The art of photography appeared in the 19th century, and since then newspapers, magazines, books and personal photo albums have replenished with countless shots. Many of them were valuable only to their authors.
However, the strangest photographs in history have outlived their photographers for a long time, and still delight, enrage or amaze people all over the world. What can I say, take a look for yourself.
30. Solway Firth Cosmonaut
A selection of the most unusual photographs opens with the famous photograph taken in Solway Firth (England). Behind Jim Templeton's daughter, who was supposed to be the only figure in the picture, there is another creature resembling an astronaut. But Templeton insisted that he did not see anyone else when the photograph was taken. Modern analysis has shown that this figure could be the wife of a photographer, with his back to the camera, but even this explanation is not convincing enough.
29. Fairytale circles
Found in the arid meadows of western South Africa, the "magic circles" are circular sections of barren land with a diameter of 2 to 5 meters. The origin and history of their creation is a mystery. One suggestion is that they were made by termites.
28. Pyramid on the moon
This image was taken by Apollo 17 in December 1972 during its flight to the moon in an area known as the Geofon rock. NASA never gave a reliable version about this pyramid-shaped object.
27. Beauty in Chinese
Each country has its own concept of beauty. For a long time in China, the small "lotus" legs were considered the canon of female beauty. Their appearance for Europeans was as shocking as the ways in which this kind of foot was achieved.
Foot ligation began around the age of five. Mothers wrapped narrow strips of fabric around their children's feet. Over the next five years, girls wore strips all day and night without taking off. As the child grew, the shape of his feet slowly changed. At the same time, I had to endure a terrible physical pain.
This crippling tradition lasted ten centuries, and disappeared only in the 20th century.
26. The Ghosts of Watertown
In December 1924, James Courtney and Michael Meehan, members of the crew of the Watertown tanker, cleaned the hold and suffocated due to a gasoline leak. The crew buried them at sea, but, to the surprise of the sailors, the next day the ghostly faces of the dead appeared in the water. The captain even ordered them to be photographed, and later specialists checked the negative and recognized it as genuine.
25. Death of Evelyn McHale
The strangest photographs in the world are often associated with death and afterlife. For example, this picture captures "the most beautiful suicide in the world."
In May 1947, 23-year-old Evelyn McHale jumped from the Empire State Building in New York from the 86th floor and landed on a limousine parked on the sidewalk.
Student photographer Robert Wiles photographed McHale’s corpse just a few minutes after her death. And - to his shock - her body was unnaturally whole, given the enormous height from which she fell.
24. Mysterious companion
In 1954, Western newspapers published articles attributed to retired naval major and UFO researcher Donald Chiho. They said that the US Air Force discovered two satellites orbiting the Earth. At that time, no country had satellite launch technology, which led to numerous speculations about the origin of the object.
23. Pied Piper and his catch
Today, the Pied Piper is one of the disappeared professions. However, in 1904 (and it was then that picture was taken), rat catchers searched the sewers of Europe and received money for every rat killed.
22. Head against the wall
No, this is not a strange way of suicide. Thus, testing of a football helmet took place.
21. Batman on an elephant
Apparently the Batmobile was under repair.
20. The girl
With one shot, this gunshot monster could shoot up to 50 birds. He was banned for his high efficiency, which led to the disappearance of a large number of waterfowl.
19. Lion Tea
In between filming, Alfred Hitchcock served tea to the lion, who growls on every screen saver from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films.
18. Salvador Dali and the anteater
Such a shocking and original artist as Salvador Dali and the pet was unusual. He also had an ocelot named Babou.
17. Feeding polar bears
Russian soldiers are so severe that instead of seals they treat them to the milk of polar bears. The photo was taken in 1950.
16. The concept of a portable TV
We do not know how clear a picture in such a device could be. But here is what we know for sure: walking with such a TV on your head would be terribly inconvenient.
15. UV protection
Looking at this strange photo, you might think that before you is an inept ghost cosplay or a frame from a low-budget horror movie. But no, in fact it is a cloak designed to protect delicate human skin from ultraviolet rays.
14. Sound Searchers
During World War I, these devices were used to determine the direction of movement of enemy aircraft.
13. Dog guns
Another invention of the First World War. They were used by Belgian troops.
12. The first selfie in history
This image, dated 1839, was taken by the Dutch chemist Robert Cornelius. He is the first photo portrait in the world.
