There’s a sad truth to art museums that’s not often talked about: sometimes, things just disappear. Over time, countless works of art have gone missing for one reason or another, whether it’s damage, theft, poor stewardship, natural disaster, or the tragic effects of war. For every hundred or thousand paintings or sculptures, there’s one that’s been lost to the ages. Some exist in reproductions or sketches, but some are gone for good. This list is just a small sample of those works of art that can be seen only in photos of what used to be.

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Posters aren’t just a picture — they are a decorative expression of your personality, style and interests. Whether you like skylines, beach babes or rock bands, there are hundreds of posters made to fit your fancy. Among the thousands of posters on the market, there are just a handful of images that have maintained their popularity and influence on today’s popular culture. Here are 10 popular posters that still hang high:

• Blown Away
  Steve Steigman’s 1980s image of a man being blown away by the power of his speakers quickly became an iconic piece of pop culture. This photograph continues to resonate among America’s youth, and its poster version can be spotted in dorm rooms, studios, game rooms and just about any living area that needs a touch of cool.



• COLLEGE
  From game rooms, frat houses to sports bars, you are bound to find the iconic photo of John Belushi wearing his “COLLEGE” sweatshirt in the film Animal House. This ever so popular poster has become a college staple across America and a symbol for all that is classy.



• The Beatles Abbey Road
  The Beatles’ album Abbey Road is one of the greatest albums of all time and has one of the most recognizable and beloved covers in music history. The photograph of George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon, walking in unison along the zebra crossing on Abbey Road, makes for a very popular poster image.



• V–J day in Times Square
  This poster continues to capture the hearts of romantics all over. V–J day in Times Square is the unforgettable image of a World War II sailor kissing a nurse in the middle of Times Square in celebration of the end of the war on Japan.



• We Can Do It!
  This historic image of Rosie the Riveter flexing her arms with the words, “We Can Do It!” written along the top, continues to be an empowering photograph of the 1940s that’s loved by many. This photo was created to represent American women who worked in factories and manufacturing plants during World War II, while men were in the military. We Can Do It! posters can be seen all over the country, especially among women’s groups and organizations that represent women’s rights.



• Farrah Fawcett
  From the big blonde hair, bright smile and red bikini, Farrah Fawcett’s photo remains one of the most popular pin-ups of all time. This 1970s poster can still be seen hanging on the walls of man caves and dorm rooms alike.



• Marilyn Monroe
  Among the many photographs taken of the iconic Marilyn Monroe, few top the image of her white dress blowing up above her knees while standing on a subway grate. Monroe’s timeless beauty and pop culture influence makes this image an unforgettable poster to hang on your wall.



• James Dean
  James Dean is every girl’s dream and every guy’s idea of cool, which explains why this poster is considered a popular choice among the masses. In addition to Dean’s good looks and talent, his black and white photographs have a classic, rugged look that never gets old.



• Campbell’s Soup
  Among the many brilliant and eye-catching Andy Warhol paintings, his Campbell’s soup cans remain some of the most famous and recognizable pieces in his collection. Whether it’s the modern twist to a familiar food or the pop art effect that draws people in, the Campbell’s soup can posters continue to be a fan favorite.



• Scarface
  One of the most popular gangster movies of all time, Scarface is also one of the most popular posters to have hanging on your wall. Whether you’re watching an episode of MTV’s Cribs or walking through a dormitory, you will most certainly see the iconic Scarface poster hanging in clear view.

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Photoshop and other photo editing programs have truly changed the way media displays images and how the world views them. Aside from the wondrous, artistic effects that come from edited photos, nothing ruins credibility or skews the truth more than an altered photograph that is presented as real. Professional photographers will still crop, cut, copy and paste their way to the perfect picture, but the industry’s keen eye for such deceitful practices will help keep these photos out of our sight. Here are 10 photoshopped photos that passed off as real:

• O.J. Simpson in a Different Light
  After O.J. Simpson was arrested for allegedly murdering his ex-wife Nicole Smith and her friend in 1994, his mugshot was plastered in hundreds of magazines and newspapers across the country. Time magazine took it upon themselves to make the former football player look darker and more evil by manipulating the color, burning the corners and shrinking the prisoner ID number on his mugshot.



