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23 Photo Essay Ideas and Examples (to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!)

A Post By: Kevin Landwer-Johan

Looking for inspiration? Our 23 photo essay ideas will take your photography skills to new heights!

A single, strong photograph can convey a lot of information about its subject – but sometimes we have topics that require more than one image to do the job. That’s when it’s time to make a photo essay: a collection of pictures that together tell the bigger story around a chosen theme.

In the following sections, we’ll explore various photo essay ideas and examples that cover a wide range of subjects and purposes. From capturing the growth of your children to documenting local festivals, each idea offers an exciting opportunity to tell a story through your lens, whether you’re a hobbyist or a veteran professional.

So grab your camera, unleash your creativity, and let’s delve into the wonderful world of photo essay examples!

What is a photo essay?

Simply put, a photo essay is a series of carefully selected images woven together to tell a story or convey a message. Think of it as a visual narrative that designed to capture attention and spark emotions.

Now, these images can revolve around a broad theme or focus on a specific storyline. For instance, you might create a photo essay celebrating the joy of companionship by capturing 10 heartwarming pictures of people sharing genuine laughter. On the other hand, you could have a photo essay delving into the everyday lives of fishermen in Wales by following a single fisherman’s journey for a day or even a week.

It’s important to note that photo essays don’t necessarily have to stick to absolute truth. While some documentary photographers prefer to keep it authentic, others may employ techniques like manipulation or staging to create a more artistic impact. So there is room for creativity and interpretation.

Why you should create a photo essay

Photo essays have a way of expressing ideas and stories that words sometimes struggle to capture. They offer a visual narrative that can be incredibly powerful and impactful.

Firstly, photo essays are perfect when you have an idea or a point you want to convey, but you find yourself at a loss for words. Sometimes, emotions and concepts are better conveyed through images rather than paragraphs. So if you’re struggling to articulate a message, you can let your photos do the talking for you.

Second, if you’re interested in subjects that are highly visual, like the mesmerizing forms of architecture within a single city, photo essays are the way to go. Trying to describe the intricate details of a building or the play of light and shadows with words alone can be challenging. But through a series of captivating images, you can immerse your audience in the architecture.

And finally, if you’re aiming to evoke emotions or make a powerful statement, photo essays are outstanding. Images have an incredible ability to shock, inspire, and move people in ways that words often struggle to achieve. So if you want to raise awareness about an environmental issue or ignite a sense of empathy, a compelling series of photographs can have a profound impact.

Photo essay examples and ideas

Looking to create a photo essay but don’t know where to start? Here are some handy essay ideas and examples for inspiration!

1. A day in the life

Your first photo essay idea is simple: Track a life over the course of one day. You might make an essay about someone else’s life. Or the life of a location, such as the sidewalk outside your house. 

The subject matter you choose is up to you. But start in the morning and create a series of images showing your subject over the course of a typical day.

(Alternatively, you can document your subject on a special day, like a birthday, a wedding, or some other celebration.)

2. Capture hands

Portraits focus on a subject’s face – but why not mix it up and make a photo essay that focuses on your subject’s hands?

(You can also focus on a collection of different people’s hands.)

Hands can tell you a lot about a person. And showing them in context is a great way to narrate a story.

3. Follow a sports team for a full season

Sports are all about emotions – both from the passionate players and the dedicated fans. While capturing the intensity of a single game can be exhilarating, imagine the power of telling the complete story of a team throughout an entire season.

For the best results, you’ll need to invest substantial time in sports photography. Choose a team that resonates with you and ensure their games are within a drivable distance. By photographing their highs and lows, celebrations and challenges, you’ll create a compelling photo essay that traces their journey from the first game to the last.

4. A child and their parent

Photographs that catch the interaction between parents and children are special. A parent-child connection is strong and unique, so making powerful images isn’t challenging. You just need to be ready to capture the special moments as they happen. 

You might concentrate on a parent teaching their child. Or the pair playing sports. Or working on a special project.

Use your imagination, and you’ll have a great time with this theme.

5. Tell a local artist’s story 

I’ve always enjoyed photographing artists as they work; studios have a creative vibe, so the energy is already there. Bring your camera into this environment and try to tell the artist’s story!

An artist’s studio offers plenty of opportunities for wonderful photo essays. Think about the most fascinating aspects of the artist’s process. What do they do that makes their art special? Aim to show this in your photos.

Many people appreciate fine art, but they’re often not aware of what happens behind the scenes. So documenting an artist can produce fascinating visual stories.

6. Show a tradesperson’s process

Do you have a plumber coming over to fix your kitchen sink? Is a builder making you a new deck?

Take photos while they work! Tell them what you want to do before you start, and don’t forget to share your photos with them.

They’ll probably appreciate seeing what they do from another perspective. They may even want to use your photos on their company website.

7. Photograph your kids as they grow

There’s something incredibly special about documenting the growth of our little ones. Kids grow up so quickly – before you know it, they’re moving out. Why not capture the beautiful moments along the way by creating a heartwarming photo essay that showcases their growth?

There are various approaches you can take, but one idea is to capture regular photos of your kids standing in front of a distinct point of reference, such as the refrigerator. Over a year or several years, you can gather these images and place them side by side to witness your childrens’ incredible transformations.

8. Cover a local community event

A school fundraiser, a tree-planting day at a park, or a parade; these are are all community events that make for good photo essay ideas.

Think like a photojournalist . What type of images would your editor want? Make sure to capture some wide-angle compositions , some medium shots, and some close-ups.

(Getting in close to show the details can often tell as much of a story as the wider pictures.)

9. Show fresh market life

Markets are great for photography because there’s always plenty of activity and lots of characters. Think of how you can best illustrate the flow of life at the market. What are the vendors doing that’s most interesting? What are the habits of the shoppers?

Look to capture the essence of the place. Try to portray the people who work and shop there.

10. Shoot the same location over time

What location do you visit regularly? Is there a way you can make an interesting photo essay about it?

Consider what you find most attractive and ugly about the place. Look for aspects that change over time. 

Any outdoor location will look different throughout the day. Also think about the changes that occur from season to season. Create an essay that tells the story of the place.

11. Document a local festival

Festivals infuse cities and towns with vibrant energy and unique cultural experiences. Even if your own town doesn’t have notable festivals, chances are a neighboring town does. Explore the magic of these celebrations by documenting a local festival through your lens.

Immerse yourself in the festivities, arriving early and staying late. Capture the colorful displays and the people who make the festival come alive. If the festival spans multiple days, consider focusing on different areas each time you visit to create a diverse and comprehensive photo essay that truly reflects the essence of the event.

12. Photograph a garden through the seasons

It might be your own garden . It could be the neighbor’s. It could even be the garden at your local park.

Think about how the plants change during the course of a year. Capture photos of the most significant visual differences, then present them as a photo essay.

13. Show your local town or city

After spending several years in a particular area, you likely possess an intimate knowledge of your local town or city. Why not utilize that familiarity to create a captivating photo essay that showcases the essence of your community?

