous photographic subject, which might be a panda, Elvis or the golden gate bridge.
What about that other China guy who stoped the tank?
It might not be a picture but, I think he might be more seen throughout the world then anyone else.
Well, as an Aussie living in Japan, I’d have to say…
Tiananmen (sp?) Square
The girl napalmed in Vietnam
Neil Armstrong planting the flag on the moon (it WAS Armstrong who did that, right?)
As for purely Aussie subjects, for some reason Paul Keating touching Queen Elizabeth’s elbow sticks in my mind…and of course Steven Bradbury crossing the finish line at Salt Lake.
Well, the influence of the US media and globalization makes this really tough to get a grip on.
Speaking as a 25 year old U.S. male, my list would be as follows, and it consists mostly of images already mentioned.
Iwo Jima Flag
JFK Jr. Saluting at JFKs funeral procession
Ali over Liston
Armstrong planing the flag on the Moon
WTC Flag raised by the firemen
Certainly seems a little US-centric and patriotic, but thats what I know, and I think it would have been the same before 9/11 (barring the WTC flag obviously). Not sure why, and perhaps it says something to refute the thoughts made by those of you who mentioned a variety of Veitnam era photos, but unlike the other photos I mentioned from before my birth they don’t resonate as much.
My 2¢
While the picture of the Earth or the portrait of Che may really be the most seen/published, they are not famous as photos in and of themselves. Do you know what I mean? They are famous images, but not famous photos, if that makes sense.
When I saw this thread title, my first thoughts were of the V-J Day kiss and the Napalm Girl. The others in this thread have mentioned some really strong contenders, too. How famous is Iwo Jima outside the U.S.?
Ultimately, I’m going to have to guess that the Napalm Girl is the most famous photo.
They’re not exactly “serious history,” but movie-star pin-ups were probably more widely distributed and gazed-at than any other photos. Particularly:
• Betty Grable’s WWII “looking back over her shoulder” pose
• Rita Hayworth’s “Life” cover, perched on a satin bedspread
• Marilyn Monroe’s skirt-blowing scene from “Seven-Year Itch”
In the late 19th century, pin-up photos of Lillian Russell and Fannie Ward were found in mining camps, prisons and even missionarys’ cabins all over the world.
BBC here claims that the Tiananmen Square guy who stoped the tanks was:
“seen by more people than laid eyes on Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and James Joyce combined.”
So any famous event invovling those guys can be cut out of the picture. Current news items might be the key and the biggest one I could think about is WTC on 9/11.
America’s friends and enemies have all seen it and there was no reason to censor the collapse. If only there was one single picture.
First time I saw this thread. Huh.
The few that came to my mind while waiting for the thread to open:[ul][]Iwo Jima[]Execution of suspected Viet Cong[]Vietnamese girl fleeing Napalm[]Self-immolation of Quang Duc[]Firefighter holding baby after Oklahoma City[]Flattened landscape of Hiroshima[/ul]Then it crossed my mind that all of these were US-centric. As I skimmed the thread, I tried to think of famous international photos, but couldn’t come with any that had the same level of emotion behind them. Tianamen Square, certainly, and the Berlin Wall falling as well, but I was moderately amused at how they didn’t even cross my mind until I actively thought about non-US photos.
On the radio news today they said there was an auction in Paris tomorrow to auction the world’s first photograph: the reserve was $1.25M
What is the Napalm Girl picture?
From my post earlier in this thread… (click on the second one).
Iwo Jima
Vietnamese girl napalmed
Vietnam execution
Kent State shooting
What about this photo?
Sorry can’t seem to find a better copy.
This is a photo of an ophan boy crying in the middle of the wreckage caused by the IJA (Imperial Japanese Army) after they captured Nanjing.
Well, foreigner checking in.
I’d have to say that napalm girl and Tiananmen square guy would be on top of the list. Pictures such as Iwo Jima picture and VJ-Day picture are… well, somewhat known, but probably mostly an America thing. WTC flag isn’t, IMH
Hmm, that seemed to be cut off. What I meant to say was “WTC flag isn’t, IMHO, that much of rememberable picture material (at least outside of US) - more circulated one would be the one just after plane had hit the tower, with explosing cloud visible.”
The first picture that came to mind for me was Elliott Erwitt’s “Mother and Child”. I remember clearly the first time I saw it and I love the raw honesty of it.
I couldn’t find it online, but Mike Wells’s “Hand,” which depicts a normal-sized white hand with a tiny, emaciated black hand lying gently in it, is a huge photo for me. I first saw it in LIFE years and years ago, and I’ve always remembered it. The white hand in the photo belonged to a missionary priest in Uganda, which was enduring a huge famine at the time (early 80s, I think). Theblack hand belonged to a child who was starving to death.
You know what else I thought of? The “Phone Booth” picture, can’t remember who took it, but it has all these college football dudes cramming themselves in a phone booth. A lot of them fit, too.
I also think of Bob Landry’s “Rita Hayworth” portrait because she’s so radiantly beautiful, and Eisenstaedt’s V-Day pic.
Just FYI, William Anders shot the “Earthrise” moon photo from the Apolla 8. The Hindenburg shot is probably the 4th one here: http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/pubquiz/quiz52.htm, shot by Sam Shere.
Woh…hold on a second!
The Iwo Jima photo was staged? The last bit of news I read about it, which admittedly was about three or four years ago, was that the whole confusion arose because there were, in fact, two flags raised on Iwo Jima, but Joe Rosenthal did not set up the photo.
The interview with Rosenthal that I read stated that he took several photos (of course.) Some were groups pictures of the soldiers standing up around the flag, obviously posed, and some of the larger flag being hoisted up. Rosenthal wasn’t sure that the iconic shot even came out and when his editor asked if the photo was staged, Rosenthal assumed he was talking about the other group shots, not the photo that became famous, and responded “yes.” If you want the source, give me a day, and I’ll go home and find the photojournalism book.
Admittedly, Rosenthal’s story might not be credible, but that’s the official story from him that I know. If there was a further development, please inform me.