21 Photos That Provide A Different Perspective On Historical Events
By Juliet Smith
8 months ago
One small step for man...
Image Source/ Diply.comHow many times have we seen footage or videos of the grand Neil Armstrong landing on our beautiful moon for the first time? I couldn't even count. But, ask yourself, have you ever seen the man in the spacecraft before it took off? Well, now you have!
The launch of Apollo 11
Image Source/ Diply.comWe just can't get enough of Apollo 11 so we had to include this fab pic. On July 20, 1969, a dad and son overlook the first space mission from the United States to the moon was Apollo 11. It's fantastic to see it from the angle of the onlookers at the time.
The Beatles' greatest walk
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe album cover photo to the Abbey Road discography released by The Beatles is probably the most famous album cover out there. Yet, nobody has really ever seen it in the making... until. Here, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star all await their turn to walk along the soon-to-be-famous crossing.
The one that sunk the Titanic...
Image Source/ Diply.comSo this can't be proven but it's thought that this iceberg was the culprit for sinking the Titanic back in 1912. The reason being is that the iceberg had red and black paint smears across it's surface, and these couldn't get there by accident could they!
The Golden Gate... pillars?
Image Source/ Diply.comAnyone who loves bridges will know all about the International Orange Golden Gate Bridge. Yet, have you ever seen it without the actual bridge? Well, here is the great road being built in 1934 and it looks kinda eerie, like two pillars greeting each other across the water.
The watchers of 9/11
Image Source/ Bored Panda9/11 has to be one of the most televised and prolific terrorist attacks ever carried out. We have seen countless videos of the planes soaring into the towers, yet it's rare we actually see the reactions of the people around the mess. Well, here you can see the shock and fear on New Yorkers' faces.
Martin Luther King behind the scenes
Image Source/ Bored PandaThis is the kind of behind the scenes shot we needed to see. If you thought that the speech delivered by Martin Luther King labelled "March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom" powerful, then just look at the view from King's point of view. Phenomenal.
The carving of Mount Rushmore
Image Source/ Diply.comThe carvings in Mount Rushmore are a triumph to say the least, but have you ever seen an incredible photo of them being carved? Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln are depicted in the side of Mount Rushmore.
Hiker watches the eruption of Mount Saint Helens
Image Source/ Bored PandaIn Skamania County, Washington is Mount St. Helens, an active stratovolcano. The last time it apparently erupted was back in 2008 and now the volcano is... recharging. This photo depicts a hiker stood on Mount Adams, which was 37 miles away from the volcano, when it spontaneously erupted.
The hollow tower of Pisa
Image Source/ Bored PandaWe've all seen the Italian Leaning Tower of Pisa, hell, some of us have even been to it... but not many have been inside of it. Well, that's because there's actually nothing there! Take a look at this photo which makes the tower look like a hollow tube rather than a tower.
Kim-II Sung's tumor
Image Source/ Bored PandaKim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, had a tumour on the back of his head the size of a baseball. The photos of him taken for North Korean propaganda purposes were all taken from his left side, because they didn't want anybody to see his weakness. Very interesting to see it at last!
The watchers reactions to the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle
Image Source/ Bored PandaOn a more sombre note, this is the reactions of those who were forced to witness the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle. It must've been one of them rare occasions that you just couldn't strip your eyes away. What makes it more heart-breaking is that their friends and family had to watch.
Lunch on a skyscraper
Image Source/ Bored PandaWe've all seen the infamous picture of all the workers building a New York skyscraper indulging in their lunch on a steel beam. Well, have you ever seen the photographer Charles Ebbets behind the pics? If not, now you have, and it's a spectacular photo in itself.
Before she was the Statue of Liberty
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe Statue of Liberty is a a copper monument, gifted from the French and created by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and Gustave Eiffel constructed its metal framework. Made in the late 1800s, these photos show what the statue looked like as it was being made. Wow!
Round the back of Tutankhamun
Image Source/ Bored PandaEven though this photo was taken from the back of Tutankhamun's head, it's still as equally recognisable. King Tut was an Egyptian pharaoh and was the final member of his royal family to exercise control during the Eighteenth Dynasty. It's very interesting to see a unique view of this!
The day of the Tiananmen Square Massacre
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe invasion of the Tiananmen Square followed the wake of protests taking place, in which students took to the square in Beijing. Troops armed with assault rifles and escorted by tanks fired at the protesters and those attempting to block the military's advance into Tiananmen Square.
The depressing view of the Taj Mahal
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe Taj Mahal in India always looks so magnificent from the photos we see online, but carry on round to the back of the Islamic tomb, It was built in 1631 at the request of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who wanted to house the burial of Mumtaz Mahal, his favourite wife.
The Sphinx has a tail!