Delve into what makes your town special, whether it’s the charming streets, unique landmarks, or the people who shape its character. Dedicate time to capturing the diverse aspects that define your locale. If you’re up for a more extensive project, consider photographing the town over the course of an entire year, capturing the changing seasons and the dynamic spirit of your community.

14. Pick a local cause to highlight

Photo essays can go beyond passive documentation; they can become a part of your activism, too!

So find a cause that matters to you. Tell the story of some aspect of community life that needs improvement. Is there an ongoing issue with litter in your area? How about traffic; is there a problematic intersection?

Document these issues, then make sure to show the photos to people responsible for taking action.

15. Making a meal

Photo essay ideas can be about simple, everyday things – like making a meal or a coffee.

How can you creatively illustrate something that seems so mundane? My guess is that, when you put your mind to it, you can come up with many unique perspectives, all of which will make great stories.

16. Capture the life of a flower

In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to overlook the beauty that surrounds us. Flowers, with their mesmerizing colors and rapid life cycles, offer a captivating subject for a photo essay. Try to slow down and appreciate the intricate details of a flower’s existence.

With a macro lens in hand, document a single flower or a patch of flowers from their initial shoots to their inevitable wilting and decomposition. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to bring viewers into the enchanting world of the flower. By freezing these fleeting moments, you’ll create a visual narrative that celebrates the cycle of life and the exquisite beauty found in nature’s delicate creations.

17. Religious traditions

Religion is often rich with visual expression in one form or another. So capture it!

Of course, you may need to narrow down your ideas and choose a specific aspect of worship to photograph. Aim to show what people do when they visit a holy place, or how they pray on their own. Illustrate what makes their faith real and what’s special about it.

18. Historic sites

Historic sites are often iconic, and plenty of photographers take a snapshot or two.

But with a photo essay, you can illustrate the site’s history in greater depth.

Look for details of the location that many visitors miss. And use these to build an interesting story.

19. Show the construction of a building

Ever been away from a familiar place for a while only to return and find that things have changed? It happens all the time, especially in areas undergoing constant development. So why not grab your camera and document this transformation?

Here’s the idea: Find a building that’s currently under construction in your area. It could be a towering skyscraper, a modern office complex, or even a small-scale residential project. Whatever catches your eye! Then let the magic of photography unfold.

Make it a habit to take a photo every day or two. Watch as the building gradually takes shape and evolves. Capture the construction workers in action, the cranes reaching for the sky, and the scaffolding supporting the structure.

Once the building is complete, you’ll have a treasure trove of images that chronicle its construction from start to finish!

20. Document the changing skyline of the city

This photo essay example is like the previous one, except it works on a much larger scale. Instead of photographing a single building as it’s built, find a nice vantage point outside your nearest city, then photograph the changing skyline.

To create a remarkable photo essay showcasing the changing skyline, you’ll need to scout out the perfect vantage point. Seek high ground that offers a commanding view of the city, allowing you to frame the skyline against the horizon. Look for spots that give you an unobstructed perspective, whether a rooftop terrace, a hillside park, or even a nearby bridge.

As you set out on your photography expedition, be patient and observant. Cities don’t transform overnight; they change gradually over time. Embrace the passage of days, weeks, and months as you witness the slow evolution unfold.

Pro tip: To capture the essence of this transformation, experiment with various photographic techniques. Play with different angles, framing, and compositions to convey the grandeur and dynamism of the changing skyline. Plus, try shooting during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset , when the soft light bathes the city in a warm glow and accentuates the architectural details.

21. Photograph your pet

If you’re a pet owner, you already have the perfect subject for a photo essay!

All pets , with the possible exception of pet rocks, will provide you with a collection of interesting moments to photograph.

So collect these moments with your camera – then display them as a photo essay showing the nature and character of your pet.

22. Tell the story of a local nature preserve

Ah, the wonders of a local nature preserve! While it may not boast the grandeur of Yosemite National Park, these hidden gems hold their own beauty, just waiting to be discovered and captured through the lens of your camera.

To embark on this type of photo essay adventure, start by exploring all the nooks and crannies of your chosen nature preserve. Wander along its winding trails, keeping an eye out for unique and captivating subjects that convey the essence of the preserve.

As you go along, try to photograph the intricate details of delicate wildflowers, the interplay of light filtering through a dense forest canopy, and the lively activities of birds and other wildlife.

23. Show the same subject from multiple perspectives

It’s possible to create an entire photo essay in a single afternoon – or even in a handful of minutes. If you don’t love the idea of dedicating yourself to days of photographing for a single essay, this is a great option.

Simply find a subject you like, then endeavor to capture 10 unique images that include it. I’d recommend photographing from different angles: up above, down low, from the right and left. You can also try getting experimental with creative techniques, such as intentional camera movement and freelensing. If all goes well, you’ll have a very cool set of images featuring one of your favorite subjects!

By showcasing the same subject from multiple perspectives, you invite viewers on a visual journey. They get to see different facets, textures, and details that they might have overlooked in a single photograph. It adds depth and richness to your photo essay, making it both immersive and dynamic.

Photo essay ideas: final words

Remember: Photo essays are all about communicating a concept or a story through images rather than words. So embrace the process and use images to express yourself!

Whether you choose to follow a sports team through a thrilling season, document the growth of your little ones, or explore the hidden treasures of your local town, each photo essay has its own magic waiting to be unlocked. It’s a chance to explore your creativity and create images in your own style.

So look at the world around you. Grab your gear and venture out into the wild. Embrace the beauty of nature, the energy of a bustling city, or the quiet moments that make life special. Consider what you see every day. What aspects interest you the most? Photograph those things.

You’re bound to end up with some amazing photo essays!

Now over to you:

Do you have any photo essay examples you’re proud of? Do you have any more photo essay ideas? Share your thoughts and images in the comments below!

Read more from our Tips & Tutorials category

Kevin Landwer-Johan is a photographer, photography teacher, and author with over 30 years of experience that he loves to share with others.

Check out his website and his Buy Me a Coffee page .

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The Most Interesting Photo Essays Of The Week

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"Alexis Akwagyiram features Nigeria’s music scene, which doesn’t even show artists in performance, but there’s no doubt you feel its energy vibrating across the African nation. You hardly ever hear that the arts can keep a country’s entire economy afloat, but if that’s the case in Nigeria, then just maybe, they can serve as proof to counter those doubting the industry’s impact." —Anna Mendoza, photo editor, BuzzFeed Australia

3. "18 Intimate Photos Show What Being a Dominatrix Is Really Like" — Refinery29

"While there are whips and chains too, Samir Abady's series of images capture a wide range of dominatrix duties, from the initial preparation to aftercare. The photos are intimate and telling of the trust that the subjects placed in Abady to capture them at their kinkiest." —KB

4. "Colorful Photos Capturing Cuba’s Young Community" — Dazed

"Amanda Fordyce documented her recent trip to Cuba and the results are raw and intimate, detailing day-to-day life . Fordyce’s images offer a sense of nostalgia, showing the old-fashioned and vintage cars, and the human connections that are somewhat lost in our own digital world. Her photos are beautifully snapped, full of life and color, and really portray a more traditional world." —Jared Harrell, Photo Editor, BuzzFeed News

