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Most inspiring photo of all time....

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It seems to me that the thread has become diluted. It went from a tally of "Most inspiring photo of all time" to most "the most powerful, provocative, moving, etc."
Andreas Steiner said:
Member said:
Seems to be a lot of death in there :-(.....does part of being a
iconic image involve death?
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I don't understand why 90% of the images mentioned in this thread
are about war, death, violence, especially from the US military
history.

Looks like I have a completly different understanding of the term
"inspiring" than the rest here...

...or is everybody already brainwashed from US war propaganda?

Andi

--
http://www.andreassteiner.net/photography
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Thomas Gardner said:
Thomas Gardner said:
So it doesn't inspire you to be a better father, friend or person
on the street?
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No it doesn't. But not in a bad or argumentative way.

I'm not a Bible beater but my religious training
(Christianity/Jesus) is my inspiration to go forth on a daily
basis, to be the best person I can and to treat people in a manner
that I would want others to treat me. I try on a daily basis to be
the best father and husband that I, as my own person, can be.

If it takes an image of "what ever" to do this, then the person has
some serious issues that need to be dealt with. Why? Being the
best, daily, is an adult responsiblity not an inspirational time
and moment, based upon an image.
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It doesn't stir emotions in you that make you want to rush back and make sure your family are safe? not that it's possible to protect them 24/7 but you know what I mean....I read a piece in a magazine about riding mountain bikes it said "if you're not falling off you're not trying hard enough" in many ways its what the photographs inspires me to do...fall off! :-)...just try that little bit harder until I fall off
Thomas Gardner said:
Thomas Gardner said:
It doesn't say to you that life is precious, live it to the best of
your ability?
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No it doesn't. It tells me to stay out of those sorts of areas and
if I'm in those sorts of area, I shouldn't be having children and I
should be looking for a way to leave! That's what a good father
would do.
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He was in a Palestine refugee camp, so he's come from somewhere worse wouldn't you say? He'd been shopping for a car with his dad, hardly a crime, although he'd been caught throwning stones at israli troops, not really a crime punishable by death. They were on there way back to the camp when they were caught between Israeli troops and a group of protesters. wasn't his fault....where else was he going to go?

They were Palestinians they do not have a country of their own...I don't believe anybody would be in a refugee camp there by choice
Thomas Gardner said:
Thomas Gardner said:
It doesn't say that the bond between the father and the son was so
strong that he would protect his son with his own body and life
before that of future generations?
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My son may one day enter the military, you don't think that I'd
rather go in his place?

I can assure you, that if I was in the same environment, I would
have been long gone, before I had children, not after. The
conflict has been going on long before the child was born. Do you
think to hold the father responsible, for irresponsibly bringing
this child into the world?
Thomas Gardner said:
If it doesn't inspire you to do the best you can, in the time you
have, I don't know another photo that will
Click to expand...
One doesn't always have to look outward to be inspired as one isn't
always uninspired and in need of inspiration.
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But if you don't look you won't see
Thomas Gardner said:
Here's my inspiration. It's religious in nature, so don't get
ticked if religion gets you upset.

http://www.whoisjesus-really.com/index.htm
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I'm not religious, and have nothing against those who are...I am inspired by photographs, inspired to make beautiful images, they may not be iconic, but they mean something to me

--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Always give the client a vertical-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I shoot on 35mm Canon and 6x7 Pentax using stuff called film
there's nothing better
 
Well, well. It appears you are correct, Thomas.

I suppose the controversy will remain though. There is a book about it. I obviously have not read it. Link is

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0275950638/104-2731175-5267966?vi=glance

Thanks, for setting me straight. This is one myth I had swallowed.
Thomas Gardner said:
danks said:
Did I miss it? I have not seen it come up in this thread. The photo
is quite controversial. Apparently it was a reenactment, for the
camera. The "real" flag raising had occured earlier. So, in a way,
the photo is a fake I suppose.
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That's the myth.