• National Geographic Squeezed for Space
  National Geographic magazine got caught moving pyramids for a 1982 cover story featuring the Great Pyramids of Giza, which were squeezed together to fit the vertical layout of the magazine. Although it was the ’80s, the magazine’s former director of photography, Tom Kennedy, stated that the publication no longer uses technology to alter elements to make a more convincing photo.



• Up in Smoke
  The plot thickened and so did the smoke that loomed over downtown Beirut in a controversial 2006 Reuters photograph. In the midst of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, Lebanese freelance photographer Adnan Hajj was caught doctoring two published war photographs. When compared to the original image, Hajj’s photo showed a thicker, darker plume of smoke that rose from an Israeli bombing raid. In the second photo, Hajj made some changes to his photo by increasing the number of flares dropped from an Israeli F-16 and misidentified them as “missiles.” Reuters withdrew the doctored image, suspended their contract with Hajj and implemented a “tighter editing procedure” for war images.



• A Badgered Brochure
  The University of Wisconsin 2001-2002 undergraduate student brochure ended up looking like a “Where’s Waldo?” photo not just because of the red and white everywhere, but because of a student that didn’t fit with the rest of the group. In an attempt to show their diverse student population, the University created a composite using a photo of all white students at a 1993 Badger football game, and inserted a black student, Diallo Shabazz’s face into the crowd. The school received serious backlash for doctoring the image and passing it off as real, in addition to faking a diverse population that just isn’t so.



• Harper’s Magazine Against AWOL
  Harper’s photo for their cover story, “AWOL in America: When Desertion Is the Only Option,” did not sit well with some of the Marines featured when they found out what the story was really about. The photo featured seven Marines standing against a wall, with one soldier fading away in thin air. Harper’s was criticized for using real, active soldiers in a story about going AWOL, which has an incredibly negative connotation. Harper’s fought back saying they were “decorating pages” by using soldiers and not implying that they were AWOL.



• Piecing Together Julia Roberts
  Redbook magazine, has received some flak for doctoring photos and not being transparent about its practices over the years. One of the publication’s most notorious manipulations was a 2003 cover shot of Julia Roberts that had been altered from the head down. The magazine took Roberts’ head from a paparazzi shot at the People’s Choice awards, and combined it her body from the Notting Hill movie premiere four years ago. The goal was to make the cover pop, but even with an apology by the publisher, Hearst, this magazine issue continues to be an example of what not to do.



• Two Becomes One
  Even in war, photographs aren’t always as they seem. Point in case, the Los Angeles Times photographer Brian Walski’s emotional image of a British soldier and a group of Iraqi civilians in Basra, which graced the newspaper’s front page and was printed in other publications. To much disappointment, Walski’s photo turned out to be a composite of two images that he combined to “improve” the composition. Once confronted about the altered image, Walski admitted to his photo doctoring and was later fired for unethical practices and altering the truth.



• Fusing Famous Females
  Today, no organization in their right-mind would use Oprah Winfrey’s face on their cover without her permission. TV Guide learned their lesson after a 1989 cover displayed the talk-show host’s face on another woman’s body. The body belonged to actress Ann-Margret from a 1979 Rockette special. The glitzy dress that Oprah was wearing caught the eye of Ann-Margret’s fashion designer, who recognized the dress from the photo shoot. Neither woman gave their consent to creating the composite.



• Getting Crafty with Martha Stewart
  After her release from prison, Martha Stewart appeared on Newsweek magazine’s cover looking exactly as they described her, “thinner, wealthier and ready for prime time.” This smiley shot of Stewart pulling back the stage curtains was actually a composite of her face on a model’s body. In an attempt to cover their behinds, Newsweek came forward on Page 3, calling the cover a photo illustration and giving credit to the artists behind the separate head and body shot. Despite coming clean about the altered cover, Newsweek received a great deal of flak for misleading the public through unethical practices.



