35 Powerful Photos That Tell A Story
- By Aquil Akhter
- Posted in Photography
- 130 comments
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” That is the motto of a photojournalist. It is their objective to produce direct, truthful and bold images that tell the stories for those who have no voice.
According to Mark M. Hancock, a professional photojournalist, “is a visual reporter of facts. The public places trust in its reporters to tell the truth. The same trust is extended to photojournalists as visual reporters.This responsibility is paramount to a photojournalist. At all times, we have many thousands of people seeing through our eyes and expecting to see the truth. Most people immediately understand an image.”
Photojournalists are doing really a great job over the world for humanity, they are working for peace, for human rights, for raising humanity problems and issues, for pointing out the people living below the bottom line of poverty, for raising awareness about educational and child labor issues and much more… Our today’s post is about Inspirational Documentary and Photojournalism Photos. In this post we showcase 35 powerful, touching and emotional photos that do not just display state of affairs, but also tell a story.
We express sincere appreciation of the hard work of all photojournalists who are working for humanity, sometimes risking their life for the sake of their duties and responsibilities. This article is a tribute to all of them and their accomplishments and works.
Photojournalism & Documentary Photos
Man mutilated Rwanda
World Press Photo of the Year: 1994 James Nachtwey, USA, Magnum Photos for Time. Rwanda, June 1994. Hutu man mutilated by the Hutu ‘Interahamwe’ militia, who suspected him of sympathizing with the Tutsi rebels. About the image Nachtwey says his specialty is dealing with ground level realities with a human dimension. He feels that people need photography to help them understand what’s going on in the world, and believes that pictures can have a great influence on shaping public opinion and mobilizing protest.
Losing
In this picture, Lurlena cries in the back of the family car after losing the contest for Carnival Princess at her school. She spent the day getting ready, with a new white dress and new shoes. The winner was decided based on whose parents bought the most tickets, and Lurlena’s family could only afford eight dollars worth.
Sally Mann
This photo, titled Candy Cigarette, not just displays something, it tells a story. It is both emotional and beautiful. This is what the originality of black-and-white-photography is all about.
Pilgrim
Tibetans believe, once in their life, a pilgrimage to Lhasa is of exalted purpose and moral significance. Therefore, we see people like this, especially in spring and autumn, on their journey of faith, sometimes thousands of miles long, kowtowing every few steps.
Arirang Mass Games
Even during the Arirang Mass Games in North Korea, the ultimate expression of the state ideology, an individual can still sometimes stand out from the crowd and break free of the collective. If only just for a moment. (Photo and caption by Brendyn Zachary)
Iguazu falls in Brazil
“On my second day visiting the astounding Iguazu falls on the Brazilian side I was forced to change to my telephoto lens as my wide angle had been damaged by the water vapour. In had rained solid for 10 days prior to my arrival and so the falls were at their most spectacular. Standing on the elevated viewing platform I was able to shoot this school group who stood transfixed, emphasizing the incredible size of the falls. (Photo and caption by Ian Kelsall)”
Malawian boy running after 4×4
“I took the photo while on my one-month stint in Malawi Africa where I mainly worked in orphan day-care centres, also visiting Mulanji Hospital. The photo was taken from the Mulanji Hospital four-wheel-drive ambulance, travelling on the extremely rough roads from village to village, visiting the sick who were unable to reach the hospital.” Photo taken by Cameron Herweynen.
Sewing Machine
A damaged sewing machine after the cyclone hit, Amtali, Patuakhali, Bangladesh 19 November 2007. EPA/ABIR ABDULLAH
Shelter
Child takes shelter with his mother before the cyclone hit. Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
New Year’s Eve, St. Jacques, Perpignan, 2006
This picture of a five year-old gypsy boy was taken on New Year’s Eve 2006 in the gypsy community of St. Jacques, Perpignan, Southern France. For Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the men would gather in the Café in their best suits to drink and dance while their wives would prepare dinner at home. It is quite common in St. Jacques for little boys to smoke.
Riot in the city
Riot in Toulouse, France (March 25th, 2007) after the campaign of a politician.