11. Diving equipment
The suit for divers has come a long way in evolution before becoming the aesthetically pleasing and comfortable outfit we have today. Before you is one of the steps of this evolution (the 1940th year).
10. Horse diver
Nowadays, people-divers will not surprise anyone. However, the sight of a horse rushing head down into the deep sea inspires fear for the fate of the animal.
Horse diving first began on a pier in Atlantic City in the late 1890s. A horse under the control of a rider was supposed to jump from a steel pier into the ocean. The show was canceled after World War II thanks to the efforts of the American Society for the Protection of Animals.
9. Child mailed
It is hard to imagine that a parent can calmly send his son or daughter by mail, like a regular parcel. However, this is exactly what happened in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1913, the Postal Act was issued in the United States. However, he was not thought through to the end, which some cunning citizens took advantage of.
The law said that mail can deliver live cargo weighing up to 50 pounds (22.68 kg). For comparison: an ordinary five-year-old boy weighs 20-22 kg, and a girl - 19-21 kg.
Since shipping a child cost less than a dollar, it was cheaper than sending it by train. For example, in 1913, Madame Louis Bodge received by mail her grandson, the transfer of which cost the parents only 15 cents. And Mrs. and Mr. Savis from Pennsylvania mailed their daughter, which cost them as much as 45 cents.
Such "baby packages" were sent and received in the United States until 1920. And the photograph you see just illustrated the USPS ban text.
8. Delivery of the computer in 1957
Among the strangest photographs, this picture at first glance looks like a black sheep. Well, workers deliver some huge item, so what? Now imagine that this is a delivery to your office, and a huge item is the first computer in your city.
7. Norma Jean
Who is this beauty, as if descended from the Soviet poster "We will fulfill and overfulfill the plan of the current five-year plan?" Yes, this is the future movie star Marilyn Monroe working in the factory in 1944.
6. Vulture and boy
The most unusual photos of the world can be truly creepy. Like the story accompanying them. In 1933, photographer and journalist Kevin Carter, who was in the Sudanese city of Ayod, shot a small, emaciated boy named Kong Nyong, who was slowly crawling after his parents. They ran to the plane for humanitarian aid.
The vulture watched the boy carefully and patiently.
This shot brought Carter the Pulitzer Prize, worldwide fame, and allegations of inhumanity. Three months after receiving the award, the journalist committed suicide.
The boys went out at the UN food aid station. According to his family, he died in 2008.
5. Salon 1 class on the Titanic
This photo was taken in 1912 on the infamous Titanic ship, which is associated with many myths and strange stories. Not only luxurious cabins, but also a Turkish bath, a swimming pool, a gym and many other entertainments were at the disposal of passengers traveling in first class.
But the greatest wealth when the ship, which was considered unsinkable, met with an iceberg, were boats. And they were sorely lacking on the Titanic. As a result, only 31.97% of passengers and 24% of the crew survived.
4. Miss atomic bomb
The atomic arms race inspired the creators of the most dangerous weapons in history. She inspired the coronation of Miss Atomic Bomb. At the same time, an official beauty contest with this name has never been held.
And the title of “Miss Atomic Bomb” was assigned to Lee Merlin, a dancer at the famous Sands Casino since a photographer from the Las Vegas News Bureau took this photo during a photo shoot. The story goes that photographer Don English attached atomic fungus cotton to Merlin's swimsuit. The photo was published in 1957.
3. Striped crew
Such an unusual and extravagant crew belonged to Lionel Walter Rothschild. But if you thought that the offspring of a billionaire was simply "enraged with fat", then you are mistaken. Lionel was more interested in wildlife than in business, he became a famous zoologist and realized his old dream - he opened a zoological museum.
And with the help of a crew with zebras, and other tricks shocking at the time, he drew the attention of the British public to his collection of rare animals.
2. Joseph Stalin jokes
In the circle of close people, the strict “father of peoples” could joke and fool around like an ordinary person. This picture of "Stalin with a nose" was made by the head of his guard, Nikolai Vlasik.
1. Time traveler
In a photograph taken on the occasion of the reopening of the South Forks Bridge in Canada in 1941, you can see the alleged time traveler.
At first glance, the picture looks like a typical picture of that period, but if you look at the details, you will find something surprising. In the crowd there is a man in modern clothes, in bizarre glasses with a strange logo on the clothes. It looks like he is holding a modern camera in his hand.
Recently, photography has become widespread on the Internet, and now this person is often called a time-traveling hipster.