5. "Powerful Photos From One of Texas' Most Historic Black Communities" — Mother Jones

"Marti Corn's images capture the dignity and beauty of this small Texas town, one of the last emancipation communities that still exists. It is a wonderful look at the interplay of history and personality." —KB

6. "Inside the BBC at Wimbledon" — The Guardian

"Is that a closet where they’re holding a Serena Williams interview?! This behind-the-scenes look at tennis’s most prestigious tournament grants us plebs a healthy insight into that part of the game that we have never before been allowed to know about. I’m amazed to find out that the green and violet runs through the veins of the All England Club, literally down to the colours of the cables." —AM

7. "Are These Images of People Resting in New York Dreamy or Voyeuristic?" — Slate

"Michael Massaia’s candid series titled “Deep in a Dream” focuses on people sleeping in public spaces. Massaia sets up his large-format camera using a short lens, and photographs his subjects from just a couple feet away. His calculated snaps show his subjects letting go, giving off a sense of relief. Whether or not you find them dreamy or voyeuristic, they’re insanely beautiful and so incredibly captured." —JH

8. "American Dreams" — New York Times

What is the American dream? The answer is as diverse and vital to the fabric of this nation as the people who call themselves "American." On the week of the U.S.'s 240th birthday and on the heels of national tragedy, mourning, and self-reflection, the New York Times brings together a collection of personal stories and pictures that attempt to put a face and voice to the pursuit of happiness in America." —Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed

9. "Abandoned Checkpoints: Photographer Documents Europe's Forgotten Borders" —CreativeBoom

"In the wake of Brexit, it’s important to remember what a transformative effect the European Union has had on its member states. By incidental example — but one that marks this change — are the abandoned checkpoints found at borders of the European states. Polish photographer Josef Schulz documented these vacated military checkpoints across Europe for his 2005 series Übergang (Crossing) , in which he digitally alters the background to bring focus on the desolate, almost alien structures that litter these forgotten borders." —Ben King, deputy art director, BuzzFeed News

10. "12 Unique Pictures From the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest" —BuzzFeed

"The National Geographic travel contest never fails to impress each year, and 2016 is no exception, with startling views into other worlds. We see families sleeping on their rooftop to escape the summer heat near the Ganges River in India; the photo is a scene of peaceful unity within a family. There is also an extraordinary photo of a fish seemingly eating another fish, while they are both snapped up by a hungry alligator in an incredibly rare scene. The overall winner of the contest was a photographer who snapped a silhouetted action-packed scene of a horseman rounding up horses in Inner Mongolia, showing incredible lighting and drama." —Matthew Tucker, picture editor, BuzzFeed UK

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Photo essays

Send in the Clowns

Al-Hawl camp in northeastern Syria is home to 31,000 children, most of whom have — or had — parents who fought with the Islamic State group. A visit by a clown troupe offered a moment of color, but also raised the question of what future the world envisions for these young people.

Twilight of a Matriarchy

The village of Olympos on the Aegean island of Karpathos is one of the last matriarchal societies in Europe. Yet after hundreds of years of relative isolation that preserved many Byzantine-era traditions, this way of life is now fast disappearing, thanks to underdevelopment, dwindling resources and mass emigration.

An Afghan Photographer’s Portrait of Her Mother

When Laila Hazara left Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power in 2021, she had just contracted COVID-19 and had to fly without the oxygen tank she needed. Her daughter documents the life she left behind, and the one she has made with her family in Virginia.

Namibians Are Choosing Between Parched Farmland and Slums

Rural Namibia is home to over 1 million citizens, though that number is declining, and the changing climate is forcing many who stay to adapt. The city, the slums and the economic opportunities they offer are not just tempting, but inevitable.

Sixty Years After Independence, a Kenyan Tribe Calls for Justice

When word spread that a journalist was here to document stories of colonial injustices, many victims arrived. “The lands are here with us. We are following the law to try and get them back. But if the British do not listen to us, we will have no choice but to pass the torch to the youths,” the elders said.

Syrian White Helmets Work Miracles After Earthquake

Monday’s catastrophe has put Syria back in the headlines. But this disaster is exceptional and has revealed the mundane horrors Syrians have been enduring since 2011 have not yet abated. In a place forsaken by the world, rescue workers’ resilience has become a symbol of hope.

Desertification in an Iraqi Bread Basket

The Basra region has been the bread basket of Iraq. But because of salinization of lands, decrease of water flow into rivers due to upstream damming, climate change and pollution, farmers are increasingly unable to farm. People dependent on fish and buffaloes in the marshlands are in competition for food.

5 Best Sites for Photo Essays and News in Pictures

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Scammers Are Using Fake Windows Updates to Steal Your Files

These 8 google sheets formulas simplify my budgeting spreadsheet, how you can find out what's filling up your hard drive.

You know that you can read the news in a paper, listen to it on the radio, or watch it on TV. But not many know that you can also see what's happening around the world as photos or slideshows.

Journalistic photo essays have been around for some time now. Life magazine revolutionized this new style of consuming news and information. But now that Life has stopped, where should you go to see the news in an interesting new way ?

1. Time's LightBox for News, Life for Archives

Before we go further, you should know that all the archives of Life magazine's photo essays are available online. You can see them at Life.com , which is a subsidiary of Time magazine now.

Time itself has its own section for such photo essays, called LightBox . It's not always chronological, but it's always topical. The site covers everything from events like a mass shooting to journeys through different countries.

All the archives are completely free, and the site works well on both desktop and mobile. Have fun going through this one, especially the Life magazine portfolios. It's old, but it's still among the most intelligent content you can read today .

2. The Atlantic's In Focus

Photo editor Alan Taylor doesn't go out into the field himself. But he's an expert at picking gems from the works of others to tell a story. At The Atlantic , Taylor has access to several news agencies to construct these hand-curated essays.

The variety is mind-boggling. Taylor tells stories of war, of seasons, of travel, or disaster, of sports, of culture, and anything else he can think of. They are all large-sized photos that look good even on a high-resolution screen. Each picture also has its original caption. And there's a fullscreen slideshow option too. It's an immersive experience.

Taylor also collates the best photos in the news every week. It's a different way to catch up on what's happening across the world, as a single picture and a caption tells the story. In Focus is an excellent example of the quality you get when real humans curate content .

3. Boston Big Picture

Before In Focus , Alan Taylor started the Boston Big Picture photo blog at The Boston Globe . It has the same format, themes, and ideas. Some of the topical essays also repeat, but there is enough new stuff to visit both.

The original blog to support photojournalism, Big Picture continues to deliver quality updates every week. Again, you will get high-resolution photos that are highlighted above all else. Captions will tell you what you need to know about it.

A favorite is the "Globe Staff's best of the month" which marries photojournalism and street photography. It's the kind of blog that teaches you to be a great photographer , while still entertaining you.