Bhopal Disaster
This photograph from December 4, 1984 shows victims who lost their sight in the Bhopal poison gas tragedy as they sit outside the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, India.
From the series “Children of Black Dust”, Dhaka, Bangladesh
A woman holds her child, blackened by carbon dust. His nose bleeds due to infections caused by exposure to dust and pollution during play in the workshop in Korar Ghat by on the outskirts of Dhaka. Many women bring their children along so they can look after them while working.
New York City
USA. New York City. September 15, 2001. Signing a memorial in Union Square.
Hhaing The Yu
Hhaing The Yu, 29, holds his face in his hand as rain falls on the decimated remains of his home in the Swhe Pyi Tha township, near Myanmar’s capital of Yangon (Rangoon), on Sunday, May 11th, 2008. Cyclone Nargis struck southern Myanmar a week ago leaving millions homeless and has claimed up to 100,000 lives.
Sandra Gil
A long line of visitors forms in front of Sandra Gil outside the Krome Detention Center in Miami where her husband, Oscar Gonzalez, is being held. On the morning of November 8, Immigration and Customs Enforecment (ICE) officers arrested the family at their home. They detained Gonzalez and released Gil with her son, American born Joshua Gonzalez, 5, with orders to leave for Colombia within weeks, The family was denied asylum after seven years living and working legally in teh country.
Memories
Sitting alone on a little place surrounded by cars traffic. Self-isolation. Waiting for nothing. He talked to me for about an hour. Of a lost life. An ordinary life like mine, like many others. And now…
Tap-Tap
Tap-tap buses waiting to get full and depart for their regular route in the downtown of Port-au-Prince.
Swiss pilot Yves Rossy
Swiss pilot Yves Rossy, the world’s first man to fly with a jet-powered fixed-wing apparatus strapped to his back, flies during his first official demonstration, on May 14, 2008 above Bex, Switzerland. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
Gold Price
In Wall street, a man holds a placard of ” We Buy Gold”, as gold price has increased due to the current financial crisis or economic melt-down.
New York, Oct 13 2008.
Construction worker, Soweto Township
Final construction at the Maponya mall in Piville township, Soweto. The 650 million Rand mall is one of the largest shopping centers in South Africa, and its opening is a sign of the commercial awakening of Soweto.
Child Labor. Bangladesh
Child labor is not a new issue in Bangladesh as children here remain one of the most vulnerable groups living under threats of hunger, illiteracy, displacement, exploitation, trafficking, physical and mental abuse. Although the issue of child labor has always been discussed, there is hardly any remarkable progress even in terms of mitigation. 17.5 percent of children aged 5-15 are engaged in economic activities. Many of these children are engaged in various hazardous occupations in factories.
Aftermath of Earthquake in Balakot, Pakistan. 2005
This image was taken about one month after the earthquake in Pakistan. People were still coming down from the mountains trying to find shelter and were suffering from trauma. Winter was on the way and the need for shelter was urgent. This father with his child had been collecting food. I spent ten days in Balakot documenting the situation after the quake. People were still digging for their family members.
Huge Wave
Kerby Brown rides a huge wave in an undisclosed location southwest of Western Australia July 6, 2008, in this picture released November 7, 2008 by the Oakley-Surfing Life Big Wave Awards in Sydney. Picture taken July 6. (REUTERS/Andrew Buckley)
The Head of a Male Student
The head of a male student, still alive, trapped under the debris is pictured at the scene of the church school that collapsed on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, November 7, 2008. At least 30 people were killed when the three-story La Promesse school building collapsed while class was in session and some of the walls and debris crushed neighboring homes in the Nerettes community near Port-au-Prince. (REUTERS/Joseph Guyler Delva)
Starving Boy and Missionary
Wells felt indignant that the same publication that sat on his picture for five months without publishing it, while people were dying, entered it into a competition. He was embarrassed to win as he never entered the competition himself, and was against winning prizes with pictures of people starving to death. (World Press Photo of the Year: 1980 Mike Wells, United Kingdom. Karamoja district, Uganda, April 1980).
