Article created by: Gabija Palšytė

It’s every photographer’s dream to take a picture so powerful that it ends up being enjoyed by future generations. The deeper you delve into the past, the more you realize how many wonderful photos have been taken, but perhaps haven’t been given the time in the spotlight that they deserve. They’re full of character, and just as good—if not better than—some of the most iconic pics we know from textbooks and the internet.

The ‘Photos From History’ Instagram page does exactly what it says on the tin and features aesthetic pics from the past. We’ve collected some of the top ones to share with you, Pandas, and some of them are bound to change the way you view history. Don’t forget to upvote the ones that impressed you the most!

Bored Panda reached out to professional photographer Dominic Sberna, from Ohio, for a chat about high-quality photos, how photography has become more accessible over time, and how AI might affect the art form in the future. Read on for our full interview with him. 

#1

The Couple On The Woodstock Album Cover Is Still Together 50 Years Later In 2019

Couple wearing a blanket hugging at Woodstock festival, then holding the iconic Woodstock album cover years later.

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    #2

    Family Friend Went Camping 30 Years Ago And Heard A Noise. She Stuck Her Camera Outside Her Tent And Snapped This Picture

    Group of raccoons gathered at night in a wooded area captured in an important historical photo perspective.

    photos.from.history Report

    #3

    Nancy Sinatra Pictured With Her Father Frank And Family Friend Yul Brynner At The Sands Hotel In Las Vegas, 1965

    Black and white historical photo showing people dressed formally at a social event, illustrating important historical moments.

    photos.from.history Report

    #4

    The Rolling Stones' First Photo Shoot 4 May, 1963

    Five young men in matching checkered jackets posing outside, an important historical photo capturing vintage style and camaraderie.

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    #5

    Young Couple Kissing Before The Fall Of The Berlin Wall In 1989

    Couple kissing in front of Berlin Wall with soldiers standing on top amid a large crowd during an important historical moment.

    photos.from.history Report

    #6

    Esso Hibernia Tanker Under Construction, Wallsend, England, 1970

    Massive ship towering over narrow street with vintage cars and pedestrians, an important historical photo showing scale contrast.

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    #7

    (Studio 54) Ballet Icon, Rudolf Nureyev, Initiates Nine-Year-Old Actor Ricky Schroder Into The Delights Of Disco Dancing At Studio 54 In New York On Sunday, April 2, 1979

    Black and white historical photo of a man and boy dancing energetically with a crowd watching, capturing important historical moments.

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    #8

    The Swedish Warship Vasa Sank In 1628 Less Than A Mile Into Its Maiden Voyage And Was Recovered From The Sea Floor After 333 Years Almost Completely Intact

    Large historical wooden ship displayed in a museum with visitors observing details in this important historical photo.

    photos.from.history Report

    nttw26r4fw
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I went to admire it more than two decades ago, in Stockholm ☺️

    #9

    The Last Public Appearance Of Laurel & Hardy In 1956

    Two elderly men smiling and pointing at each other in a vintage setting, an important historical photo showcasing a unique moment.

    Oliver Hardy passed away the following year due to heart complications. Due to his own ill health at the time Stan Laurel was unable to go to his dear friend's funeral, famously saying 'Babe would understand." Laurel would never recover from Hardy's death. He refused to perform in any capacity afterwards, turning down interviews, stage and screen roles. Instead, Laurel decided to dedicate the remainder of his life to his fans and offering tips to up and coming comedians. His address to his small Santa Monica apartment and phone number where published in the phonebook. He eagerly greeted fans and guests that would show up unannounced. Fans were surprised that Laurel, himself, would answer the phone. Much of his free time was dedicated to answering his fan mail. He insisted that each and every letter be answered personally. Amongst the up and coming Comedians that often visited Stan Laurel were Jerry Lewis and Dick Van Dyke. The advice they received from Laurel was invaluable to the later success of their careers. Stan Laurel out lived Oliver Hardy by eight years. As his health continued to decline, he remained out of the public eye, fearing that children would be horrified by his current old appearance. In 1965, he suffered a final heart attack and four days later passed away. At his funeral, Dick Van Dyke gave the eulogy and among the attendees were Hal Roach Sr and silent film comedian Buster Keaton who remarked "Chaplin wasn't the funniest, I wasn't the funniest, he was the funniest"

    photos.from.history Report

    #10

    David Bowie Performs To A Huge Crowd At Milton Keynes Bowl In 1983

    Massive crowd gathered at an outdoor concert, showcasing one of the important historical photos capturing large public events.

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    #11

    Ornithologist Jerry Mcgahan Holding A 6-Month-Old Andean Condor In 1971

    Man wearing glasses holding a large bird of prey on his gloved hand in an open field in an important historical photo

    photos.from.history Report

    #12

    A Girl Watches Her Father Perform Acrobatics

    Black and white historical photo of a man performing a one-arm handstand next to a surprised child outdoors.

    photos.from.history Report

    #13

    Ava Gardner, Age 19. Photo From Her Mgm Employment Questionnaire In 1942

    Black and white important historical photo of a smiling woman with curly hair holding a numbered board.

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    #14

    Ukrainian Refugees In Germany In 1945

    Black and white historical photo showing people, including women and children, gathered around a food line during wartime relief efforts.

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    #15

    The Face Of War By Salvador Dali In 1941

    Artist painting a surreal face with distorted features in an important historical photo that might change your perspective on things.