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe sphinx, which has a lion's body and a human head, is depicted in the limestone statue known as the Great Sphinx of Giza. It is located on the Giza Plateau, on the western bank of the Nile. You'll be surprised to know that the Great Sphinx actually has a cute little tail, which nobody ever sees!
Wait, is that the Paramount logo?
Image Source/ Diply.comYou must be familiar with that view. It's the authentic, hand-painted rendition of the renowned Paramount Pictures emblem that appears before its films. This photograph was taken in 1965 after the artist had finished the piece and the 24 stars were added for the 24 actors who signed with the studio in 1914.
Unrestricted access to the Tiananmen protests
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An interest photo to see is that of the protestors in the Tiananmen Square right before the invasion carried out by Chinese military. Also known as the June Fourth Incident, protests began on April 15 and were violently put down on June 4 when martial law was imposed.
A depressing Lincoln Memorial
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe Lincoln Memorial is a national monument in the USA dedicated to the memory of Abraham Lincoln, the country's 16th president. It is in the shape of a neoclassical temple and is located in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument. I think it's safe to say that the view looks much more depressing without the reflection.
The capitalization of the Pyramids
Image Source/ Bored PandaNow this really is a breath-taking shot of the Pyramids of Giza, taken through the satirical lens of capitalism. It almost feels like two completely different time zones coming together to meet in time. The Giza Pyramid complex is made up of the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure.
Lady Liberty from above
Image Source/ Bored PandaSo we've seen the Statue of Liberty being built before being gifted by the French, but how about an overhead picture. It's safe to say that not many people have the opportunity to get this kind of view of the amazing copper sculpture, but it's as equally breath-taking.
The Phantom Menace behind the scenes
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe first episode of the legacy franchise Star Wars features many sand-based environments. However, would you have thought that the producers would build entire stadiums in a smaller scale, using Q-tips as the people around the stadium? Hell no... massively creative though!
Behind the scenes of the Price is Right
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe Price is right is an American game show in which participants guess the prices of merchandise to win the cash and prizes. The wheel was used to decide which contestants would make their way to the show's finale. It's a recognisable staple to any American household, but probably not so much from the back.
A bird above the Sydney Opera House
Image Source/ Bored PandaAustralia's Sydney Opera House is a complex performing arts centre. It's claimed to be a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture and is situated on Sydney Harbour's shoreline. While we've all seen it front on, it's even more interesting to look at from bird's eye view.
Prince Willy giving it the finger
Image Source/ Bored PandaRight after his son, Prince Louis's birth, Prince William was snapped leaving a car to go visit him. Looking at the bottom photo, this could just be an innocent pic of William counting the amount of children he has. But from the top, it paints a picture of hostility to the paps. That's how deceiving media can be folks!
Tiananmen Square right before the troops
Image Source/ Bored PandaRight before the most famous photo of the Tiananmen Square protests was taken, protestors fled the scene of the crime. However, the man in the back on the bike was the one to capture one of the most famous photographs in history. The death toll is estimated to be between several hundred and several thousand.
The David Statue protected by bricks
Image Source/ Bored PandaThe David of Michelangelo is a tremendous sculpture created by no one other than the Italian artist Michelangelo. It was shielded in a brick beehive during World War II to shield it from incendiary bombs. It stands 5.17 metres tall and made from marble.
To infinity and beyond
Image Source/ Bored PandaOkay, we're almost done with the Apollo 11 expedition, I promise, but we just couldn't resist this fab pic of a dad and his two kids looking at the rocket from afar on a boat. It makes me wish that I could've been there to see history being made in front of my eyes.
Muhammad Ali's famous knockout
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When Muhammad Ali went up against Cleveland Williams in 1966, the iconic fight took place within the huge Astrodome stadium in Houston, indoors with a big crowd. Muhammad Ali won the fight with a knockout - and here's an amazing top-down view of Ali's win and Williams's lying in the ring!
The Troubles: from the British perspective
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'The Troubles' was the name given to a series of conflicts in Northern Ireland that went on for many years, due to Northern Ireland still being under British control - and Protestant control at that. Here is behind military lines from the British troop perspective, as they open fire on Catholic protestors and kill 14 of them.
The president flies away from the White House
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Every image you've seen of the presidential house has probably been the recognisable front view, or the president standing in front of it. This time, we not only get a plane-window view of a flight away from the White House, but we get to see exactly what the president - George H.W. Bush - sees as he leaves Washington.
Going ashore on D-Day
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This photo captures the terrifying moment that soldiers waded ashore on D-Day to fight against Nazi forces. You can see the soldiers disembarking the boats and wading through the deep water to make it to shore. Taken at Juno Beach, thousands of soldiers lost their lives in this battle.