Afghan Girl
And of course the afghan girl, picture shot by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Sharbat Gula was one of the students in an informal school within the refugee camp; McCurry, rarely given the opportunity to photograph Afghan women, seized the opportunity and captured her image. She was approximately 12 years old at the time. She made it on the cover of National Geographic next year, and her identity was discovered in 1992.
Sichuan Earthquake
A man is crying while he flips through a family album he found in the rubbles of his old house.
Credits & Resources
Verve Photo – A New Breed of Documentary Photographers
The Best of Photojournalism (BOP)
About the Author
Aquil Akhter is a web graphic designer and has been working in this field for 8 years. He also runs the blog webdesigncore.com, which focuses on free web resources and inspiration for designers and developers.
designfollow, 05 December 2009
great collection, Thank you very much.
Dan, 05 December 2009
WOW. I’m shocked. Great collection. Thanks for sharing
Bobert, 05 December 2009
My first comment here:
Awesome collection…
Johnny, 05 December 2009
This is great, I really liked this post x]
Sunny Singh, 05 December 2009
Inspiring stuff, thank-you for the post.
pxlqueen, 05 December 2009
Those fotos are really moving – thank you for this great post!
Lib, 29 January 2013
Do you mean photo?
Baztoune, 05 December 2009
Good collection, very touching. I’d like to share that one too (very famous, from Kevin Carter) http://www.cashflow101.me/sudan_vulture_boy.htm
Hermitbiker, 05 December 2009
These are great examples of top grade photojournalism !! These photographers are really a “cut above” the rest !! Thanks Brukhar and Presidia Creative for sending me these !!
Brandon Hunter, 05 December 2009
These are all beautiful. Some, though, linger on the verge of visual cliche.
prasshant, 05 December 2009
this is an awesome collection. I never seen photos like that collection.
phree, 05 December 2009
Nice collection. Very powerful. The photo from Tibet (Lhasa) pilgrimage shows someone prostrating on the way to Lhasa (three or so steps, prostrate, repeat). The pilgrim isn’ t kowtowing to anything as the objective is to purify one’s mind and karma to come to a greater understanding of the ultimate nature of reality for the purpose of liberation from the cycle of birth-death.
Again, this is awesome. Thanks for posting.
michael, 05 December 2009
Nice collection, just spell check “teh” by searching for it on this page.
sandeep, 05 December 2009
heart touching…
Alex, 06 December 2009
It’s something that go deeply in ur heart…
Thanks for all these “flashes”
Alex
Pixzii, 06 December 2009
Meaningful images. I love this post. Thumbs up and twitted :)
Photography Ideas, 06 December 2009
These photo make me think
ramit, 06 December 2009
I am at a loss of words, everytime I see this set of Pictures. These are not mere pictures, but stories. Pages of History captured in time..
Kudos! to the Modern Photographer.
God Bless those who suffered & continue to do so, even after the truth exposed to the world.
..
Brandon A Cox, 06 December 2009
This is the kind of post that makes one slow down from rapidly clicking links and just think about the world in which we live. Awesome collection – stopped me in my tracks!
Karen, 06 December 2009
Fantastic Journey as seen thru the eyes & Lens off a Professional….very stirring images !!!
kishore, 06 December 2009
Great post..the one depicting the contrast in hands was deeply disturbing and brings out the pain and misery of starvation.
Abu Sayem Md. Al Azad, 06 December 2009
It’s realy amazing and wonderful. Thanks for this.
sanjay gupta, 06 December 2009
goood so goood
Richie, 06 December 2009
Oh! god! … this is really a touching article… thanks for sharing!
JeffPalmer, 06 December 2009
Really awesome !!
SolidSnake26, 06 December 2009
Nice Collection
photofunny, 06 December 2009
Incredible photos, all have someone that get into my heart
Hunter, 06 December 2009
Impresionantes las fotos, muy buenas, te muestran la realidad de personas desfavorecidas, solo tengo uan palabra INCREIBLE
Jim, 06 December 2009
Very moving!