    Dali had spent the years 1936-1939 in Paris, throughout the Spanish Civil War. During the beginning of the Second World War (1940), Dali fled to California with his wife, due to the Fall of France, in which Germany had invaded and captured France. This experience, along with then recent horrors of the Spanish Civil War, inspired Dali to express the misery of Europe through this painting

    photos.from.history Report

    #16

    Anthony Bourdain On Dublin - "If You've Got Any Kind Of A Heart, A Soul, An Appreciation For Your Fellow Man, Or Any Kind Of Appreciation For The Written Word, Or Simply A Love Of A Perfectly Poured Beverage, Then There's No Way You Could Avoid Loving This City."

    Man squeezing lemon over oysters with a pint of beer on a table, a candid historical photo perspective.

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    nttw26r4fw
    Community Member
    5 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My goodness, my Guinness 😋

    #17

    Croatians Ira And Marijan Kiss Near The End Of The Croatian War Of Independence In 1995

    Black and white historical photo of a soldier and woman sharing an emotional moment by a military vehicle with a flag.

    Marijan Horvat was coming back from the frontline after military operation 'Storm', and Ira was waiting near the road to see if he was on one of the trucks. This was the moment when she saw him and ran to him. "I was looking forward to see if he would be on a truck and suddenly I saw him. The truck was passing, they were not allowed to stop, so Marijan just leaned over to kiss me", Ira explains. The couple married not long after this photo was taken and are still together today (swipe for image above). Photo by Lea Krivošić. Coincidentally, this photo was taken 50 years to the day after Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous Life Magazine photo of a kiss between a sailor and a nurse in New York's Times Square on August 14, 1945, just after the end of World War II

    photos.from.history Report

    #18

    Andy Fletcher From Depeche Mode At The Hill 16 Pub, Dublin, 1983

    An important historical photo showing two strangers sitting silently in a pub with contrasting expressions and styles.

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    See Also on Bored Panda
    #19

    East German Soldier Helps A Little Boy Sneak Across The Berlin Wall The Day It Was Erected In 1961

    Soldier helping child cross barbed wire fence in a powerful important historical photo showing human compassion.

    photos.from.history Report

    #20

    King Arthur's Statue Overlooking The Atlantic Ocean On The Cliffs Of Tintagel In Cornwall, England

    Bronze statue of a hooded medieval knight holding a sword, standing on a rocky coastline under a cloudy sky.

    photos.from.history Report

    #21

    Helen Mirren, 1967

    Black and white portrait of a young woman looking upward, an important historical photo capturing a reflective moment.

    photos.from.history Report

    #22

    Archeologists Unearth 2,200 Year Old Mosaics In An Ancient Greek City Named Zeugma In Gaziantep Province, Turkey

    Archaeologists uncover an important historical mosaic featuring ancient portraits during excavation.

    They have given us the opportunity to witness the unveiling of Greek and Roman art that hasn't been seen in thousands of years. Three new mosaics have been discovered. They are exceptionally well preserved mosaics, dating back to the 2nd century BCE.

    photos.from.history Report

    #23

    Leonardo Dicaprio, Johnny Depp & Brad Pitt In The Flush Of Youth

    Three young men posing together at night, captured in an important historical photo that might change your perspective.

    photos.from.history Report

    #24

    Grace Jones By Jean-Paul Goude, 1981

    Dark skinned model wearing a black structured blazer with a cigarette in their mouth, showcasing a striking historical photo style.

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    #25

    Barbra Streisand By Cecil Beaton, 1969

    Woman in historical vintage attire with elaborate hairstyle posing indoors in a portrait reflecting important historical photos.

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    #26

    David Bowie And Wife Iman

    Black and white important historical photo of a man and woman with serious expressions in a close portrait.

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    #27

    Harvey Ball And The Smiley Face He Created In The 1960s

    Older man drawing a large smiley face at a desk, an iconic image in important historical photos.

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    #28

    The Discovery Of An Ancient Maya Statue In The Jungles Of Honduras, 1885

    Man standing next to a large ancient carved stone statue in a forest, an important historical photo capturing archaeology.

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    See Also on Bored Panda
    #29

    Pink Floyd Concert In Venice In 1989

    Crowded nighttime harbor scene with thousands of boats and people gathered for an important historical event.

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    #30

    Carolyn Jones' Morticia Addams Wishes You A Ghoulishly Good Weekend

    Black and white collage of a woman with long dark hair showing various expressions in important historical photos.

    photos.from.history Report

    #31

    Jacques Cousteau And His Crew Relax In A Submersible After Work During The Conshelf Two Expedition, 1963

    Men in swimwear inside a submarine dining area with bottles on the table, an important historical photo perspective.

    Continental Shelf Station Two was an attempt at creating an environment in which humans could live and work on the sea floor. Dix oceanauts lived 10 metres down in the Red Sea, at Sha’ab Rumi off Sudan, in a starfish-shaped house for 30 days.

    photos.from.history Report

    #32

    Casting Polaroid Of Salma Hayek In 1995

    Vintage portrait photo of a woman with long dark hair, wearing a cross necklace, representing important historical photos.

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    #33

    Audrey Tautou On The Set Of Amélie In 2001

    Young woman sitting on a bicycle in a vintage black and white historical photo capturing an important moment.

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    #34

    Iggy Pop Raised By The Crowd In A Messianic Pose Live In Cincinnati In 1970

    Crowd surfing at a historic concert, capturing a powerful moment in important historical photos showing cultural movements and events.

    photos.from.history Report