TIME

MOST INFLUENTIAL PHOTOS

WE SET OUT TO FIND IMAGES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD. ALONG THE WAY, WE UNEARTHED INCREDIBLE STORIES OF HOW THEY WERE MADE
Twelve of the 26 negatives Philippe Halsman took to create Dalí Atomicus

WE BEGAN THIS PROJECT WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE A straightforward idea: assemble a list of the 100 most influential photographs ever taken. If a picture led to something important, it would be considered for inclusion. From that simple concept flowed countless decisions. Although photography is a much younger medium than painting—the first photo is widely considered to date from 1826—the astonishing technological advances since its beginning mean that there are now far more pictures taken on any given day than

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from TIME

TIME1 min read
Behind The Scenes
Patrick Mahomes, Dua Lipa, and Yulia Navalnaya—seen here, clockwise from above, at their photo shoots—all sat down with TIME to discuss the impact of influence and their plans for the future. Go online to read those interviews and watch video extras,
TIME2 min readAmerican Government
Bolsonaro And Trump, Apart Yet Together
A president facing a tough fight for re-election warns his followers that corrupt elites want to steal power from them. He loses the election and calls on his supporters to defend him. Unable to block the transfer of power, he retreats to Florida. Hi
TIME4 min read
A Jumbled Parable With A Glowing Core
Even when a movie is far from perfect, you can tell when a director has poured his soul into it. Dev Patel’s directorial debut Monkey Man—he’s also the movie’s star—is trying too hard, and for too much. It wants to be a political allegory, a somber s

Related Books & Audiobooks