I wanted to look further at Arirang Mass Games, but the link is incorrect. It points to the Indian Gas Leak photos.
Indrek, 06 December 2009
Normally I scroll through these list-posts pretty quick. But this one really made me think about the lives of other people who don’t have the same benefits. Really sad.
But thanks a lot for this great article!
Autonomy, 06 December 2009
These photos are beautiful and heart-wrenching. Thanks for providing a great glimpse into the many different worlds that share this same rock, and the humanity that links them all together.
patrcia, 06 December 2009
wow thank you very much for giving this opportunity to see such a good photographic jobs. i am really impressed ! some of them are sad pics but awakening too!
Patricia Monge
Vilja, 06 December 2009
Great pictures, thank you for sharing it with us.
vikas ghodke, 06 December 2009
Woow.. No words… Just amazing Thank you very much for sharing this amazing photos
Muneef Hameed, 06 December 2009
Arirang Mass Games is linked wrongly.
Lesley Pattinson, 06 December 2009
Wow, these images are so thought provoking and just amazing, starving boy and missionary is a wonderous shot, you could stare at it for hours wanting and inspiring you to help in any way you could. Thank goodness for the top class photojournalists that travel the world to portray what we can only imagine.
wparena, 06 December 2009
Few are very touchy specially those are from Bangladesh and Africa
gytis, 06 December 2009
Incredible photos
Luz Rivera, 06 December 2009
Sad pictures. I like sunny days. today is too cold. I wish to travel with my partner to warmth place.
Jill, 06 December 2009
Wow… These photos are absolutely stunning. A true depiction of the world we live in. e cigarettes
Brandi, 06 December 2009
stunning. I expected the Afgan girl photo, but the most heartbreaking surprising one for me was the little starving hand. That picture is worth a thousand prays, a thousand words of kindness, and a thousand cries for help. I sympathize with the photographers qualms against winning.
ntopics, 06 December 2009
Love the Afghan Girl photo.
thanks from tony
harrison, 06 December 2009
The photos are very inspiring.
Maybe it can allow people to see the big picture of life instead of looking at a narrow view.
bono calacal, 06 December 2009
What can I say. Amazing. Really. Thanks for posting.
aSeed, 07 December 2009
Really impressive collection ! A sad world brings srtong emotions…
smily, 07 December 2009
Amazing .. very touchy .. awsome .. great job (Y)
Steve, 07 December 2009
As one of the MTV generation I’m not usually moved by anything, but by the end of this list I could feel my eyes welling up. Photos like this make me realise how lucky I am to live in the UK and how much we moan about the silly little things in life when others around the world have far more problems.
Thanks for sharing.
Julien V, 07 December 2009
just amazing… thanks for this wonderful work.
bell, 07 December 2009
WOW… Great Photos
mabeL, 07 December 2009
You can write a story each one. they were great. I published I miss her photo on my web-blog…
Luis Lopez, 07 December 2009
What such article…….
incredible all this pictures really are deep, than anything you can read o a newspaper.
I also remeber the image of the guy standing in front of the war thanks in Korea on 70′s I am not wrong.
And the image of Armero, Colombia, 16 November 1985. Twelve-year-old Omayra Sanchez trapped
in the debris caused by the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano. After sixty hours
she eventually lost consciousness and died.
ana, 21 December 2009
I also remeber the image of the guy standing in front of the war thanks in Korea on 70’s I am not wrong.
Are you talking about China? It’s Tiannamen Square I believe.
M.R., 07 December 2009
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful, painful, cheerful and more, all at the same time. Puts a lot of things in perspective.
new cars, 07 December 2009
wow amazing pic
Anto, 07 December 2009
Wonderful collection… Thanks a lot !
Alex Mitchell, 07 December 2009
A beautiful and fascinating collection, in the subjects themselves and the composition and work of the photographers. Thank you for sharing!