4. Reuters Full Focus

In a time of fake news, for those who want trustworthy news through photos, turn to Reuters. The global news agency's dedicated page has striking photojournalism covering myriad topics.

The blog features both styles of web photo essays. Established photojournalists get single-topic essays of their own. Meanwhile, Reuters photo editors also create slideshows from the works of the entire team. This adds a lot of depth to coverage of areas like the conflict in the Middle East, or a disaster like the recent Hurricane Maria.

Like all the other sites, you can view a slideshow in fullscreen mode, or expand all images on a single web page. Fair warning, the site takes a long time to load, but it's worth it.

5. Al Jazeera's In Pictures

Even as a long-time fan of Alan Taylor, my personal favorite news photo blog today is Al Jazeera's In Pictures . It effortlessly combines news events and interesting non-news features.

As you probably know, Al Jazeera is a leading news site that prides itself on being independent and free of censorship . So such uncensored photos can sometimes be a little hard to stomach. Look out for warnings in case the pictures will be traumatic.

It is also the most regularly updated site among all these photo blogs. The gamut of topics is also wide and varied. Bookmark this one, you'll want to come back to it often.

Do You Read, Watch, or Listen to News?

The news is getting difficult to trust these days. It's almost like the onus is on you to fact-check and verify the news , not on the journalists themselves. Naturally, you will end up finding someone you trust and stick with them.

How do you prefer to get your news these days? Do you like to watch video clips on social networks, YouTube, or a proper news channel on TV? Are you a reader who relies on newspapers and websites? Or are you that rare radio and podcast listener?

• Entertainment
• Cool Web Apps

The New York Times

Lens: photography, video and visual journalism, follow lens:.

View Slide Show 13 Photographs

Single mother, pioneering photographer: the remarkable life of bayard wootten.

Credit Bayard Wootten/North Carolina Collection, UNC Chapel Hill Libraries

In 1904, Bayard Wootten, a divorced single mother in North Carolina, first borrowed a camera. She went on to make more than a million images. Read more »

Recent Posts

View Slide Show 14 Photographs

Punk music, bronx style.

Credit Roy Baizan

Roy Baizan has been chronicling the rock, punk, rap, trap and hip-hop scene in the Bronx, including shows produced by a new collective, Hydro Punk. Read more »

View Slide Show 17 Photographs

Grasping rio’s beauty and tragedy.

Credit João Pina

João Pina’s photographs of Rio de Janeiro show how life remained a struggle for many residents during Brazil’s boom years. His book’s title? “46570,” a reference to the number of murders in the city in the decade leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games. Read more »

The Age of Gold and Daguerreotypes

Credit Canadian Photography Institute

A collection of images showcases the intensity of the Gold Rush in the 19th century, around the same time the daguerreotype enjoyed a similar surge in popularity. Some of the images evoke a certain Brooklyn demographic. Read more »

View Slide Show 24 Photographs

Migration stories from the stoops of pittsburgh.

Credit Lynn Johnson

Through images and interviews, Brian Cohen and his collective of photographers tell the stories of the immigrants of the city. Read more »

View Slide Show 21 Photographs

A father, a son, a disease and a camera.

Credit Cheney Orr

A Father, a Son, a Disease, and a Camera

Cheney Orr knew that Alzheimer’s would take his father away. Photography helped him get to know the man. Read more »

View Slide Show 12 Photographs

Roger fenton: the first great war photographer.

Credit Roger Fenton/Royal Collection Trust/HM Queen Elizabeth II 2017

Roger Fenton: the First Great War Photographer

Images by Roger Fenton, the originator of the war photography genre, from the Crimean War are featured in a new book. Read more »

View Slide Show 22 Photographs

A photographer captures his community in a changing chicago barrio.

Credit Sebastián Hidalgo

Sebastian Hidalgo documents Pilsen, the old Chicago neighborhood where he grew up, hoping to capture the community before it is altered by rapid gentrification. Read more »

View Slide Show 10 Photographs

What martin luther king jr. meant to new york.

Credit Courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery

The civil rights leader was stabbed, honored and given a student pastoral assignment. He also led one of his biggest marches, against the war. Read more »

Exploring the History of Afro-Mexicans

Credit Mara Sanchez Renero

Through interpretive photos, Mara Sanchez Renero explored her conversations and encounters with Afro-Mexicans in various communities in the Costa Chica region of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Read more »

Behind the Iron Curtain: Intimate Views of Life in Communist Hungary

Credit Andras Bankuti

Andras Bankuti’s images of Hungary straddle the country’s complex communist period, showing struggling families, rousing political gatherings and a punk movement. Read more »

Pictures of the Week

The Week in Pictures: June 23, 2017

Credit Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images

View Slide Show 15 Photographs

The week in pictures: june 16, 2017.

Credit Adam Dean for The New York Times

The Week in Pictures: June 9, 2017

Credit Ivor Prickett for The New York Times

View Slide Show 11 Photographs

The week in pictures: june 2, 2017.

Credit European Pressphoto Agency

View all Pictures of the Week

Lens is the photojournalism blog of The New York Times, presenting the finest and most interesting visual and multimedia reporting -- photographs, videos and slide shows. A showcase for Times photographers, it also seeks to highlight the best work of other newspapers, magazines and news and picture agencies; in print, in books, in galleries, in museums and on the Web. And it will draw on The Times's own pictorial archive, numbering in the millions of images and going back to the early 20th century. E-mail us tips, story suggestions and ideas to [email protected].

• Photojournalism Links

The 10 Best Photo Essays of the Month

This month’s Photojournalism Links collection highlights 10 excellent photo essays from across the world, including The New York Times staff photographer Damon Winter’s stunning aerial pictures documenting the ongoing drought in California.

Damon Winter: California Drought (The New York Times )

Bryan Denton: 100 Years Later, a Genocide Haunts the Armenian Psyche (The New York Times ) These compelling pictures capture sites related to the Armenian genocide that took place one hundred years ago.

Newsha Tavakolian: Women Taking the Battle to ISIS (TIME LightBox) Powerful series on a cadre of female Kurdish soldiers fighting Islamic militants in Syria.

David Guttenfelder: Harnessing the Mekong (National Geographic) National Geographic Photography Fellow Guttenfelder’s work documents life along the Mekong River in five different countries.

Adriane Ohanesian: Inside Sudan’s War-Torn Darfur (TIME LightBox) These rare pictures capture rebels and fleeing civilians in Darfur.

Wayne Lawrence: Taking Back Detroit (National Geographic) Portraits and audio of Motor City residents.

James Mollison: Playground (Wired) Fascinating, insightful photographs of children’s playgrounds around world.

Moises Saman: Digging for Gold in the Andes (The New Yorker Photo Booth) Magnum photographer documents the unregulated gold mining in the Peruvian Andes.

Katie Orlinsky: Taken at the Border (The New Yorker Photo Booth) Orlinsky documents the U.S.-Mexico border from empty stash houses to young migrants who have been extorted.

Christopher Griffith: Foot Soldiers (The New York Times Magazine) Excellent photographs of Manhattan shoe shiners’ hands.

