Influential Photos

These are some of the most influential photos of all time. I chose three pictures out of the 100 photos on TIME 100 Photographs | The Most Influential Photographs of All Time.

The Pillow Fight | Harry Benson

This photo was taken in 1964. Originally, the photographer didn't even want to meet the Beatles, but after he met them, he decided to stay with them. He realized he was on the right story. The photo was taken in the George V Hotel on the night that the Fab Four found out that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" topped charts in the United States.

I chose this photo because it really shows how happy they were. I am a pretty big fan of the Beatles so I thought I should choose this picture. Also, this picture was right before the beginning of the "British Invasion", which is very cool to see.

Emmett Till | David Jackson

This photo was taken in 1955. It shows Emmett Till, who was a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago and his mother Mamie. He was brutally murdered, while visiting relatives in Mississippi, by two white men. During the trial of the two men, an all white jury acquitted the men of the murder. Emmett Till's mother decided to have an open casket to "let the people see what I've see."

I chose this photo because this was such an important and terrible time in U.S. history. But this photo, which so many people saw, made it so people could no longer ignore what was happening to African American people. This photo definitely made people realize the brutality of racism in America.

Behind Closed Doors | Donna Ferrato

This photo was taken in 1982. It showed Garth beating his wife Lisa (their real names were Elisabeth and Bengt) while they were doing a photo project with Ferrato. Ferrato decided to get some pictures of what was happening, and later published the pictures in her book "Living With the Enemy" because no one else would publish the images.

I chose this photo because it showed a common thing that no one ever talked about, but this photo and many others from Donna Ferrato helped in the prevention of domestic violence. Her photos made people in charge tackle the issue of domestic violence; it caused Congress to pass the Violence Against Women Act.