Chris, 07 December 2009
Great Article! Amazing pictures / stories! Thanks for helping me escape for a while! Cheers!
sal, 07 December 2009
Damn, those are some good pictures. Thanks
Adah, 07 December 2009
Nice Collection. Love the picts :)
Motts, 07 December 2009
How beautiful and very emotional and touching. I think it’s amazing that we can see a part of ourselves in some of these pictures if one just looks close enough.
Amazing!!!
Sally Croft, 07 December 2009
Great collection depicting strange stories. I was actually moved by so many of them, they made me shudder and unconsciously making me thankful for all the blessings we take for granted.
Can Berkol, 08 December 2009
Great collection; but hey, what story? I love this subject :) What are these photos telling you? Are there stories about the subjects (people within the frame)? Are there stories about the happening or environment? Are there stories or interpretation of the photographer on a subject or happening? Are there stories or interpretations of the viewer on a subject that photographer shows them or on a subject totally independent and special to the viewer?
I love photography.. I think there is no single correct answer; and I think that is the strength of “story telling.” That is the strength of these photos.
mahdee, 08 December 2009
bangladesh is such a screwed up place, i think there are more tragic bangladeshi photos there than any other. nature sure has it in for old bangu
Iffat Tarannum, 08 December 2009
i wish this collection would contain more pictures that tells positive story of life….
dave, 08 December 2009
The picture of the starving boy’s hand will move me for the rest of my days.
TG, 08 December 2009
amazing collection of photos..
most of them will be in my head forever
Web, Email, Logo Design | BrandleDesign, 08 December 2009
It is a powerful reminder of the different lives people live around the world.
csahuquillo, 08 December 2009
Great! No words needed
Mark McCulloch, 08 December 2009
Great Blog You Have Here
Absolutely amazing pictures
They really do tell an amazing story
NiteStar, 08 December 2009
What an amazing collection of photographs; tears are in my eyes–I can feel the emotion ripping through the screen of my computer!
Chotrul, 09 December 2009
It was hard to get beyond the first photo – Man mutilated Rwanda – which was so powerful. Actually, there are so many powerful photos here .. it reminded me of going to a gallery, and the temptation is to rush around and have 30 seconds with each painting. Actually, that first photo seemed to merit far more attention than that … think I’ll come back another time, repeatedly, to absorb the other photos. Thanks so much for sharing them.
indigo, 09 December 2009
Amazing! Lack for words..
Jelena, 09 December 2009
I am crying…
Anthony Calzadilla, 09 December 2009
Gosh, a few of those will be hard to forget.
catalin1205, 09 December 2009
What is to say? No comment.
Jon Crim, 09 December 2009
Amazing photos – they scream emotion.
NicoleB Egypt, 09 December 2009
Awesome and very inspiring!
sameer, 11 December 2009
just an amazing collection…im speechless.. i think some of these pictures have left an indelible mark on me in one fleeting moment…
Yongli, 11 December 2009
Thank you. It was amazing.
chris, 12 December 2009
great collection! I was touched by those photos, let us give the world a peace :)
Jacques van Heerden, 13 December 2009
Really awesome inspirational collection.
This just made me realize once again how privileged we are to have what we have and to be alive.
All that I can say is, “Dream as if you will live another Million Years, Live as if you will die tomorrow.”
Regards,
Jacques van Heerden
Bim, 14 December 2009
some truely awesome photos. photos become a lot more interesting when there’s a story behind it.
Eric Roth, 26 December 2009
Illuminating.
Thank you.
world, 27 December 2009
oooooooooh it is …… i can’t say but it is realy and we must do something
Ted Lee, 28 December 2009
These pictures made me think of my past.
For I once was a soldier in Afica.
Lest we forget.
Harry, 31 December 2009
Great collection! Thanks for sharing.
Mário, 11 January 2010
Magnífica coleção de fotos. Adorei!
Gopher, 07 February 2010
Profound and pictures that touch your soul. Thank you for sharing!
Deidre Brainerd, 10 February 2010
amazing, physically reactive
Mahmudur Rahman, 20 February 2010
Awesome and amazing collection of photograph. Explanation of these image really heart braking. These photographs telling us so many thing and we should realize. Truly unbelievable. Thanks for share one of the best post.
