Falling Man - Richard Drew, 2001This photo was taken during the moments of 9/11. It can be seen that in attempt to escape the collapsing building, one man decides to plunge to his death ending any more pain and suffering that lies ahead of him as the building becomes engulfed in flames. I chose this photo due to the fact that it sparks the emotion of unease and sadness to arise. It's a tragedy. There are no words that can explain his thought process and the countless others who had done the same. It makes one realize how twisted the world can be to kill and inflict pain on humanity overall. This tragedy does not only affect those who have lost someone or there themselves and are fortunate to survive, yet it impacts everyone. It can be agreed that this photo deserves to be in the top influential photos of all time due to the fact that it is so powerful and heartbreaking. Whether one views the image with or without context, it is just as disturbing.
The Terror of War - Nick Ut, 1972On June 8th, 1972 this image was taken in Northwest of Saigon, Vietnam. This photo is recognized as the defining image of the Vietnam War. It can be seen that children and soldiers behind are running towards the photographer. Their facial expressions exhibit fear and trauma from when the South Vietnamese airforce had mistakenly dropped a load of Napalm on the village. I chose this image because it speaks to my heritage. I am very connected to my Vietnamese side considering I am a second generation immigrant. The war is one of the main reasons that my family and extended family are now Canadians. To be able to see a glimpse what my family and other Vietnamese people whom I feel connected to saddens me. Children who have never done any wrong in the world to endure life this bad at such a young age is devastating and unbelievable. This image shows the poor affects of war and why violence is never the answer.
V-J Day in Times Square - Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1945During the time of this image World War 2 had just ended and thousands of people all over the world took the streets to celebrate. Eisenstaedt wanted to capture an image that provokes hope, joy and wonder. Luckily as he was cruising the streets he came across of two young people kissing one another. at first glance, the photograph displays romance and love. The facial expressions of everyone around them also produces happiness and comfort to the viewer. The Impact of this photo can be that a world without violence calls for love of one another. During the war it can be said many did not have the time or want to bring a child into the world. This is a celebration that people can start a new chapter in their lives without being afraid. Alfred's photo is extremely influential because of how it shows the beauty of life associating it with what most want which is love.
First Cell-Phone Picture - Philippe Khan, 1997This is the first ever image that was taken digitally and sent instantly to others. When looking at this image for the first time the emotions that I felt were happy and confused to why the photo was considered to be extremely influential. When doing research it allowed me to come to the realization of why it is very significant. During this time, camera phones did not exist, yet Khan was able to be the first to make one. This then has greatly impacted the world and can be said when of the first steps into modern technology. I chose this photo because I believe it is a check point in history and should be acknowledged.
The Horse in Motion - Eadweard Muybridge, 1878The first idea that had sparked motion pictures was the question that while a horse ran was there ever a time it became fully airborne. This became a debate, so as a way of proving it was true Mulbridge had set up 12 cameras and as a horse ran by each camera took a snapshot of it within seconds. After developing these images, not only was he correct yet he realized when compiling the images together it creates a stop motion. This is what helped influence other stop motions later on. My initial reaction or emotion that I felt when looking at this image was intrigued. This is because I find the process fascinating. I believe this image to be very influential because it has forever impacted the world into the stop motion animations we have today.
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