Here's the truth.

http://www.bluesgig.net/ThePhotographers/CONFLICT/world_war_ii.htm

Look down to the image and the print to the right of the flag
raising image.
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--
Terry Danks
Nature & Wildlife (Hummingbirds!) Photography
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/n1dcmc78/home.htm
 
William C said:
Member said:
But the tank crew also deserves some credit for putting
their necks in the noose.
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This guy put is life on the line and did not know for sure will the
tank over
him or not. I cannot even start to understand why anyone in the world
would give the tank crew credit. They had an easy decision because no
one knows for sure were that they ordered to stop. Ordered by the tank
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Communist military protocols are notoriously centralized. It's not like the U.S. military where field commanders and squad leaders have authority to make their own decisions to adapt to the situation. If something unexpected happens, it's not unusual for the guy on the spot to radio his field commander, who radios his commander, who radios the commander in charge of the area, who radios the head of the military, who makes a phone call to the premier asking what they should do. If the premier gets mad and says "You got me out of bed for this!?!" then the guys who started the whole chain get lined up and shot. So a lot of times, the hard choice is to stop and ask for directions. If their standing orders were to advance the tank column, the easy choice would've been to just run the guy over.

The people on KAL flight 007 weren't so lucky when the Soviets shot their airliner out of the sky. Again, there, the "easy" choice was to eliminate the immediate threat, political consequence be damned.
 
Get lost. The sequence of events which led up to Joe Rosenthal shooting the picture is very well documented. There was no posing and no fakery. The same liars who lie about everything else American are fabricating fairy tales in their rush to dump on the American flag.

AP photographer Rosenthal met the Marines who were on their way to the summit to raise the flag. A smaller flag had been raised earlier on a short pole. They got to the top and raised it. Rosenthal shot the photo with his Speed Graphic as it went up. Nothing is fake. Nothing is controversial.

The AP has lost the negative.

Zidar
Alaska
danks said:
Did I miss it? I have not seen it come up in this thread. The photo
is quite controversial. Apparently it was a reenactment, for the
camera. The "real" flag raising had occured earlier. So, in a way,
the photo is a fake I suppose.
--
Terry Danks
Nature & Wildlife (Hummingbirds!) Photography
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/n1dcmc78/home.htm
Click to expand...
--
It's not about stuff.
http://www.pbase.com/zidar
 
Danny Cardenas said:
--------
The photo represents many things- dogged determination and uncommon
valor, but more importantly the sacrifice of nearly 7,000 Marines
and Sailors in a battle that raged for a month after the photo was
taken. 20,000 Marines and Sailors were wounded at Iwo Jima. More US
Marines died at Iwo Jima than in any battle in Marine history. A
third of all Marine Corps casualties from WWII occured in the
battle of Iwo Jima. More CMH's were awarded to Marines and Sailors
at Iwo Jima than were awarded in any other battle in history.

These things are hallowed and should not be forgotten, but I
strongly disagree with you that they symbolize the best in humanity.
--------
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And if these brave men had not stood their ground and fought their battles with valor and given up, the world would be a hugely different place today under the hateful rule of the Japan of the time.

Yes! It does represent the best, willing and voluntary sacrifice, for the good of all humans.

Comments like yours bring about thoughts of ungrateful, forgetful and selfish.

I'm not trying to get into a contest, it's just your denial that the efforts of these brave young men, helping save the lives of millions is not representative of the best humans have to offer, does not resonate in a positive way with me.
Danny Cardenas said:
Danny Cardenas said:
How quick we forget our history and what was going on in the late
thirties and early forties.
Click to expand...
--------

How quickly we idealize it.
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When the behavior encompasses the good people can bring to the table in times of dictatorial strife, oh, you betcha.