• FUN Family
  In an effort to meet diversity requirements for Toronto’s summer edition of FUN Guide, the publication superimposed the face of a black man into a clustered family photo. In order to show a more diverse, eclectic side of the city, the FUN Guide nixed the photo of a tan-skinned father to display the new dad’s picture, which was poorly edited. The publication claims to have been doing its duty to “depict the diversity of Toronto and its residents,” but ended up looking way too forced.

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Finding a wedding photographer that really takes the cake can be a difficult process for any bride and groom. Thankfully, there are several ways to find photographers that meet your budget and style. From word-of-mouth recommendations to magazine advertisements, you’ve got to utilize your resources to tie the knot with a reputable wedding photographer. Here are 8 ways to find a wedding photographer:

• Professional Blogs
  Most wedding photographers nowadays are displaying their work and advertising their business on blogs. Not only does a blog let you see a photographer’s body of work, but it also gives you a feel for the photographer’s style, personality and formality. Most photographer blogs will include links to their main Web site, where you can retrieve contact information to set up an appointment.
• Recommendations
  Happy clients will almost always spread the word about their wedding photographer and overall experience. Recommendations are a good sign of customer satisfaction and will ease your mind when making your decision.
• Bridal Shows
  Bridal shows and conventions are good ways to find a wedding photographer because you’ll get to meet them one after another, review their portfolios and talk about style preferences, availabilities and other details.
• Weddings
  If you like what you see at a wedding, pick up the wedding photographer’s business card or talk with them about setting up an appointment. This gives you an up-close look at the photographer’s style and protocol for the wedding day.
• Newspapers/Magazines
  There are various wedding photographer advertisements in newspapers and magazines. Bridal magazines will also include a directory of photographers in your area. You might even check the wedding feature section of your city newspaper to see pictures of wedding couples and who their photographer is.
• Wedding Vendors
  Wedding vendors include florists, caterers, musicians and others, who work together on weddings and promote each others’ services. Vendors are in-the-know about wedding photographers and will help you find one that fits your style and budget.
• Wedding Web Sites
  Wedding sites make finding a photographer in your area a breeze with directories, reviews and other services.
• Wedding Planner
  Your wedding planner also has the scoop on the best photographers in your area, and they can help narrow down your choices based on your budget and other expenses.

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There’s no doubt about it, photography is an expensive hobby, but it’s one that can also be done on a limited budget. Sure, you won’t be using state-of-the-art equipment or the best quality materials, but you will be saving a ton of money and learning the nitty-gritty details of photography along the way. Here are 10 ways to save money on your photography:

1. Use a Manual Camera
   Getting a manual camera without all of the bells and whistles will save you money and teach you about the fundamentals of photography. Sure, a manual camera is trickier than an automatic one, but it forces you to understand the camera inside and out. Because manual is less forgiving than digital, you will have to learn from each exposure, study the film and correct your mistakes in another go around. Brand new and used manual SLR cameras can be found online, in camera or electronics stores and possibly lying around in your house.
2. Print/Develop Pictures at Home
   Printing and/or developing pictures at home can save you a bundle of money and time, while allowing you to have total control over your photographs and editing. If you are using a digital camera, then you will need to have a computer, a photo printer and photo paper to print pictures from your camera. Editing your own photos and using quality photo paper will give you a professional look, for a fraction of the cost to have someone develop it for you. To develop pictures on a manual camera, you can set up your own darkroom inside your house, using the equipment and materials noted in an instructional guide.
3. Buy Used/Borrow Equipment
   Buying used equipment and borrowing others’ materials will help cut costs and give you a chance to experiment with different types of camera equipment. Buying used equipment allows you to put the money you saved toward another purchase or endeavor. The same goes for borrowing others’ equipment, which allows you to play around with different lenses, lighting fixtures and accessories to improve your photography skills and find tools that work for you.
4. Use Natural Light
   Nothing says free like daylight. Using natural light to take photographs is easy, free and preferential in beginner photography. If you are using a manual camera, then you’ll want to get outdoor/daylight film, and make adjustments to both a manual and digital camera’s settings to avoid blown-out pictures from harsh sunlight. Also, try shooting early in the morning and late afternoon to get softer light and proper exposures.
5. Make Your Own Light Diffuser/Reflector
   Whether you are shooting outdoors or indoors, using a light diffuser or reflector may be necessary to get enough soft light, smooth shadows, reduced glare and even light distribution. There are multiple ways to diffuse and reflect your light source without purchasing any additional items. One way to diffuse light is to bounce the light source off the ceiling, wall or other materials that will absorb the reflected light, as well as diffuse the light by passing it through a translucent material, such as a piece of white paper or white cloth, being careful not to overheat the diffuser. For reflecting light, you can use poster boards, umbrellas and other reflective materials to find the perfect amount of light for your photographs.
6. Make Your Own Portrait Backdrop
   Professional looking portraits don’t require a store-bought backdrop – you can make your own for a fraction of the price. Whether you prefer solids, stripes or tie-dye, the colors and designs are completely up to you and the tone you want to create. The backdrop can be made of muslin, bed sheets or any type of fabric that fits your studio, budget and preferences.
7. Download GIMP
   GIMP, which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free photo editing tool, primarily used for image retouching, resizing, cropping, combining multiple images and converting between different image formats. While it may not have all of the fancy features of Adobe Photoshop and other editing programs, it does have the basic necessities at no cost.
8. Make Your Own Tripod
   As you become more advanced in your photography and need a still surface to take pictures, a tripod may be the next step. Like many photography accessories, tripods can be costly but they are simple to make on your own. There are several ways to make a tripod, using some household items and other inexpensive objects, such as a plastic bottle, a nut, a bolt, two washers and a wing nut, as well as pieces of wood and crutches. Search online for instructions or guides to create a homemade tripod.
9. Photograph at Free Locations
   Renting a studio or paying to shoot at an exclusive location just may not be within your photography budget. That’s ok, because there are plenty of free places to take beautiful, professional photographs close to you. Try shooting at a local park, church or your backyard to get unique photos in comfortable setting.
10. Put Your Photos Online
    Not only does putting your photographs online save you money from printing or developing them yourself, but it also opens up the opportunity for you to make money by selling them to viewers. To top it off, it doesn’t cost a dime to start a blog, social media profile or online photo album to upload your photos and share them with the world.

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Everywhere you look around, naked subjects surround you, waiting to be photographed in their natural form. Now, get your mind out of the gutter, because we’re talking about natural creations and sceneries that are, well, naked. These bare subjects have been stripped from their covers and are full of flaws that are best captured through the camera lens:

1. Naked Faces
2. Naked Fruit
3. Naked Snow
4. Naked Sky
5. Naked Fish
6. Naked Cat
7. Naked Flower
8. Naked Wood
9. Naked Dog
10. Naked Wallet

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Photographers don’t get noticed overnight, nor are they immediate shoo-ins into the industry. Like all artists, photographers have to put themselves out there to get noticed and sell their work. Although there is keen competition within the arts, there are several ways to get your photographs noticed over the next aspiring photographer, and here are 10 of them:

1. Enter Contests

   Entering contests and competitions will give you a chance to have your photographs critiqued, see what other aspiring photographers are doing and win awards or prizes that will help forward your career.

2. Show Professional Photographers

   By showing professional photographers your pictures, you are bound to get some helpful feedback concerning your work. You never know, they may teach you a thing or two, and even pass your name on to others.

3. Sell Your Photographs

   The best exposure a beginner photographer can get is to sell your photographs. If people are buying your photos, then you are establishing clientele who will pass on your name, therefore, increasing the likelihood of sales.

4. Photography Internships

   Photography internships will give you the chance to expand your photography skills, gain valuable work experience and show off your skills. You can work at a magazine, newspaper, advertising agency and virtually any place that uses photography.

5. Networking

   To maximize your exposure and get your name out there, networking is necessary. The key to networking is talking to anyone and everyone about your photography. If you don’t have any personal connections to the photography industry, then it’s important to ask around to find someone who works in the photography industry or has connections to it.

