Warning: Some pictures may be disturbing.

Also, when quoting images, if you are quoting more than one please put them in a spoiler, to save cluttering of the thread.

So we all know these sayings. A picture says a thousand words. But what about those pictures that make you're heart skip or makes you take a step back? Those truly amazing photographs that make you wonder about the world around us.

I'd like to dedicate this thread to pictures that do just that.

I'll start us off!

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BAGHDAD A photo obtained by the Washington Post and released Thursday, May 6, 2004,
shows a soldier identifed as U.S. Army Spc. Lynndie England, 21, of the 372nd Military
Police Company with a naked detainee at the Abu Ghraib prison

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This example of emotive imagery is of child in Uganda holding hands with a missionary. The stark contrast between the two people serves as a reminder of the gulf in wealth between developed and developing countries. Mike Wells, the photographer, took this picture to show the extent of starvation in Africa. He took it for a magazine, and when they went 5 months without printing it, he decided to enter it into a competition. However, Wells has stated that he is against winning a compeition with a picture of a starving boy.

So let's share pictures that make us take a step back. Either motivationally, emotionally, etc... They can be amazing works of art of rainbows and butterflies or pictures of some of the worst times in human history to remind us that we are all human.

fOrQQ

Hong Kong321 Posts

February 12 2011 22:07 GMT

Iconic picture

{CC}StealthBlue

United States36358 Posts

February 12 2011 22:12 GMT

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Helicopter crew chief James C. Farley shouts to his crew while wounded pilot Lt. James E. Magel lies dying beside him, Vietnam, March 31, 1965.

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Canadian troops climbing out of their trenches and "going over the top" during World War I.

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Russian slave laborer among prisoners liberated by 3rd Armored Division points out fromer Nazi guard who brutally beat prisoners. Germany, April 14, 1945.

Mecker

Sweden219 Posts

February 12 2011 22:13 GMT

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miragev2

United Kingdom103 Posts

February 12 2011 22:14 GMT

Edit: guy above me posted the same picture as me. =(

buickskylark

Canada664 Posts

February 12 2011 22:14 GMT

On February 13 2011 07:07 fOrQQ wrote:
Iconic picture

This picture should always come with some explanation as people who don't follow history probably have no idea the minutes that happened after this picture was taken. Everytime I see this picture I always wonder if the tanks rode over the man or they stopped. You simply can't tell from looking at that picture alone.

Masamune

Canada3172 Posts

February 12 2011 22:15 GMT

I had this song playing on my ipod when I opened this thread and it really set the mood:

emperorchampion

United Kingdom4350 Posts

February 12 2011 22:18 GMT

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http://pics.livejournal.com/migello76/pic/0029zhf6

This picture is just simply amazing, wow!

On February 13 2011 07:13 Mecker wrote:
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Such a powerful image, sad story

skeldark

Germany2223 Posts

February 12 2011 22:19 GMT

{CC}StealthBlue

United States36358 Posts

February 12 2011 22:24 GMT

#10

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Chinese prisoners being buried alive.

optical630

United Kingdom768 Posts

February 12 2011 22:25 GMT

#11

learnt about above in psychology, obedience to authority can do some pretty serious stuff ;/

GabrielB

Brazil594 Posts

February 12 2011 22:32 GMT

#12

Fulgrim

United States560 Posts

February 12 2011 22:37 GMT

#13

Vietcong prisoner about to be shot

Vorrenus

Afghanistan94 Posts

February 12 2011 22:37 GMT

#14

On February 13 2011 07:24 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:
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God after seeing this kind of shit I understand the death over capture view. Btw if someone wants to read some sickness read about Unit 731 on wikipedia.
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American Civil War POV

mengsk83

Germany513 Posts

February 12 2011 22:41 GMT

#15

two pictures come to mind for me:

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Earth as seen from the moon's surface in front of the blackness of space

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The Hubble Ultra Deep Field Picture: This is what you get when taking a picture of a part of the night sky that is essentially completely black. Every dot you see is actually not a star but an entire galaxy. Makes you wonder...

travis

United States23849 Posts

February 12 2011 22:42 GMT

#16

ah this thread is pretty powerful

Quasimoto3000

United States471 Posts

February 12 2011 22:45 GMT

#17

The last words of Thích Quảng Đức before his self-immolation were documented in a letter he had left:
Before closing my eyes and moving towards the vision of the Buddha, I respectfully plead to President Ngo Dinh Diem to take a mind of compassion towards the people of the nation and implement religious equality to maintain the strength of the homeland eternally. I call the venerables, reverends, members of the sangha and the lay Buddhists to organise in solidarity to make sacrifices to protect Buddhism.

David Halberstam wrote:
I was to see that sight again, but once was enough. Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning human flesh; human beings burn surprisingly quickly. Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him.

Hidden_MotiveS

Canada2020 Posts

February 12 2011 22:47 GMT

#18

I collect desktop artwork that evokes feelings.
Sorry my images aren't political.

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Wrath by Blackeri on Deviantart. All of Blackeri's images are amazing, but Wrath just defies the laws of beauty. As part of a collection of artworks titled the seven deadly sins, Wrath is a perversion, showing how sin is attractive and yet I love how she looks.

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Another deviant art entry. There's just a lot of detail that goes into the emotion.

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Deviant art again. This is just a cool image. A valkyrie is bringing a dead viking up to Valhalla. Fun fact: there is no proof that vikings actually wore horns on their helmets.

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I love the angle on Saber, from an anime Fate/Stay Night. I didn't know who Sabre was, but browsing through pages of artwork, this one stuck out to me. I loved how powerful she looked donned with her full asymmetric armor set, and twin swords, even from above.

Normally to make someone look powerful you draw them as if you're looking at them from the ground. This makes them look bigger and more ferocious in the picture. Someone should have told this artist. She decided to make Saber look so powerful, yet so serene at the same time. I love the grass background, and the tiny droplets falling off her face as she turned her head.

Rowa

Belgium959 Posts

February 12 2011 22:54 GMT

#19

Discovered about Jesse Owen and Lunz's friendship thx to this thread.

I knew the child + vulture pic but didnt know the man who took the picture let that child die and commited suicide some months after...

Seeing nice drawings besides historic and shocking pics feels strange.

Uriel_SVK

Slovakia401 Posts

February 12 2011 22:54 GMT

#20

On February 13 2011 07:07 fOrQQ wrote:
Iconic picture

Soviet soldiers came to "help" CzechoSlovakia in august 1968
50 dead, 500 wounded, fists against tanks.
Man on the photo (Emil Gallo) survived. He commited suicide 2 years later. Because of "family reasons"
http://www.onlinefootage.tv/video/show/id/2027