The Japanese Soldier who was discovered 30 years after the war ended
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Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda had been fighting in the Second World War, with orders never to surrender. He was so determined to follow that order that he spent 30 years stranded at his post after the war had officially ended. Here he's seen discovered and escorted in 1974, when WWII ended in 1945.
The World War II aircraft carrier gets taken to the scrapyard
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When the Second World War was active, this aircraft carrier - the USS Enterprise CV-6 - was used for all manner of bloodshed, including transporting weapons, soldiers and fighter planes to tear down enemy lines. By the 1950s, its time was done, and here it is being taken through New York Harbor to be scrapped.
An East German guard passes a flower through the Berlin Wall
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The Berlin Wall - and the fall of it - is a key moment of history. Many photos of the wall exist to show it built, or being torn down. What's not often seen is random acts of kindness during a difficult time. Here you can see an East German guard on one side of the wall passing a flower through a gap in the stone.
Pearl Harbor: from someone who was there
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Most images you see of the Pearl Harbor attacks are the aftermath and chaos caused. There are even some shots taken by Japanese pilots as they flew above the harbor. What you don't often see is a photo like this - taken by someone actually on the harbor base, as the attack actually happened.
A member of the public takes a photo of the Challenger shuttle
Image Source/ Diply
There are official images of the Challenger shuttle breaking apart, and images of bystander's reactions to the explosion. This photo was taken by a Reddit user's mother, a member of the public, of the space shuttle breaking apart in the sky and killing all its crewmembers. This shows the explosion from a different angle.
Jackie Kennedy peeks from backstage
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During the time of this photo, John F. Kennedy was only a candidate for the position of president, and here he was debating with Richard Nixon back in 1960. The debate itself was the first televised presidential debate. The photo doesn't show the debate itself, but rather Jackie Kennedy's reaction backstage as she watches her husband go up against Nixon.
When the Treaty of Versailles is being signed next door
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The signing of the Treaty of Versailles was a pinnacle moment in history, as it signalled the end of the First World War. This image shows the military officers in the room next door to the one where the Treaty was being signed in this moment. You can see them trying to get a good luck at what would go down in history.
Franz Ferdinand's blood-stained uniform
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The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand is what kickstarted the First World War - it was the catalyst that resulted in a series of events across Europe. Many people know of the assassination, but there are only sketches and illustrations of what the actual assassination would have looked like. But here we have the result: the Archduke's uniform, stained with his blood.
First look at the Chernobyl disaster
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There are many disturbing images of the abandoned Chernobyl site following the nuclear disaster that happened in 1986. This photo sees the immediate aftermath of the nuclear explosion - the actual reactor that exploded at the power plant in Chernobyl and started one of the most tragic events in history.
A civilian's view of Allied ships in WWII
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A civilian was passing by the coast in Southern France on a day they might have thought would be like any other. But they managed to capture this photo of Allied forces landing on the beach in ships off the Mediterranean coast. This took place in 1944, and helped to get supplies to the troops already in France.
Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell's wife
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In all reports about astronauts and moon landings in history, we usually get to see a ton of photos of the astronauts or ships themselves. This candid photo shows the wife of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, worrying for her husband as she watches the TV. Not only that, but you can see Neil Armstrong behind her trying to help her stay calm!
The real Moulin Rouge
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If this isn't your favorite movie, you need to go watch it again. But aside from that, here's a shot of the actual (and infamous) Moulin Rouge nightclub, taking in Paris. It obviously looks a little less glitz and glam than the movie version, but we all know the things that happen inside the famous Red Windmill!
An external pacemaker
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An historical photo that shows the amazing way that technology, science and healthcare has advanced. Here you can see a photo of a man fitted with a pacemaker - where the pacemaker is actually an external contraption on the chest. Thank goodness that doesn't need to be a thing anymore!
Have you ever seen Bob Ross without his perm?
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Bob Ross is one of those figures who has gone down in history for his soothing artistic videos, talent and all-round iconic perm and beard. Which is why this might shock you to see a picture of Bob Ross, without his legendary hairstyle. It might not look like him, but it definitely is! Do you think he looks better this way?
THAT Bohemian Rhapsody Music Video
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We all know the legendary Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen - not only because of the iconic lyrics and the fact that it's everyone's number one choice on karaoke, but also because of the amazing music video. Most notably was the scene that showed the heads of the four Queen members - but if you've only ever seen the official music video, here's a shot from the actual making of!
The Baby From Nirvana's Nevermind Cover - Getting Out Of The Pool!
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If you're a Nirvana fan - and even if you're not - you'll know the cover for the album Nevermind that shows the baby in the pool chasing after a dollar. Maybe you thought it wasn't actually a real baby and just some graphic design trickery. But here you can see the baby from the album cover getting helped out of the pool after the shoot!
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