More Must-Reads from TIME

• Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
• How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
• What if Ultra-Processed Foods Aren’t as Bad as You Think?
• How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
• Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
• How Project 2025 Would Jeopardize Americans’ Health
• What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
• The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024

Contact us at [email protected]

photo essay

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Photo Essay

Juxtapose photos to tell a unique story.

A photo essay is a set of photographs shown in a specific sequence in order to explore a theme, tell a story, or evoke an emotional response. It can take the form of a published book, a feature in a paper magazine, an art gallery exhibit, or a web page. In this project you will use 6-12 twelve photos to tell a unique story, which you explain in a brief narrative and share online.

• Photography

Learning Goals

After you finish this activity you will be able to:

• Plan a photo essay using a shot list
• Write concise captions that complement your photos
• Produce well-composed photos that are sharp and well lit
• Demonstrate respect for privacy by obtaining photo releases
• Assignment Rubric

Instructions

Follow these steps to complete the project.

To track your progress, click each step as you finish.

Get inspired

An excellent first step in creating any media work is to examine exemplary works of the same type. Make a list for yourself of what makes these examples strong and inspiring.

Don't skip this step!

Tame your tools

By growing your skills in the tools used in any project, you save yourself time and produce stronger work.

Create a folder to store project resources

When beginning a new media project, it's best to organize your resources in a single location.

Alternate File Storage You may also organize your documents in cloud storage, such as Box or Google Drive .

Choose a topic and research it

The research phase will help you clearly identify and focus your photo essay around a single topic.

Google Image Search  Image Repositories There are many other image repositories online offering free strock images, including Pixabay , Unsplash , and Pexels . ">

Example | Chinese New Year festival

Google Search

Prepare for your photo shoot.

Now that you have researched your topic, you will prepare for your photo shoot by creating a Story Outline and Shot List , and obtaining Signed Releases from anyone you will record. You will also gather your equipment and any props you will need.

Conduct the photoshoot

Now that you have planned and prepared well for your photoshoot, you will travel to your planned locations and conduct the shoot. If do use a phone or mobile device, you may wish to review these Tips for taking great photos with your phone .

Select and caption your photos

In this step, you will select, edit and caption the photos from your photoshoot to include in your essay.

Create and title a new Adobe Spark project

Now that you've written your script and gathered your edited and captioned images, you're ready to create your photo essay on the Adobe Spark platform.

Add photos to your photo essay

In this step you'll add the photos that make up the story (main content) of your photo essay.

× Use 'Photo' Option Only Do not choose the 'photo grid', 'slideshow', or 'split layout' options.

Preview and share your photo essay

After you've finished adding photos, you'll perform a final review of your photo essay and share it to the cloud.

Congratulations!

You've grown your multimedia literacy while creating cool things! Well done, you!

You might consider nominating work you are proud of to the Remix Project Showcase !

Walkthrough

Watch a walkthrough for this project.

Get Inspired

Explore examples of similar projects.

• H[U.S.]TLE Cindy Giron
• behiND the scenes Adriana Maria Perez
• Journey on Foot Across the Nepal Himalaya Lizzy
• An Immigrant's Dream for a Better Life David Gonzalez
• A Photo Essay on the Great Depression Modern American Poetry
• Life on London's First AIDS Ward Excerpted from The Ward by Gideon Mendel

Tame Your Tools

Master the skills used in this project.

• Adobe Spark Tutorial

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a paid service. However, as a faculty, staff, or student at Notre Dame you are eligible for free access. For more information, see our FAQ on LinkedIn Learning

Adobe Spark Accounts

When creating an Adobe Spark account, users who do not already have an Adobe ID should log in under their Notre Dame account by selecting:

  Continue with Google

• Compiling an Engaging Photo Essay Rachel Bartlett
• Phone Photography 101: How to Take Good Pictures With Your Phone Lindsay Kolowich

Notre Dame has many helpful resources, including our Media Corps coaching staff , located in the Hesburgh Library.

Give Feedback

Remix is continually evolving. Please help us improve by providing feedback on this project or any other feature of Remix.

All progress will be reset for this project. Are you sure?

Women Who Shaped History

A Smithsonian magazine special report

History | July 9, 2024

Meet Vivian Maier, the Reclusive Nanny Who Secretly Became One of the Best Street Photographers of the 20th Century

The self-taught artist is getting her first museum exhibition in New York City, where she nurtured her nascent interest in photography

Ellen Wexler

Assistant Editor, Humanities

Vivian Maier took more than 150,000 photographs as she scoured the streets of New York and Chicago. She rarely looked at them; often, she didn’t even develop the negatives. Without any formal training, she created a sprawling body of work that demonstrated a wholly original way of looking at the world. Today, she is considered one of the best street photographers of the 20th century.

Maier’s photos provide audiences with a tantalizing peek behind the curtain into a remarkable mind. But she never intended to have an audience. A nanny by trade, she rarely showed anyone her prints. In her final years, she stashed five decades of work in storage lockers, which she eventually stopped paying for. Their contents went to auction in 2007.

Many of Maier’s photos ended up with amateur historian John Maloof , who purchased 30,000 negatives for about $400. In the years that followed, he sought out other collectors who had purchased boxes from the same lockers. He didn’t learn the photographer’s identity until 2009, when he found her name scrawled on an envelope among the negatives. A quick Google search revealed that Maier had died just a few days earlier. Uncertain of how to proceed, Maloof started posting her images online.

“I guess my question is, what do I do with this stuff?” he wrote in a Flickr post . “Is this type of work worthy of exhibitions, a book? Or do bodies of work like this come up often? Any direction would be great.”

Maier quickly became a sensation. Everyone wanted to know about the recluse who had so adeptly captured 20th-century America. Her life and work have since been the subject of a best-selling book , a documentary and exhibitions around the world .

Now, the self-taught photographer is headlining her first major American retrospective. “ Vivian Maier: Unseen Work ,” which is currently on view at Fotografiska New York, features some 230 pieces from the 1950s through the 1990s, including black-and-white and color photos, vintage and modern prints, films, and sound recordings. The show is also billed as the first museum exhibition in Maier’s hometown, the city where she nurtured her nascent interest in photography.

Born in New York City in 1926, Maier grew up mostly in France, where she began experimenting with a Kodak Brownie , an affordable early camera designed for amateurs. After returning to New York in 1951, she purchased a Rolleiflex , a high-end camera held at the waist, and began developing her signature style: images of everyday life framed with a stark humor and intuitive understanding of human emotion. She started working as a governess, a role that allowed her to spend hours wandering the city, children in tow, as she snapped away.

She left New York about five years later, when she secured a job as a nanny for three boys—John, Lane and Matthew Gensburg—in the Chicago suburbs. The family was devoted to Maier, though they knew very little about her. The boys remember attending art films and picking wild strawberries as her charges, but they don’t recall her ever mentioning any family or friends. Their parents knew that Maier traveled—they would hire a replacement nanny in her absence—but they didn’t know where she went.

“You really wouldn’t ask her about it at all,” Nancy Gensburg, the boys’ mother, told Chicago magazine in 2010. “I mean, you could, but she was private. Period.”