--------
Danny Cardenas said:
Danny Cardenas said:
The Mt Sarabachi Flag rasing represented the freeing of all of Asia
from the tyranical grip of the hateful Japanese who tried to take
over all of Asia. Millions were set free because of the US Marines
Click to expand...
--------
The taking of Mt. Suribachi does not represent the end of the war
in the Pacific, it doesn't even represent the end of that battle.
The battle raged for another month, and claimed the lives of three
of the men in the photo. The war in the Pacific raged for another
six months. The "freeing of all of Asia from tyranical grip of the
hateful Japanese" (how do you come up with this stuff?) could
perhaps be more accurately symbolized by the mushroom clouds over
Hiroshima and Nagasaki that killed, by conservative estimate, over
110,000 civilians.
Click to expand...
Running to the atom bomb as your defense.

Yes, after your above comment, it's clear you've forgotten your history, what led up to the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor, their death march's, live human experiments, **** of Nanking. That's where I come up with that stuff. Accurate, varifiable, historical facts.

As to the atom bomb. Leaflets were dropped days before. Nagasaki was a legitamate military target manufacturing airplanes and using "innocent" civilians to do so. Japan and Germany both were working on "heavy water" experiments and were very close to a successful dentonation. In fact Germany had transfered the technology to Japan. Japan was a mortal enemy of the US as was Germany and if we lost, the two countries were going to divide the US up at the Continental divide in the rockies.

Get a grip, they attacked us and lost. They got their butts kicked and deservedly so for being the bad people the civilians and government was at the time. They weren't a bunch of innocents that were killed but it sure sounds good when it's posted as such.
Danny Cardenas said:
--------
Danny Cardenas said:
efforts that took this mount. If the Marines had failed and the US
had lost the Pacific war, the US was going to be divided up between
Germany and Japan.
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--------
What? How do you figure? Germany surrendered in May of 1945, days
after Hitler committed suicide. He committed suicide rather than be
personally taken prisoner, or executed by the Red Army. Japan
surrendered four months later- days after we incinerated hundreds
of thousands of civilians. Even if we had lost the war in the
Pacific, how would the US be divided amongst the Japanese and the
Germans?
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There you go, that's it. Germany has fallen so let's all go home and pretend.
Danny Cardenas said:
--------
Danny Cardenas said:
So yes, flag raisings can and do represent the best our species has
to offer.
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--------
Maybe in Hollywood, or for the people who sit at home and watch the
sanitized "reality TV" versions of warfare on CNN. But for the men,
women and families who've shed their blood, given life and limb for
your entertainment, they don't.
Click to expand...
That's a really shallow view of people's heroic act.

I just received news of my brother death.

I'll be signing off.
 
Just as the sweetest sound in any language is that of one's own name, photos (particulary patriotic ones) are most inspiring to the people they represent. I am sure from the Japanese POV, the Iwo Jima flag-raising would not make it to the top ten. In fact, taken out of context, it becomes ordinary. But to all Americans it is a landmark in history.

Having said that, there are some pictures (Beth posted one) that transcend all boundaries of race, religion, sex and ethnic origins and are universally appealing, regardless of context. For these, I would use the term "emotive" instead of "inspiring" as that is what one feels when looking at mushroom clouds over Hiroshima or the Napalm girl. Some move us to tears (of joy or sadness), some make us mad, others swell our breast with pride, but they all have a profound effect on us. Those are the ones that are worth a thousand words.

In this world gone crazy, one man's moment of glory is another's shame.

Pradeep.
 
Probably not the one I'd normally pick as first, but in light of recent events it has more meaning.



No it's not Photoshopped (there has been color and contrast enhancement though). It was shot by the Galileo spacecraft on its way to Jupiter. The first such shot was by Voyager I and for the longest time it was the only legit picture of both the entire earth and entire moon in one picture. It really gives one a sense of just how tiny our world really is, why it's important to learn to live together, why it's important to preserve what we have, and why it's important to explore further.

“It was in Apollo 8 that I got the impression on how fragile the Earth really is,” [James] Lovell said. “I told Tom Hanks (who played Lovell in the movie Apollo 13) that I could put my thumb against the window and hide the Earth. It makes us realize how insignificant we really are. I wish we could take some of our world’s leaders up there so they could see what we really have to work with.”

