For decades, photographs have caught turning points in history, capturing the feeling of an entire era, those moments when the world seemed to pause, and it seemed like it was frozen.
These photographs aren’t just old moments that have faded, they are records of what came before us and the only thing that makes us understand what comes after and how evolution has happened.
They help us understand how people lived and reacted during life-changing events. Exploring them gives us a window to humanity and to how things have unfolded in the past just with a single photograph.
1
Buzz Aldrin on the moon, 1969
During Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong took this photo of Aldrin on the lunar surface, turning into one of the most iconic visual records of the first steps on the moon.
2
Wenceslas Square, Prague, 1968
A photographer captured his watch in the frame before Soviet tanks entered Prague to suppress Prague Spring.
3
The black power salute at the Olympics, 1968
One of the most significant protest moments in sports, when American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised gloved fists in support of human rights and racial equality.
4
The White House situation room, 2011
Leaders watch in real time the mission that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden.
5
The Beatles pillow fight, 1964
In a Paris hotel room, the Beatles are seen mid-pillow fight at the height of their fame.
6
Adolf Hitler at the Nuremberg rally, 1934
Hitler is seen ascending the steps surrounded by his supporters, demonstrating the true scale of the propaganda rallies.
7
“Dali Atomicus”, 1948
Taken by Phillippe Halsman after dozens of attempts, he wanted to create an energetic representation of Salvador Dali's chaotic artistic spirit.
8
Che Guevara, “Guerrillero Heroico”, 1960
This portrait became one of the most reproduced images in history. It was taken at a memorial service, and later represented revolution and political resistance.
9
First camera phone photo, 1997
This picture of newborn Sophie Saragossi is considered to be the first image ever sent from a camera phone.
10
The atomic bombing of Nagasaki, 1945
The mushroom cloud rising over Nagasaki after the second atomic bomb was dropped during WWII.
11
Earthrise, 1968
During the Apollo 8 mission, astronaut William Anders took this photo of earth rising above the lunar horizon.
12
Tank man in Tiananmen Square, 1989
An unidentified man stood in front of tanks the after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. He became a global symbol of resistance.
13
Adlai Stevenson at the United Nations, 1962
U.S. Ambassador presenting evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba to the UN Security Council, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This became a defining moment in the Cold War.
14
Afghan girl, 1984
Sharbat Gula was photographed in a refugee camp in Pakistan and drew global attention to the Soviet-Afgan war.
15
Protesters at the Berlin Wall, 1989
Crowds gathered on and around the Berlin Wall as they celebrated the collapse, marking the end of the Cold War.
16
V-J day kiss in Times Square, 194
A kiss between a sailor and a nurse after Japan's surrender and the end of WWII.
17
Polio ward with iron lungs, 1950s
Before widespread vaccination, rows of polio patients were put in "iron lungs" to help them breathe.
18
Al Capone mugshot, 1930
This photograph shows famous gangster after his arrest in Miami.
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