Athletes are captured in moments of victory and defeat in 6 powerful sports images
See shots like Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965, or Brandi Chastain after winning the World Cup final in 1999.
Iconic photos
Overview
Capturing rare wildlife, natural disasters, athletic victories, war, joy, and much more, photography offers us visual touchstones of history. Explore this collection of photos that reveal both the tragedies and triumphs of the events, people, and movements that have shaped our shared memory.
1440 Findings
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
The tragic story behind 'Afghan Girl' (1984)
One of the most famous portraits ever taken is "Afghan Girl" by Steve McCurry. Sharbat Gula, the subject of the photo, was not credited until 2002 for her role in the famous National Geographic cover, and continued to live in poverty after the photo was taken.
See a collection of LIFE's most iconic photos in history
Famous images, like a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square to celebrate the end of World War II, are each shared with context in this article. See some of history's most famous moments from a unique point of view, including photos of Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, and Muhammad Ali.
'Behind the Gare St. Lazare' (1932) famously froze a moment of spontaneity
Henri Cartier-Bresson's photo of a man jumping over a puddle inspired generations of future street photographers. Cartier-Bresson was known for capturing "decisive moments," as he called them.
Experience Watergate through photographs
The Watergate scandal produced some of the most iconic images in American political history—especially the candid shot of Nixon boarding a helicopter while leaving the White House for the final time on Aug. 9, 1974.
The world's most famous portraits
"Afghan Girl" (1984), "Migrant Mother" (1936), and Marilyn Monroe in a billowing skirt (1954) are among the most famous portraits of all time. Capturing both unbelievable tragedy and delight, these 15 images are some of the most captivating in human history.
'Migrant Mother' (1936) captured the tragic reality of the Great Depression
Taken by Dorothea Lange, the image shows a mother in tattered clothes looking distressed while her children cling to her. At the time, the family was surviving on frozen vegetables from nearby fields and birds killed by the children.
'The Vulture and the Little Girl' (1993) has a controversial story behind it
The tragic Pulitzer Prize-winning image taken by South African photojournalist Kevin Carter depicts a little girl suffering from starvation during a famine in Sudan in 1993. Carter faced criticism from the public for taking her picture instead of helping her. A few months later, Carter took his own life.
See the last known image of the Titanic afloat (1912)
Three days before the tragedy unfolded, this photo was taken by an Irish Jesuit priest who sailed with the ship for the first part of its journey from England to Ireland.
The cover of "Abbey Road" was shot in a quiet London neighborhood in 1969
The unassuming setting became one of the most famous attractions in the city and was the cover of the Beatles' last-recorded album. It was shot in the late 1960s, when the Fab Four was the most famous band in the world.
