23 of the Most Iconic Photos Ever Taken

Today, just about everyone has a camera of some type, whether it's on their smartphone, computer, or anything in between. Since everyone has the chance to snap a shot whenever they see something interesting, it's no wonder why the biggest moments in history have been caught on film. Over the years, there have been countless iconic photos that have taken the world by storm and they tell us a story of how life is today and how it was in the past.

This gallery contains many iconic photos that span the last 100+ years. They are quite fascinating. Many of them show the creation of some of the greatest inventions, including the first plane, the X-ray machine, and the creation of the camera itself. There are also images of some of the most noteworthy news events, including the explosion of the Hindenburg, the soldiers raising the flag at Iwo Jima, and the departure of the last soldier out of Afghanistan. Finally, you'll see many photos of men and women in hard times during the Great Depression, the days of child labor, and more. Some of the photos here are heartbreaking, while others are truly inspiring.

To determine the most iconic photos ever taken, 24/7 Tempo scoured the internet and reviewed historical sources, including History.com, Life.com, and Time Magazine, among others. We also checked on Reddit to determine the most inspiring moments in many people's lives. There are likely more iconic photos that you may remember, but we think these will bring back some serious memories. If you want to see photos about other moments in time, check out this gallery of what life was like in the 1950s.

This amazingly iconic photo shows the very first flight, courtesy of the Wright brothers. The plane is called the Wright Flier. On this first occasion, the plane flew for 12 seconds, and it traveled 120 feet. One of the brothers lay prone on the plane to control it while the other brother ran alongside to balance the machine. We have them to thank for the cross-continent flights that we enjoy today.

This may be one of the most iconic photos ever taken. The image shows soldiers Ira Hayes, Harold Schultz, Michael Stank, Franklin Sousley, Harold Keller, and Harlon Black as they raised the flag once they captured the mountaintop of Mt. Suribachi. The picture shows the bravery of our armed forces and the fact that America will always fight against the odds.

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In this iconic photo, soldiers in the Soviet Union raise a flag two days after Adolf Hitler commits suicide and ends Germany's attacks. Essentially, raising the flag symbolizes the Red Army's victory over the Nazis. This flag was made out of three red tablecloths. This is one of the most recognizable photos of World War II.

This image is one of the most iconic photos because this is widely considered to be the oldest surviving picture. It's called the "View from the Window at Le Gras." The photo was taken by inventor Nicéphore Niépce. Though it's hard to see, the picture is of buildings and the countryside that surrounds the Le Gras estate.

This is the first color picture of the surface of the planet Mars. Though it may look recent, this picture was taken back in 1976. The picture was taken by NASA's Viking Lander I. Scientists believe that the surface material is limonite. The ground is red and the sky also has a reddish cast. It's amazing to see what a place so far away looks like with our own eyes.

This is an iconic and frightening photo of the blast that resulted from the atomic bombing that occurred in Japan on August 9, 1945. This bomb created a cloud of smoke that rose up more than 60,000 feet into the air. The bomb was dropped by an American plane, a U.S. B-29 Superfortress. This is a scary photo that shows how new technology can be a blessing but also a curse.

During a scene in her film "The Seven Year Itch," Marilyn Monroe stops over a grate in the street, and the air shooting out blows up her dress. While she was filming that scene, reporters stopped by to take photographs, so Marilyn posed for them as well and this picture was born. Marilyn Monroe was a beloved actress in the 1950s.

In what is easily one of the most iconic photos ever, a group of construction workers have lunch. They all sit on a skinny beam that's attached to the RCA building in Rockefeller Center. That is not an optical illusion. These men are sitting 800 feet above the ground while the people on the street go about their lives safely on their two feet.

Major General Chris Donahue, commander of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, boards a C-17 cargo plane at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Maj. Gen. Donahue is the final American service member to depart Afghanistan; his departure closes the U.S. mission to evacuate American citizens, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and vulnerable Afghans.

In this night image, we see Major General Chris Donahue walk through the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan to board a C-17 cargo plane. His departure marks the very last soldier to depart Afghanistan after a very complex U.S. mission to evacuate American citizens. It shows how Americans will go near and far to help the people of the world.

In this famous portrait, migrant mother Florence Thompson sits dismayed with her children by her side. This photo was taken during the Great Depression, when everyone was scraping by and doing anything they could just to eat every day. Florence worked as a pea picker in the fields. Her kids are Katherine and Tom.

This photo was taken in New York City on the day that Japan officially surrounded and signified the end of World War II. People were so excited that they were throwing anything they had in their hands up into the air in celebration and people kissed and hugged. Then sailor took a woman in his arms and gave her a big kiss. This is one of the images that most people think of when the topic of iconic images comes up.

The Hindenburg was the largest airship ever constructed. It was a German commercial passenger ship and a modern marvel. The disaster here occurred in Manchester Township, New Jersey. The Hindenburg exploded with 97 people aboard, and 35 of them were killed. The reason for the explosion is attributed to a hydrogen leak. It was a sad day, and this image came from it.

V0029523 X-ray of the bones of a hand with a ring on one finger Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images [email protected] http://wellcomeimages.org The bones of a hand with a ring on one finger, viewed through x-ray. Photoprint from radiograph by W.K. von Röntgen, 1895. 1895 By: Wilhelm Konrad von RöntgenPublished: - Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons Attribution only licence CC BY 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This is the first ever X-ray taken by Wilhelm Röntgen, a German physicist and mechanical engineer. He invented the X-ray machine. He used it to take a picture of the left hand of his wife Anna. This was a momentous discovery that changed medicine as we know it. Later on, Röntgen would win the Nobel Prize in Physics.

In this photo, President Richard Nixon meets Elvis Presley. At this time, Presley was one of the most famous recording artists. It was Elvis' request to meet the President and they took this image in the Oval Office of the White House. The image was taken on December 21, 1970. This was before it was typical for celebrities to take photos with the President.

This is another photo that showcases what it was like for minorities for a long time in our country. In this image, black student Elizabeth Eckford is jeered and insulted by white student Hazel Bryan as Eckford attempts to enter Little Rock Central High School. This was a tense time in America but Eckford wouldn't let it bother her. She went forward and entered the school with faith and confidence.

This is one of the most iconic photos because it shows how different life used to be for young children. This picture shows us the Breaker Boys. They are child workers who worked in a coal mine in South Pittston, Pennsylvania. This photo was taken in 1910. Kids today have no idea what they could have experienced if they had been born 100 years earlier.

While there are older photos in existence, this is the oldest photo that has a living person in it. The person is hard to see but they're in the bottom left. This image was taken in Paris. The picture was supposed to be of cars driving down the street. However, because it was an early camera and it took longer, the traffic was long gone by the time the photo was developed.

This incredible photo shows astronaut Buzz Aldrin standing on the moon next to the Eagle, a lunar module. The picture was taken by fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong using a lunar surface camera. What's really cool about this picture is that if you zoom in and look closely at the reflection in his helmet, you can see the lunar lander and Neil Armstrong taking the picture. The American Flag they posted is also in the reflection.

This is one of the most iconic photos for many reasons. Not only was it of one of our greatest presidents, but it's also one of the very few pictures where he doesn't have his famous beard. This image was taken right before his famous Cooper Union address. Lincoln was a great president during that century. Want to learn more about what life was like back then? Check out this gallery of 15 photos that show what life was like in the 1800s.