Despite Maier’s reclusive tendencies, the Gensburgs knew about her photography. It would have been difficult to hide. After all, she lived with the family and had a private bathroom, which she used as a darkroom to develop black-and-white photos herself. The Gensburgs frequently witnessed her taking photos; on rare occasions, she even showed them her prints.

Maier stayed with the Gensburgs until the early 1970s, when the boys were too old for a nanny. She spent the next few decades working in other caretaking roles, though she doesn’t appear to have developed a similar relationship with these families, who viewed her as a competent caregiver with an eccentric personality. Most never saw her prints, though they do remember her moving into their homes with hundreds of boxes of photos in tow.

“I once saw her taking a picture inside a refuse can,” talk show host Phil Donahue, who employed Maier as a nanny for less than a year, told Chicago magazine. “I never remotely thought that what she was doing would have some special artistic value.”

Meanwhile, the Gensburgs kept in touch. As Maier grew older, they took care of her, eventually moving her to a nursing home. They never knew about the storage lockers. When she died at age 83, a short obituary appeared in the Chicago Tribune , describing her as a “second mother” to the three boys, a “free and kindred spirit,” and a “movie critic and photographer extraordinaire.”

Maier’s mysterious backstory is a large part of her present-day appeal. Fans are captivated by the photos, but they’re also intrigued by the reclusive nanny who developed her talents in secret. “Vivian Maier the mystery, the discovery and the work—those three parts together are difficult to separate,” Anne Morin, curator of the new exhibition, tells CNN .

The show is meant to focus on the work rather than the mystery. As Morin says to the Art Newspaper , she hopes to avoid “imposing an overexposed interpretation of her character.” Instead, the exhibition aims to elevate Maier’s name to the level of other famous street photographers—such as Robert Frank and Diane Arbus —and take on the daunting task of examining her large oeuvre.

“In ten years, we could do another completely different show,” Morin tells CNN. “She has more than enough material to bring to the table.”

The subjects of Maier’s street photos ran the gamut, but she often turned her lens toward “people on the margins of society who weren’t usually photographed and of whom images were rarely published,” per a statement from Fotografiska New York. The Gensburg boys recall her taking them all over the city, adamant that they witness what life was like beyond the confines of their affluent suburb.

The exhibition is organized thematically, with sections devoted to Maier’s famous street photos, her experimental abstract compositions and her stylized self-portraits. The self-portraits, which frequently incorporate mirrors and reflections, amplify her enigmatic qualities, usually showing her with a deadpan, focused expression. Her voice can be heard in numerous audio recordings, which play throughout the exhibition. As such, even as the show focuses on the work, Maier the person is still a frequent presence in it.

“The paradox of Vivian Maier is that the lifetime of anonymity that has captured the public imagination persists in the work,” writes art critic Arthur Lubow for the New York Times , adding, “An artist uses a camera as a tool of self-expression. Maier was a supremely gifted chameleon. After immersing myself in her work, other than detecting a certain wryness, I could not get much sense of her sensibility.”

The artist undoubtedly possessed a curiosity about her immediate surroundings, which she photographed with a “lack of self-consciousness,” Sophie Wright, the New York museum’s director, tells CNN. “There’s no audience in mind.” There is no evidence that Maier wondered about her viewers—or that she ever imagined having viewers in the first place. They, however, will never stop wondering about her.

“ Vivian Maier: Unseen Work ” is on view at Fotografiska New York through September 29.

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Ellen Wexler | | READ MORE

Ellen Wexler is Smithsonian magazine’s assistant digital editor, humanities.

One NYU Student's 2024 Move-In Journey: A Photo Essay

For any first year student, move-in marks a major transition, whether the journey starts across the world or just a few miles uptown.

All photos by Jonathan King.

This year, NYU photographer Jonathan King tagged along with incoming Tisch musical theatre student Brooke Gomez Saturday, August 24 as she left her family home in the Bronx to start her  #NYU2028  adventure at Lipton Hall on Washington Square.

Brooke's day of farewells and hellos included a goodbye to the family's mini schnauzer Bruno, lugging suitcases in and out of elevators, making her new bed and finding the perfect placement for her Squishmallows, meeting her roommates, and, of course, one last tight squeeze from her mom (Keila), dad (Will), and brother (Ryan). More move-in rites of passage appear below.

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PHOTO ESSAY

Photo essay: among the protestors on the pro-Palestine march

Photography awards changes the lives of father and son Syrian refugees

AP PHOTOS: Scenes from Arizona's growing, pivotal suburbs

'Choose life, drop the knife': Shrines to victims of British stabbings

Its all in the advert: the best of Magnum agency images

The Eye of Istanbul: Magical images from the lens of Ara Güler

Palestinians in East Jerusalem cherish horses as family

In Ireland, summer goes on rain or shine

I’m a combat veteran. Here’s why Trump’s Arlington stunt was so insulting.

Serving in a unit like the 101st Airborne Division can feel like a job. It’s a normal, everyday thing. Even in combat. It’s not until after you leave a famous unit like that — after you leave the Army, in fact — that you realize it is a privilege to lead and serve alongside such soldiers.

It’s not until much later, among the regular people at the office, that you realize how unlikely it is that anyone around you would ever grab three guys and come running if you were pinned down or out of ammo. In the Army, you take those things for granted because everybody does it. They do it. They don’t question it. They don’t all survive.

For those of us who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Section 60 — the burial site of hundreds of service members killed in those wars — is the inner sanctum.

I survived and I’m old now. Not truly old. I’m 46. But old in the Army sense. I’m no longer carved out of wood. My left hamstring groans at the thought of running more than a mile. Doctors have taken an interest in my colon.

But I realize this is a privilege. It’s a gift. Being old, I mean. Aging out. For once, I’m finally aware of the privilege in the moment. I am old. But I have friends who are still in their 20s. Friends who should be in their 40s. Some of them are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

That is what makes Arlington a special place. And for those of us who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Section 60 — the burial site of hundreds of service members killed in those wars — is the inner sanctum. It is the most sacred plot among more than 600 hallowed acres. When I lived in Northern Virginia during Barack Obama’s administration, I avoided Section 60 studiously. It was too much, and still too close. There was always that looming sense that it could’ve been me. Maybe it should’ve been me.

So I didn’t visit until I was about to move back to Dallas. An Army buddy told me I had to go before I left D.C. So I did. Finally.

All of this is to say that, to combat veterans, Arlington National Cemetery has the same power that all holy places have. And that is why Donald Trump’s recent behavior is so repulsive .

Trump was so eager to use Arlington’s Section 60 as a backdrop for a campaign event this week that he may have broken federal laws against politicizing the burial ground to do it. Trump’s staff also shoved aside a cemetery official trying to stop them. He even posed for a photograph over a U.S. Marine’s gravesite, grinning and giving a thumbs-up. The moment was jaw-droppingly crass and vulgar, as all of Trump’s are. It defiled sacred ground.

