The world has seen lots of talented and capable photographers throughout history. But not everyone’s work gets as much time in the spotlight as it should. But if you spend time digging through the historical archives looking for iconic snapshots, it’s well worth the effort.
‘Utterly Unique Photos’ is a fantastic, history and photography-oriented online community that shares vintage, (mostly but not always) black-and-white historical photos. We’ve collected some of the most interesting ones, recently featured by members of the group, to give you a glimpse into the past from a fresh perspective. Scroll down for a trip through time.
Meanwhile, Bored Panda reached out to Daniel Holland, the founder of ‘Utterly Unique Photos’ and the 'Utterly Interesting' brand, for a friendly chat about his projects and iconic photography. You'll find our interview with him below.
More info: Reddit | Facebook | X | UtterlyInteresting.com
#1 A Mongolian Girl Having A Laugh With Her Camel. The Little Girl’s Name Is Butedmaa And She Was Just 5 When This Picture Was Taken In 2003 By Photographer Han Chengli
Image credits: dannydutch1
#2 In 1943 A Man And His German Shepherd Took Some Time Out To Pop Into A Photobooth In Grand Central, NYC. I'm Glad They Did
Image credits: dannydutch1
#3 Meet Yuri Knorozov, The Linguist Who Deciphered The Maya Script, 1953
He listed his cat Asya as a co-author on his work but the editors always removed her. He always used this photo with Asya as his author photo and got angry whenever editors cropped her out.
Image credits: dannydutch1
Bored Panda was curious to learn about the success of all the subreddits that Holland runs. "I think they succeed because they celebrate curiosity and the simple joy of finding something truly unique," the founder told us via email.
"Each post feels like a small discovery, an unusual photograph, forgotten story, or historical oddity. I would think users keep returning because the content is timeless, educational, and visually striking," he said.
"Unlike fast-paced social feeds, these communities focus on genuine intrigue and context, contributors often add researched background details, which really adds to the content," Holland told us.
#4 Burlington Mayor Bernie Sanders Picks Up Rubbish On His Own In A Public Park After Being Elected In 1981, His First Electoral Victory
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#5 Judy Garland Backstage In Vegas. Photo: William Caxton (1961)
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#6 Barack Obama Visiting His Grandmother Sarah Ogwel Onyango In Kenya. 1995
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
We were also interested in getting the creator's thoughts on taking iconic photographs that will stand the test of time.
"An iconic photograph endures because it captures emotion, truth, and simplicity in a single frame," Holland said.
"It tells a universal story that remains powerful long after its moment has passed."
#7 Two Well-Dressed Gents And Their Equally Dapper Dog In Stockholm, Sweden, 1880s
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#8 From Algerian War (1958)... A French Foreign Legion Soldier Carried A Starving Donkey... They Rescued It And Later The Donkey Became Their Unit Mascot Going By The Name 'Bambi'
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#9 Alan Rickman As Tybalt In A Bbc Adaptation Of Romeo And Juliet In 1978
Image credits: onwhatcharges
Meanwhile, he shared his advice for anyone thinking of experimenting with black-and-white photography in this day and age.
"For those exploring photography today, focus on light, texture, and composition. Pay attention to how shadows and contrast shape emotion, and aim to evoke feeling rather than perfection," Holland told Bored Panda.
"In a world saturated with images, black-and-white remains timeless because it makes us pause and actually look properly, so black-and-white is a great place to start."
#10 In 1991, Mexican Photographer Antonio Turok Captured This Image Of The Solar Eclipse, From Chiapas, Mexico
Image credits: ExtremeInsert
#11 17-Year-Old Rowan Atkinson, Electrical Engineering Student At Newcastle University, 1972
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#12 In The Summer Of 1959, Bruce Davidson Photographed Brooklyn Teenagers, Capturing Their Private And Public Moments
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
During a previous in-depth interview with Bored Panda, Holland, aka u/dannydutch1, the head moderator of the ‘Utterly Unique Photos’ community, walked us through the history behind the online group, as well as where he draws inspiration from.
Aside from ‘Utterly Unique Photos,’ Holland also moderates three other communities, including ‘Utterly Bizarre,’ ‘Utterly Interesting,’ and ‘Utterly Awful True Crime.’
Holland explained to Bored Panda at the time how one subreddit eventually evolved into several separate online communities.
#13 The Future Queen Elizabeth In Front Of A Playhouse Gifted To Her And Princess Margaret In 1932 By The People Of Wales
Image credits: dannydutch1
#14 This Is Charlene, A Walmart Employee That Poses With Products For The Maryland Store’s Local Facebook Page
Image credits: dannydutch1
#15 A Kiowa Girl Named O-O-Be Wears A Three Hide Dress Decorated With Elk Teeth, Oklahoma, 1894
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
“Initially, I created r/UtterlyBizarre at the end of 2022 to mirror what I was posting on my Twitter channel. But it was pointed out that some of the content I posted was more interesting than bizarre,” he said.
Reacting to this, Holland decided to expand.
“So I set up r/UtterlyInteresting a month later to share articles and videos that interest me. One of my key areas of interest is photography and history, and I felt I was posting quite a lot of this to the r/UtterlyInteresting subreddit, and it would probably sit better on its own subreddit, hence r/UtterlyUniquePhotos,” he shared.
According to the founder of ‘Utterly Unique Photos,’ he didn’t want to simply contribute to other online groups that already existed.
He wanted niches to truly call his own. “One of the reasons I set them [the subreddits] up was because I wanted to be free of the rules employed by more established subreddits.”