Picture taken by Lovell and company on Apollo 8:



The Pulitzer site used to have good collection of past winners and nominees. Many inspirational photographs there, including most that have been mentioned here. Unfortunately, most of the photos themselves aren't available there due to copyright.

http://www.pulitzer.org/
http://www.newseum.org/pulitzer/
 
Graham Snook said:
They were Palestinians they do not have a country of their own...I
don't believe anybody would be in a refugee camp there by choice
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I'm Christian and I don't have a home of my home. The Palestinians have never had a home. This is just a power grab.
Graham Snook said:
I'm not religious, and have nothing against those who are...I am
inspired by photographs, inspired to make beautiful images, they
may not be iconic, but they mean something to me
Click to expand...
Then here's a link that will hopefully inspire you to a new day.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1274916
 
grumpy said:
I never implied their acts were honorable. I also can believe the
acts are evil yet still understand that something is motivating
them. If you want to be simplistic and believe that there is
absolutely nothing motiviting them other than pure evil, then go
ahead.
Click to expand...
I will. Why? Because you don't strap on bombs and blow up innocents because you think it will make things better.

Look at the history of the PLO's plight and you'll see the PLO leadership is leading these people in a manner that's guarenteed to cause them trouble.

The PLO cause is not a good cause and it won't get my support.
 
What you describe, I remember happening when the Chinese government finally cracked down on the students.

In the video of the lone man standing in front of the tanks, after a while the tank tries to turn to the left, and the man shifts sideways to get in front of it again. The tank turns right and the man moves again. Finally after about 15 minutes of this standoff, a woman (dressed in civilian clothes, dunno if it was a student or undercover police, but she seemed concerned for his safety so I suspect the former) runs in from his right, grabs him, and pulls him away from the tanks.
Ger Bee said:
.................. the columns of tanks stopped, there are three
columns of tanks and they all stopped together, but there was only
one student standing in from of one line.

At this stage the students thought they were winning and more
arrived and started to climb on the tanks. They began to advance in
number towards the other tanks and as the TV camera is pulled away
we see the lead tank, now covered with students lurch forward and
the students start to fall off ………….

Transmission was cut and we see no more except long distance tele
shots, which are grainy and just show a commotion.

What happened to the solitary student? Another post on this a few
weeks back suggested that he survived the tank ordeal only to be
shot later along with several others identified as “ringleaders”.
Click to expand...
 
Tom. I have mixed feelings on how this incident was handled, regardless, the kid was in the middle.

Overall, Clinton was a great president who had some personal issues (dont we all) that unfortunately got too much attention. Overall, I supported Clinton's ideas for the country and would vote for him again, if allowed to run.
Thomas Gardner said:
mark kay said:
Regardless and not saying i disagree with you at all, but the
expressions in the photo were very real. Regardless of the
situation, the poor kid was in the middle
Click to expand...
The poor kid wasn't in the middle, Clinton folded up like a house
of cards and created a middle.

It could have all ended simply by saying no and none of what
happened would have happened.

If Clinton had said no, where would the middle have been formed?

Clinton did so many things to embarrass this country. His list was
long. And this was one of his biggest moments.
Click to expand...
 
Well said, Primus. Pictures of the WTC going down in shambles or jumping off the building are no doubt inspiring to tens or hundreds of millions of people. It is all relative as you indicate. I saw a still picture of someone falling from the building, this lone person's imminent death is shattering to me and the opposite of inspiring.
Primus said:
Just as the sweetest sound in any language is that of one's own
name, photos (particulary patriotic ones) are most inspiring to the
people they represent. I am sure from the Japanese POV, the Iwo
Jima flag-raising would not make it to the top ten. In fact, taken
out of context, it becomes ordinary. But to all Americans it is a
landmark in history.