6. Blogs

   Blogs allow you to share your photos, write about your photography and let readers know more about you. Blogs can also be linked with other sites to increase your readership and exposure to your photographs.

7. Social Networking

   One of the fastest ways to get your photographs noticed is to put them on a social networking site, such as Facebook or MySpace. There, you can create photo albums and share your photos with friends, family and the world.

8. Join Local Art Associations

   Joining a local art association will help increase your exposure, by meeting fellow photographers, attending photography events and networking in person.

9. Magazines

   In order to get you photographs noticed by magazines, you will most likely have to contact them directly. You can enter your photographs into magazine contests, as well as e-mail magazine editors and advertisers to see if they want to buy your photos.

10. Take Good Pictures

    As a rule of thumb, aspiring photographers should focus on taking good pictures and perfecting their style and technique, before trying to get noticed as a professional. With practice and a developed portfolio, your talent will show through and viewers will begin to notice your photographs.

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There are tons of great online resources out there for photographers, and if you’ve spent any time at all looking, you know that the number can be overwhelming. Sure, everyone knows about places like Flickr, but cutting through the crowd to find equally helpful but less popular sites takes some work. With that in mind, here are ten fantastic tools no modern shooter should be without:

1. Splashup: Online photo editing programs can be a great way to work on the go and archive your images online, which is what makes Splashup (formerly Fauxto) such a help. Edit your images with different layer and brush effects, then share with sites like Facebook and Flickr.

2. Photocritic: Their tagline is “Doing cool stuff with photography,” and it’s hard to argue. The site is designed to provide tips and criticisms for photographers at all levels, providing a peer interface that can lead to stimulating conversations and discoveries.

3. Moo: One of the best ways for a photographer to drum up business or just do some networking is to promote their work, and that’s where Moo comes in. The site is designed to help you make custom business cards using their images or some of your own, and you can import pics directly from Flickr to use on your business cards as a way to show clients right away what you can do.

4. Shutterfly: Shutterfly lets you make a variety of products with your images, from photo books to an assortment of cards and stationery. You can also use them to create a site to share specific photos and videos with friends and family.

5. Professional Photographer: The magazine Professional Photographer has an online home with tons of articles and resources, as well as web-only exclusives. A must-bookmark for photographers.

6. ImageShack: One of the biggest and best photo-hosting sites out there. You can upload pics up to 1.5MB in size and embed them on any site.

7. World Press Photo: This is required reading for photojournalists or anyone looking to use their images to capture the events of the world around them. It includes photo archives, contests, and more.

8. Depth of Field Master: Every photographer deals with depth of field issues, so Depth of Field Master has a host of tools designed to help you master this part of the art. Featuring software, phone apps, and online calculators, DOF Master can help you get the hang of using different lenses to utilize different depths of field.

9. Canon Professional Network and Nikon Digitutor: Two of the biggest names in cameras and lenses also offer branded tutorials online that will help you get the most out of your images. The sites are stocked with interviews, lessons, galleries, and plenty more.

10. Photopreneur: Making art can seem easy next to the struggle to make a living. Photopreneur is a solid guide to emerging techniques and trends with an eye on maximizing your exposure and turning your hobby and passion into a legitimate occupation or business.

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As surely as engagement is a rite of passage for younger couples, so too are the photo shoots they order to tell the world of their love. Most of these come off without a hitch, but some are responsible for images so weird, uncomfortable, and just plain awkward that you have to wonder what they were thinking. Maybe they were duped into it by the photographer, or perhaps so high on young love that they didn’t think about the ramifications of, say, straddling a cannon while gazing alluringly into each other’s eyes. Oh well. Their mistakes are our good fortune:

1. Sleeping in the Ocean; Brian K. Crain Photography

2. Tiny Bride; Lyfe Photography

3. Marrying a Monkey; Lyfe Photography

4. Uncomfortable Guitars; Coyote Music

5. Bionic Engagement; Auzigog

6. Something Smells

7. Holy Visual Metaphors, Batman

8. This Just Feels Wrong; Furious Photographers

9. This Does, Too

10. From Here to Eternity

11. Hey, It Worked for Spider-Man

12. What Are They Hiding?

13. Your Heart Is the Meter, Mine Is the Coin

14. The Most Depressing Engagement

15. There Are No Words. None.

16. Nothing Says “Love” Like Big Dirty Shoes

17. I Think They’re Handcuffed to the Pole; Perales Productions

18. Did He Just Tackle Her?

19. Why the Tree? Why the Blurry Border? Just: Why?

20. Save It for Later, Buddy

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A good photograph makes a point; a great one serves as a statement about culture, life, and everything that’s happening outside the image’s frame. Photos have been inspiring people and showing them the truth for centuries now, so it’s hard to narrow the list of influential images to just 30, but here are some of the photos that have changed the world:

1. General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong prisoner in Saigon; Eddie Adams, 1968
AP photographer Eddie Adams captured this shot of a South Vietnamese general executing a Viet Cong officer in the Tet Offensive, and it became one of the most iconic shots of the Vietnam War. Sadly, Adams would come to lament the damage the Pulitzer-winning photo did to Nguyen and his family, claiming that the man had killed a “so-called bad guy” and been demonized by people who didn’t understand the scope of the situation.

2. Migrant Mother; Dorothea Lange, 1936
This image of a working woman who had just sold her cars tires to feed her seven children came to represent the Depression and the Dust Bowl in the popular imagination.

3. Kent State; John Paul Filo, 1970
The Kent State protest in Ohio at the news that President Nixon was sending troops into Cambodia drew the presence of the Ohio National Guard, who turned on the crowd and fired, killing four. The horrible image of a young woman crying in anger over the dead body of a student won a Pulitzer Prize for John Filo. The event inspired Neil Young to write the protest song “Ohio.”

4. Tianenmen Square; Jeff Widener, 1989
Shooting the Chinese protests for the Associated Press, Jeff Widener captured this shot of “the unknown rebel” standing in front of a line of tanks. The man was shortly led away and never seen again, but his act of nonviolent protest was a vital moment in world history.

5. Galloping Horse; Eadweard Muybridge, 1878
This series of 12 photos was a biological landmark because it proved that there is indeed a point in a horse’s stride when all its hooves leave the ground.

6. Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Massery; Will Counts, 1957
Elizabeth Eckford was one of the first black students admitted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This photo shows her grueling walk to class while being shouted at by white student Hazel Massery. Although Massery would later express regret for her actions, the photo showed the nation and the world the heated strife in the Southern United States.

7. How Life Begins; Lennart Nilsson, 1965
Lennart Nilsson began taking pictures of developing fetuses with an endoscope in 1957, and the 1965 publication of his photos in Life Magazine was a breakthrough in showing people where we all came from.

8. Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima; Joe Rosenthal, 1945
One of the most indelible images of World War II as well as a Pulitzer winner, this photo of U.S. Marines raising their flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima is widely used as a tribute to American heroism. Of the six men in the shot, three died in the battle. The image was used to create the USMC War Memorial near Arlingtong National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

9. Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston; AP, 1965
The rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston remains controversial because of the way Liston went down halfway through the first round, seemingly out of nowhere. This shot of Ali standing over his prey became one of the many iconic shots of the man known as “the greatest.”

10. The Hindenburg disaster; UPI, 1937
The stirring image of the Hindenburg zeppelin going down in flames helped galvanize public opinion on the dangers of airships and end their era once and for all.

11. Earthrise; William Anders, 1968
Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders snapped this shot of the Earth rising over the Moon’s horizon as he and Frank Borman orbited the Moon. The shot changed the way we think of our planet and its place in the cosmos.

12. President Johnson Sworn In Aboard Air Force One; Cecil W. Stoughton, 1963
Cecil Stoughton was President Kennedy’s photographer, and he captured this heartbreaking image of Jackie Kennedy standing with the newly sworn-in President Johnson mere hours after Kennedy was shot.

13. V-J Day in Times Square; Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1945
No image said more about the relief Americans felt at the end of World War II than this classic image of a sailor sweeping a nurse into his arms for a kiss when hearing the war had ended.