But of course, Trump’s disregard for military tradition and his disdain for military service members is well documented. This incident was only the latest in a long line.

Trump began his adult life dodging the draft for Vietnam. Someone else went in his place. Maybe that person survived. Or maybe they’re buried at Arlington with thousands of other Vietnam veterans.

Trump later told Howard Stern that avoiding sexually transmitted diseases was my 'personal Vietnam.'

'Whatever the outcome, the thought has never troubled Trump. He later told Howard Stern that avoiding sexually transmitted diseases was “my personal Vietnam.” When those comments resurfaced during his first run for president, his supporters shrugged them off. “It’s a joke!” they said. “He’s a showman!” If it had only ended there.

In 2015, responding to criticism from Sen. John McCain, a former POW, Trump claimed , “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” However one feels about the Vietnam War, few Americans have given more for their country than John McCain. That didn’t matter to Trump.

A year later, after Trump proposed the first version of his “Muslim ban,” the parents of Army officer Humayun Khan took the stage at the Democratic National Convention. Khan is buried at Arlington, having been killed in Iraq in 2004. His parents gave an impassioned plea to voters, laying out how service members of all faiths had sacrificed their lives in America’s wars. They denounced Trump’s attempt to single out Muslims. He responded by spending days attacking the grieving Gold Star family.

General Mark Milley told The Atlantic that when he invited a wounded, wheelchair-bound soldier to sing “God Bless America” at Milley’s welcoming ceremony as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, Trump admonished him. “Why do you bring people like that here?” Trump asked, according to Milley. “No one wants to see that, the wounded.”

On a trip to France in 2018, Trump declined a scheduled visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, where more than 2,200 U.S. service members are buried. “Why should I go to that cemetery?” he asked staff members . “It’s filled with losers.” This horrific statement was confirmed by Trump’s then-chief of staff, John Kelly, a former Marine general whose own son was killed in Afghanistan and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Kelly also confirmed that in another conversation on the same trip, Trump called the Marines who died at Belleau Wood “suckers” for getting killed.

These are not one-off statements by a rhetorically reckless buffoon.

And just a few weeks ago, Trump told an audience that the Congressional Medal of Freedom he’d awarded to Republican donor Miriam Adelson was “much better” than the Medal of Honor . Trump said the civilian award was superior because Medal of Honor recipients are “either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they are dead.”

These are not one-off statements by a rhetorically reckless buffoon. This man harbors deep resentment toward the military and those who’ve sacrificed in service. Even when he poses with a family — as he did at Arlington this week — he only does so to enhance his campaign or his political prospects. Trump’s use for the military and our dead extends only as far as it suits him.

All Americans should keep this front of mind as we head into the fall. In particular, veterans should remember that Donald Trump’s behavior at Arlington National Cemetery this week epitomizes not only how he is a menace to the United States, but how he is an enemy of everything we fought for.

Brandon Friedman is the CEO of Rakkasan Tea Company . He served two tours as an infantry officer in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Photo essay

Photos of Hong Kong after World War II capture the city in its grimy glory

Arriving in 1946, Hedda Morrison may have spent only six months in Hong Kong, but the German photographer left behind a unique, wide-ranging photographic record.

• Arriving in 1946, Hedda Morrison may have spent only six months in Hong Kong, but the German photographer left behind a unique, wide-ranging photographic record

Kamala Harris Was ‘Confident, Principled — Presidential’: The Best and Worst Moments From Night 4 of the Democratic Convention

By New York Times Opinion

Did the night help Harris?

Welcome to Opinion’s commentary for Night 4 of the Democratic National Convention. In this special feature, Times Opinion writers rate the evening on a scale of 0 to 10: 0 means the night was a disaster for Kamala Harris; 10 means it could lead to a big polling bump. Here’s what our columnists and contributors thought of the event, which included speeches by Gretchen Whitmer, Gabby Giffords and Kamala Harris.

Best Moment

Binyamin Appelbaum, member of the editorial board Kamala Harris’s great-nieces, teaching America how to pronounce her name. And Harris herself, meeting the moment with a performance that was confident, principled — presidential.

Josh Barro, author of the newsletter Very Serious Harris’s speech, especially its beginning about her upbringing and her mother. In past campaigns, Harris has sometimes seemed like an empty vessel. Now she’s reintroducing herself in a way that is specific, warm and uniquely American, and that provides a framework to explain the broadly popular values of freedom and justice she’s espousing.

Charles M. Blow, Times columnist Women ruled the night. There were so many impressive, effective women presenting — culminating with Harris, of course — that the remarkable almost became unremarkable. I had to force myself to pause and absorb the fact that I was witnessing a revolution.

Jamelle Bouie, Times columnist The first three nights of this convention were easily the most successful since 2008, but they would have been for naught had Harris missed the landing with an awkward or underwhelming acceptance speech. She succeeded. But other than a moving introduction, where she told the story of her life and family to the viewing public, this wasn’t a speech about the meaning of her candidacy. It was something closer to a State of the Union — a statement of policies and priorities and an indictment of her opponents. It was as if the campaign had offloaded talk of symbolism to other speakers so that Harris could present herself as ready to be president on Day 1.

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PHOTO ESSAY | Captured in time

As independent india turns 75, some of the defining images of those seven decades..

Published : Aug 11, 2022 18:00 IST

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Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announces Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination to a crying crowd at Birla House, New Delhi, in 1948. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES / Henri Cariter-Bresson / Magnum Photos

A voter in front of ballot boxes marked with the candidates’ symbols in independent India’s first ever general election in 1951-52. The election, which saw a total of 17.3 crore voters registered, was conducted over a period of four months with an eventual voter turnout of 45.7 per cent. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

A cartoon from Shankar’s Weekly dated February 23, 1958 lampooning Nehru’s weak stand between the regional languages faction and the Hindi faction. The satirical magazine, founded by political cartoonist Keshav Shankar Pillai, ran from 1948 till 1975 and was a platform for aspiring caricaturists across India. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

India’s centre forward Balbir Singh attacking the Great Britain goal during the field hockey final at the London Olympic Games on August 12, 1948. India won 4-0, reaffirming its dominance in the one sport that had been its strong suit even before independence. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Lt. Gen. A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistan Army (seated, centre) signing the Instrument of Surrender in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, in the presence of Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora (seated, left) of the Indian Army. Pakistan’s defeat in the 1971 war led to the creation of Bangladesh. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the nuclear test site in Pokhran, Rajasthan, in May 1974. Code-named ‘Operation Smiling Buddha’, the “peaceful nuclear explosion” on May 18 made India the sixth nation to join the nuclear club. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Cuban President Fidel Castro congratulating Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her being elected the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on March 7, 1983. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Indian cosmonaut trainees Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra (left) and Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma in the mock-up of the Soyuz-T spaceship at the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Centre on June 30, 1983. Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, was part of the three-man team that went to space the following year. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

The anti-Sikh pogrom in November 1984 saw Delhi go up in flames and left over 2,100 people dead. The assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 by her Sikh bodyguards led to the targeted violence. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