Jeanie Lasky, 18 March 2010
Thank you for the informative post. I had been looking for something relevant and found your web site in the process.. I will definitely be back for more.
look, 29 March 2010
it;s out of my world…. am scared and its hurted.. poor people.
prince muyi, 01 April 2010
some times we have to thank GOD
zhaleh, 08 April 2010
shocking pictures!!!
Noushad, 08 May 2010
Great collection. Thanks for sharing
kristnn, 26 May 2010
This was very deep had me in tears….
ryvaane bates, 13 June 2010
i love the photographs and the meaning it is representing.
i agree with the fact that images can be a sourceful way of attracting public attention and im pleased with the impact it has caused.
although i find it disturbing i am pleased that we all have a chance to now make a difference.
thank you
Jenna, 21 June 2010
I have goosebumps and my passion for photography has just increased x 1 million. A picture really does speak a thousand words, how wonderful is that.
Stuart, 06 July 2010
Stunning!
GAMARAY, 15 August 2010
Yea … they trully do … Very good I’m impressed … even inspired to take pictures myself …
balacksmith, 26 August 2010
I Agree this is a great collection, Thanks so mutch for sharing
sureth, 08 October 2010
I cried tairs of happyness for the beauty and sadness and pain goind through your fotos
foog, 17 October 2010
This world is full of sadness. Nice photos.
Om Prakash, 02 November 2010
Great..Legendary pics..
Caroline, 06 November 2010
These photographs are stunning.
Thank you for inspiring me.
Brooke, 16 November 2010
that 5 year old smoking is my son…
Hemalatha, 02 December 2010
Nice Collections…
rainNsunshine, 08 December 2010
absolutely touching…
Barbar Blohm, 17 January 2011
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Online Muslim Matrimonials, 19 January 2011
These very touchy images.
Muralikrishnan, 21 January 2011
mind blowing and shell shocked photos..
Jenny Cutler, 14 March 2011
Seriously impressed with these. Well done and thanks for sharing.
protim, 22 March 2011
The title is succeeded undoubtedly. Really these are the powerful images. It reflects the society clearly. The people who are living in oppression must need attention of the rich and kind hearted people.
Ajasa, 15 April 2011
thanks for giving me an omniscient point of view of the world of the few large pictorial representation.
Jules Massoni, 13 June 2011
Super Artikel. Wo kann ich den Post über Facebook teilen ?
Joni Jomitol, 23 August 2011
Amazing shots!! full with emotions!! am totally inspired!!
Shirlene from Idelish, 06 September 2011
Beautiful work capturing the emotions and the stories. Heart wrenching on some. Thank you for sharing!
Ashley Beolens, 06 September 2011
Just goes to show the power photography has over the world. An image can and indeed does speak a thousand words.
Julie, 23 December 2011
Heartbreaking… :’(
Sony, 03 January 2012
amazing.. :)
Greg, 18 January 2012
Thanks a lot. These are truly wonderful photos and more powerful than language. Well done!
Greg
Debanjan Mitra, 13 May 2012
A picture can tell more than thousand words ….
alka, 30 May 2012
short of words…………. pictures , catch the moment, in time and space .. a story unfolds. and each can build one of his own,. ……. a flow of memories, a journey into a world unique, full of emotions,…. compassion , care,……… and more……. @
Ravinder Singh (Rinku), 24 July 2012
Dont have words to say for all above pictures.
creatiwittyblog, 29 August 2012
no matter how advanced the video medium gets, a picture is still worth a thousand words!
jason crook, 31 October 2012
these pictures are just amazing they all have a story and some of them made me cry and i felt really bad for the starving people.
Ravindra, 19 January 2013
Lovely page ………so….
K.B.V.S.S.Kumar, 22 February 2013
Images not only can speak but can also touch our heart.
Chad Sheppard, 25 March 2013
Great photography! Really like the picture of the big wave.
Rohan Advani, 02 April 2013
Awesome photos!! pictures surely speak more than words!!!