Having said that, there are some pictures (Beth posted one) that
transcend all boundaries of race, religion, sex and ethnic origins
and are universally appealing, regardless of context. For these, I
would use the term "emotive" instead of "inspiring" as that is what
one feels when looking at mushroom clouds over Hiroshima or the
Napalm girl. Some move us to tears (of joy or sadness), some make
us mad, others swell our breast with pride, but they all have a
profound effect on us. Those are the ones that are worth a thousand
words.

In this world gone crazy, one man's moment of glory is another's
shame.

Pradeep.
Click to expand...
 
Thomas Gardner said:
The poor kid wasn't in the middle, Clinton folded up like a house
of cards and created a middle.

It could have all ended simply by saying no and none of what
happened would have happened.

If Clinton had said no, where would the middle have been formed?

Clinton did so many things to embarrass this country. His list was
long. And this was one of his biggest moments.
Click to expand...
Thomas, I totally respect your other comments in this thread, but have to disagree with you on this. The U.S. government (it wouldn't have been different if Dole had been in office) had to choose between morality and politics. Does a child belong with his sole surviving parent, or in a better political system that his other parent died to place him in?

In your other threads, you describe sacrifice to make the world better for the future. Right now, there are hundreds if not thousands of American parents trying to get back their children who were illegally kidnapped and taken to another country by an ex-spouse, some of whom (the ex-spouse) have since died. They are unable to get their children back because in most cases, the political system of that country gives them no rights to custody. If the U.S. had kept Elian, it would've undercut any moral and political argument for the return of these children. Would keeping this one child have been worth sacrificing any hope for the recovery of these other children?
 
I hope you weren't implying that I support the PLO just because I said we should try to understand their motivation. If so, you are wrong. Ending crime and terrorism takes more than just punishment. I also requires trying to get to the root of the problem that drives people to commit the crimes. They are not mutually exclusive.
Thomas Gardner said:
grumpy said:
I never implied their acts were honorable. I also can believe the
acts are evil yet still understand that something is motivating
them. If you want to be simplistic and believe that there is
absolutely nothing motiviting them other than pure evil, then go
ahead.
Click to expand...
I will. Why? Because you don't strap on bombs and blow up
innocents because you think it will make things better.

Look at the history of the PLO's plight and you'll see the PLO
leadership is leading these people in a manner that's guarenteed to
cause them trouble.

The PLO cause is not a good cause and it won't get my support.
Click to expand...
 
Glad to hear that Thomas. I am sure you were very vocal in your opposition of the US gov's support of Iraq years ago in the war against Iran.
You certainly wouldn't be in favor of supporting such an evil dictator, right?
Thomas Gardner said:
iMac said:
Thomas Gardner said:
This reason and this reason alone is sufficent for me to be willing
to commit troops for the purpose of taking dictators around the
world out.
Click to expand...
You're quick to commit others, but what are you doing about it?
Click to expand...
Please, don't go there.

My whole family has served this nation and left several behind.
We've served proudly and at fifty, I'm not exactly able to go
again, but if called, would.

What am I doing, I'm talking with you and other how people like you
are encouraging dictators because they have nothing to fear with a
world that won't do anything. So I talk it up among the liberals
here in Silicon Valley, tell them if they don't like what I have to
say, they can give their monies to someone who agrees with their
policies. And I leave them with one set of final questions.

What do you say to the people that are having their hand, feet and
heads cut off by Hussain? I ask them what do you have to say to
the families of those that are silenced by threats of the whole
family being killed if they speak out? Finally, I say, what do you
have to say to the people in the jails, this very moment, that are
being tortured?

Do you say to those being tortured, "Give peace a chance?"

Me, what am I doing, I cry for those that don't have a champion
because of "Peaceniks" that don't have a clue and are willing to
leave people around the world in torture chambers to be tortured
daily.

I salute those that are willing to be a "Champion", I have no use
for those that walk away.

So that's what I'm doing, speaking out against those that want
peace and won't Champion those that need a Champion, today.
Click to expand...
 
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