A woman and her child lie dead on a street after a toxic gas leak in Bhopal on December 3, 1984. The accident at Union Carbide’s pesticide plant killed thousands and contaminated water and soil. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees near Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, in 1987. The 1983 ‘Black July’ riots, followed by the outbreak of civil war in Sri Lanka, saw a large influx of refugees into India. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Rajeev Goswami, a student from Delhi, commits self-immolation during the protests against the Mandal Commission report in 1990. The report recommended 27 per cent reservation in government jobs, and the V.P. Singh-led Central government had implemented the report. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

A man walks through the rubble in Gujarat’s Bhuj a day after a massive earthquake wreaked havoc across the region on January 26, 2001. Concerns over the disaster relief efforts led to the appointment of Narendra Modi, a BJP functionary little known outside party circles, as the State’s Chief Minister later that year. | Photo Credit: REUTERS/PAWEL KOPCZYNSKI/FILE PHOTO

The body of a young girl washed ashore in Chennai, after the tsunami hit the coast on December 26, 2004. The killer waves rocked the entire Indian Ocean region, causing immeasurable damage and loss of life across India’s southern coast. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

When Sushmita Sen becomes Miss Universe 1994, it provided a major fillip to the cosmetics and fashion industry in India. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Abhinav Bindra celebrates after the men’s 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics on August 11. He was the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Games. | Photo Credit: Xinhua

Social activist Anna Hazare, flanked by Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal (right), after ending his fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on April 9, 2011. The Jan Lokpal Bill agitation was part of the India Against Corruption movement that led to the undoing of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in 2014. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission “Mangalyaan” lifts off from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on November 5, 2013. India deftly executed the Mars Orbit Insertion, the most crucial and complex manoeuvre of the mission, and reached the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014, after a journey that lasted over 300 days. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Narendra Modi bows down in a sign of respect to the Indian Parliament after becoming Prime Minister designate on May 20, 2014. His victory, fuelled by a social media blitzkrieg, transformed India’s trajectory and the manner in which elections would be fought and won in the following years. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

People protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens in New Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh on December 31, 2019. The amended Act was seen to be discriminating against Muslims, and it sparked nationwide protests. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

A man walks after cremating his relative, who succumbed to COVID-19, at a crematorium in New Delhi on April 28, 2021. Beginning March 2021, the pandemic unleashed a second wave that was deadlier than the first and marked by severe shortage of hospital beds, life-saving medical equipment, and vaccines. | Photo Credit: REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File Photo

Neeraj Chopra in action during the men’s javelin throw final at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7, 2021. His gold medal, India’s first ever Olympic triumph in track and field events, was the culmination of a seven-decade-long wait which witnessed a handful of near-misses. | Photo Credit: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru announces Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination to a crying crowd at Birla House, New Delhi, in 1948.

A voter in front of ballot boxes marked with the candidates’ symbols in independent India’s first ever general election in 1951-52. The election, which saw a total of 17.3 crore voters registered, was conducted over a period of four months with an eventual voter turnout of 45.7 per cent.

A cartoon from Shankar’s Weekly dated February 23, 1958 lampooning Nehru’s weak stand between the regional languages faction and the Hindi faction. The satirical magazine, founded by political cartoonist Keshav Shankar Pillai, ran from 1948 till 1975 and was a platform for aspiring caricaturists across India.

India’s centre forward Balbir Singh attacking the Great Britain goal during the field hockey final at the London Olympic Games on August 12, 1948. India won 4-0, reaffirming its dominance in the one sport that had been its strong suit even before independence.

Lt. Gen. A.A.K. Niazi of the Pakistan Army (seated, centre) signing the Instrument of Surrender in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, in the presence of Lt. Gen. J.S. Aurora (seated, left) of the Indian Army. Pakistan’s defeat in the 1971 war led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the nuclear test site in Pokhran, Rajasthan, in May 1974. Code-named ‘Operation Smiling Buddha’, the “peaceful nuclear explosion” on May 18 made India the sixth nation to join the nuclear club.

Cuban President Fidel Castro congratulating Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her being elected the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on March 7, 1983.

Indian cosmonaut trainees Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra (left) and Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma in the mock-up of the Soyuz-T spaceship at the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Centre on June 30, 1983. Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in spcae, was part of the three-man team that went to space the following year.

The anti-Sikh pogrom in November 1984 saw Delhi go up in flames and left over 2,100 people dead. The assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 by her Sikh bodyguards led to the targeted violence.

A woman and her child lie dead on a street after a toxic gas leak in Bhopal on December 3, 1984. The accident at Union Carbide’s pesticide plant killed thousands and contaminated water and soil.

Sri Lankan Tamil refugees near Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, in 1987. The 1983 ‘Black July’ riots, followed by the outbreak of civil war in Sri Lanka, saw a large influx of refugees into India.

Rajeev Goswami, a student from Delhi, commits self-immolation during the protests against the Mandal Commission report in 1990. The report recommended 27 per cent reservation in government jobs, and the V.P. Singh-led Central government had implemented the report.

A man walks through the rubble in Gujarat’s Bhuj a day after a massive earthquake wreaked havoc across the region on January 26, 2001. Concerns over the disaster relief efforts led to the appointment of Narendra Modi, a BJP functionary little known outside party circles, as the State’s Chief Minister later that year.

The body of a young girl washed ashore in Chennai, after the tsunami hit the coast on December 26, 2004. The killer waves rocked the entire Indian Ocean region, causing immeasurable damage and loss of life across India’s southern coast.

ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission “Mangalyaan” lifts off from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on November 5, 2013. India deftly executed the Mars Orbit Insertion, the most crucial and complex manoeuvre of the mission, and reached the Mars orbit on September 24, 2014, after a journey that lasted over 300 days.

When Sushmita Sen becomes Miss Universe 1994, it provided a major fillip to the cosmetics and fashion industry in India.

Abhinav Bindra celebrates his victory in the final of the men’s 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Olympic Games on August 11, 2008. Bindra was the first Indian to win a gold medal in any individual event at the Olympics.

Neeraj Chopra in action during the men’s javelin throw final at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7, 2021. His gold medal, India’s first ever Olympic triumph in track and field events, was the culmination of a seven-decade-long wait which witnessed a handful of near-misses.

Social activist Anna Hazare, flanked by Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal (right), after ending his fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on April 9, 2011. The Jan Lokpal Bill agitation was part of the India Against Corruption movement that led to the undoing of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in 2014.

Narendra Modi bows down in a sign of respect to the Indian Parliament after becoming Prime Minister designate on May 20, 2014. His victory, fuelled by a social media blitzkrieg, transformed India’s trajectory and the manner in which elections would be fought and won in the following years.

People protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens in New Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh on December 31, 2019. The amended Act was seen to be discriminating against Muslims, and it sparked nationwide protests.

A man walks after cremating his relative, who succumbed to COVID-19, at a crematorium in New Delhi on April 28, 2021. Beginning March 2021, the pandemic unleashed a second wave that was deadlier than the first and marked by severe shortage of hospital beds, life-saving medical equipment, and vaccines.

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