14. The Abu Ghraib scandal; 2004
The Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq was the site of multiple counts of prisoner torture and abuse, which became news when this and other photos showing American soldiers mistreating prisoners surfaced. They changed the course of public opinion for many people.

15. Hurricane Katrina aftermath; 2005
This stunning image of an abandoned home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina reminded people how badly the city of New Orleans had suffered through one of the biggest natural disasters in American history.

16. Wounded Soldier at Home; Eugene Richards, 2008
Eugene Richards’ “War Is Personal” documents the human cost of the Iraq War, as seen in this photo of a soldier who survived a brutal attack that took part of his head.

17. The 9/11 attacks; New York Times, 2001
There are many haunting images of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but this one of a person standing in a gaping hole of wreckage, with no exit or hope of rescue, is one of the most wrenching.

18. Birmingham beatings; Charles Moore, 1963
Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the focal points of the civil rights movement, and black residents and protestors faced near-constant torment as they struggled for equality. This image of young people being assaulted with a fire hose showed the lengths their attackers would go to in order to fight the changing tides.

19. The Terror of War; Huynh Cong Ut, 1973
A naked girl runs with a group of other children after the napalm bombing of a Vietnamese village. She survived by removing her clothes. This was one of the many award-winning images that brought the atrocity of the war into Americans’ homes.

20. “Dewey Defeats Truman”; 1948
Perhaps the most famous incorrect headline in history, the Chicago Tribune printed early editions of that day’s issue saying that Harry Truman had lost the presidential election in order to make their deadlines. Their Washington correspondent, as well as conventional wisdom, assumed Truman would lose. However, Truman pulled ahead and won, making the papers inaccurate and leading to this classic image of a newly minted president showing the dangers of sloppy journalism.

21. Lynching; Lawrence Beitler, 1930
Thousands of whites descended on an Indiana park to hang a pair of black men accused of raping a white woman. The image is a shocking reminder of how recently something like this could happen in the U.S.

22. Omaha Beach; Robert Capa, 1944
One of the few surviving images from D-Day, Robert Capa’s haunting, blurry image was a brief glimpse for many people into a world of war they might not otherwise understand.

23. Burning Monk; Malcolm W. Browne, 1963
Vietnamese monk Thich Quang Duc set himself on fire to protest the government’s persecution of Buddhists, and the resulting photo captured millions of people’s attention.

24. Man Walks on the Moon; Neil Armstrong, 1969
Neil Armstrong snapped this image of fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin during the first human trip to land on the Moon. It became a testament to American innovation and dedication.

25. Afghan Girl; Steve McCurry, 1984
Known only as the Afghan girl — her real identity unknown until she was rediscovered in 2002 — Sharbat Gula’s face became one of the most iconic National Geographic covers of all time, and a symbol of the struggle of refugees everywhere.

26. Abbey Road cover; Iain Macmillan, 1969
The final album recorded by The Beatles before their breakup, the cover of Abbey Road featured a shot of the four men crossing the road almost in lock-step, except for Paul McCartney, whose off-balance stride spurred the urban legend that he was dead.

27. Martin Luther King, Jr.; 1963
Martin Luther King, Jr. raised his arms as he addressed the crowd in his “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963. His performance there, and the subsequent photos of the crowds and his address, were a turning point in the blossoming civil rights movement.

28. “Tear down this wall”; 1987
Speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate in 1987, President Reagan bluntly exhorted Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” It was the beginning of the end, as the wall would fall in 1989. The site of Reagan in front of the gate is a key one in 20th century history.

29. Federal Dead on the Field of Battle of First Day, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Mathew Brady, 1863
One of the earliest war photographs, this sobering look at the war ravaging America remains one of the most important war images of all time.

30. Tetons and the Snake River; Ansel Adams, 1942
Ansel Adams is a legend among photographers, and his 1942 “Tetons and the Snake River” is a prime example of the stark nature photography that he elevated to fine art. It was also one of the 115 pictures embedded on the golden record and sent on the Voyager spacecraft. The picture also fueled an environmental protection movement that lasts to this day.

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