Which is the most famous photograph in history, in your opinion?

[cliffpov]

JSU The photo of the moment of impact as well as the photo of Jackie screaming. Then the photo of Jr. saluting his father tugged a lot of hearts as well.

 

[nikon_sam]

When considering the most famous photograph, the iconic image of Farrah Fawcett immediately jumped to mind. (ohh the number of times me and my pre-pubescent pals visited Woolworth's for a furtive rummage through the poster section to get but a glimpse of this unobtainable American dream) Possibly not the most important photograph, but it would be interesting to know how many people are familiar with it.

[/QUOTE]


This poster was taped to the backside of our Drafting teacher's desk...
We got to see it every day...it is burned in my memory forever...
Every American male my age should be familiar with this poster...😱

 

[MickH]

Thanks!, Indeed also one of many important steps in phototechnics, but as with the first preserved photo, it does not count for me as important in terms of impact as the photo of CHE did and still does ....(btw has nothing to do with my political flavor)

Ron, I think I agree with you and others here who say that the Che photo is the most famous, and I guess that fame can be measured, for example, how many reproductions are out there... I really don't think that stamps count and I'm not too sure whether George Washington ever had his photo taken 😀.

Significance and importance are subjective judgements. I was going for the fact that WH Fox Talbot was the first to use a negative to produce one/many 'prints'. No doubt Niepce was a pioneer who managed to 'fix' an image although others had made images before him that were not fixed.

This is just my opinion.

 

[35mmdelux]

Nicéphore Niépce: first foto camera obscura in 1826.
Louis Daguerre; Daguerretypes 1837

Important Photo: Certainly, Eddie Adams's photo of General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan executing Nguyễn Văn Lém. Changed the course of a war conducted by a superpower.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Like most others, I agree that the most recognized has to be Korda's Che. I would rate countless pics above anything of the Kennedy clan, anywhere -- pictures of them are either unknown or mostly forgotten in most of the world. Likewise, pics of Lincoln may be quite common, but none has any particular iconic quality, nor is it rated above any other, at least outside the USA.

For examples of well-known pictures, but not as well known as Che, I'd back Migrant Mother, Moonrise at Hernandez, Talbot's window, Niepce's window, Death of a Republican Soldier (Capa), Afghan Girl, Mt. Suribachi (though it's far less known outside the US), Red Flag over the Reichstag, and Kim Phuc, the girl burned by napalm. Even, for that matter, the Athena poster of the tennis girl.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Vince Lupo]

When considering the most famous photograph, the iconic image of Farrah Fawcett immediately jumped to mind. (ohh the number of times me and my pre-pubescent pals visited Woolworth's for a furtive rummage through the poster section to get but a glimpse of this unobtainable American dream) Possibly not the most important photograph, but it would be interesting to know how many people are familiar with it.

Guess Farrah's the 1970's equivalent of this iconic photo from the 1940's?

 

[johannielscom]

The pic of the young girl running, covered in napalm, says everything you need to know and despise about war ... and the impact it has on the 'innocents.'

That image will live with me forever.

That's Nick Ut's photo of Kim Phuc (the girl) at the Trang Bang napalm bombing, june 8th, 1972. Pulitzer Prize material.

My choice too.

 

[Bob Michaels]

FWIW: The iconic photo of Che Guevara by Alberto Korda was made March 5, 1960 at a memorial service for those who died in the explosion of the ship La Coubre while unloading ammunition in Habana harbor the previous day. The Cuban government still contends the CIA was involved in the explosion. Fidel Castro was the speaker at the service and Che only appeared briefly. Korda shot 2 frames of Che.

It was shot with a M2, 90mm lens and Plus-X.

I have seen one of the original prints in a La Coubre photo exhibit at Fototeca in Habana.

There was another iconic photo made that same day by Venancio Diaz Malquez. It shows Fidel, Che, Camilo Cienfuegos and the President of Cuba marching arm in arm in the parade to that service. I have a print of that photo. It was a thank you gift from a Cuban (not the original photographer) who I had given 2 rolls of 35mm b&w film. It was at the end of the day and that was all the film I had left in my pocket. I would have given him 100 rolls if I had it.

 

[paulfish4570]

famous does not equal important.

 

[Richard G]

Earth rise, 24th December 1968, William Anders, Apollo 8.

 

[kbg32]

Famous? I think iconic would be more appropriate. But, this is generational.

 

[kbg32]

Iconic Images.

Iconic Images.

Capa, W. Eugene Smith.

 

[kbg32]

And lets not forget this......

And lets not forget this......

by Jeff Widener.

 

[MickH]

As a counter to those who have posted the Farah photo, many a lad in the UK will remember Martin Elliotts 'Tennis Girl'.

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/56026-em-that-em-poster-is-back-at-300-a-print

Lots of parodies of this photo out there eg:

http://www.dorifun.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/fat-ass-tennis.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_9F9_RUESS2E/S...aLvrddM/s800/Classics-in-LEGO-tennis-girl.jpg

In fact that last one goes to a site that references several of the suggestions in this very thread, Iwo Jima, Afghan Girl, St. Henri's puddle jumper and more.

Enjoy...

http://www.boredpanda.com/30-creative-lego-reproductions-by-balakov/

 

[shimokita]

The image of Che is interesting in part because it bridges that change from reportage to concept, in a similar way "Moonrise at Hernandez" (for example) does the same for me in an artistic sense. I also spent some time thinking about my own images... and transitional ones tend to stand out...

Casey

 

[David Murphy]

^^^ Needs a new toner cartridge 😛

I'd like to see what Photoshop can do with it 🙂

 

[antiquark]

Karsh had a lot of famous ones...
http://www.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=karsh&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

 

[Jamie123]

Britney Spears getting out of a car with no knickers on.

Now that's a picture that will haunt me forever.

 

[GSNfan]

Imo this iconic image of Charlie Chaplin in trump outfit is the most famous image around the world. It will be recognized instantaneously by almost everyone, from kids to adults, even if in the silhouette form.

 

[Contarama]

Who is Che Guevara and where is Vietnam?