#16 21-Year Old Yves Saint Laurent At Christian Dior's Funeral (1957)
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#17 January 1941. A Textile Mill Working All Night In New Bedford, Massachusetts
Image credits: dannydutch1
#18 Around 1924, A Young Frida Kahlo Is Photographed Wearing A Men’s Suit In A Family Portrait
Image credits: onwhatcharges
That being said, leading several popular subreddits can be quite challenging. “As they've grown, I realize I may need to implement submission rules, as all the subreddits are completely open to submissions, and spreading myself across 3 subreddits containing 100k members can be a challenge," the creator told Bored Panda at the time. (The 4th subreddit was founded later.)
Meanwhile, Holland also has a personal blog, ‘Utterly Interesting,’ where he shares interesting stories in a different format, with more depth. “Some of the bigger pages on Reddit saw this as self-promotion, so I thought I'd set up my own pages and not be concerned about Reddit moderators," he said.
#19 A Young Liam Neeson Pictured With His Sisters, Elizabeth, Bernadette And Rosaleen In 1960 Outside Their Family Home In Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#20 Actors Who Were To Portray The Munchkins In The Wizard Of Oz Arriving At Mgm Studios In 1938
Image credits: dannydutch1
#21 Soviet War Veteran Standing Near The Eternal Flame On The Anniversary Of Victory Day In 1966
Image credits: dannydutch1
"I've always liked to share things I find of interest, and my subreddits reflect that,” Holland opened up to Bored Panda during an earlier interview. "They've grown into quite active communities now and are a great place to spend some time,” the creator added.
#22 Last Known Photo Of John Allen Chau, An American Missionary Sent To Convert The Isolated People Of North Sentinel Island
In 2018, he bribed Indian fishermen to illegally smuggle him into the island’s protected waters. He was last seen being dragged along the shore, his body shot full of arrows.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
#23 Dennis Rader (BTK) With His Daughter On Her Wedding Day In 2003
Image credits: ExtremeInsert
#24 Hangu, Pakistan (1/6/2014) — 15 Year Old Aitzaz Hasan Is Confronted By A Strange Man Attempting To Enter His Local High School
Upon noticing explosives strapped to the man’s chest, Hasan tackled him, refusing to allow him inside. He did not survive. His actions saved 2000 of his fellow students.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
The ‘Utterly Unique Photos’ subreddit, which was created back in November 2023, gets 351k weekly visitors at the time of writing. The group is dedicated to “Old and new photographs that can sometimes be odd or surreal, but are always unique with an interesting backstory.”
#25 John Mccain Being Captured By Vietnamese Civilians, Hanoi, 1967
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#26 Ota Benga (1904-1906) — A Mbuti Pygmy, Born In Congo Free State In 1885
He was sold to an American explorer for display at the 1904 World’s Fair. He was then housed in the Bronx Zoo primate house. He settled in Lynchburg, VA, but never returned home again. He [ended his own life] in 1916.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
#27 In 1910, Louis And Temple Abernathy Decided To Cross America By Horseback Without Adult Supervision, From Oklahoma To Manhattan
They were just 10 and 6 years old. To get back home, they bought a car and drove it while their horses returned by train. In 1913 they made the same trip on a motorcycle
Image credits: dannydutch1
If you plan on joining the community, before you start posting tons of awesome historical snapshots, make sure to read the rules in the sidebar. For one, make sure that you add the date the photo was taken, and try to identify the people in the image. What’s more, you should “Try to make the image you post unique,” while avoiding any colorized photos.
#28 In 1939, 18-Year-Old Philip Met 13-Year-Old Princess Elizabeth At The Royal Navy College In Dartmouth
Philip, then a cadet, had been assigned to escort the Royal Family during their visit. It was the first time he and Elizabeth spent time together one-on-one.
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#29 Princess Margaret In The Bathtub Wearing Her Tiara, 1962. Tony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) Can Be Seen In The Mirror Taking The Photo
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#30 King Frederick Ix Of Denmark Showing Off His Tattooed Upper Body. The King Had A Passion For Sailing And Bodybuilding. The Photo Appeared In Life Magazine In 1951
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
Which of these photos left the biggest impression on you and why, dear Pandas? Have you ever done black-and-white photography before? For you personally, what makes a photo truly iconic, so that it stands the test of time? Once you’ve finished upvoting your favorite pics, share your thoughts in the comments below.
#31 Once Called “The Lords Of The Forest”, Billions Of Ancient American Chestnut Trees Once Dominated The Appalachian Landscape
Until 1904, when the accidental introduction of Asian Chestnut Blight rotted them by the millions. By 1920, the species was functionally extinct.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
#32 June 5, 1965: "Pretty, Congenial Little Alicia Brown, 16 Months Old, Engages In Happy Chat With Los Angeles Police Sgt. Genevieve Hauck In The Van Nuys Police Building Yesterday Shortly After The Little Girl Was Abandoned By Her Mother In A Van Nuys Church"
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#33 Madame Jeanne Calment (1875-1997) — Oldest Verifiable Person To Ever Live
She drank wine and smoked until the age of 117, and was the last living person to have met Vincent Van Gogh. When asked to describe him, she would simply reply, “ugly”.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
#34 Priscilla Presley With Her Then-Boyfriend Robert Kardashian, 1976
Image credits: ExtremeInsert
#35 Four Year-Old Mary, Who Shucks Two Pots Of Oysters A Day At Dunbar
The boss said that next year Mary will work steady as the rest of them. The mother is the fastest shucker in the place. Earns $1.50 a day. Works part of the time with her sick baby in her arms. Dunbar, Louisiana, US. 1911
Image credits: dannydutch1
#36 Casino Security Overlooking The Pit. The Mint, Downtown Vegas, 1968
Image credits: dannydutch1
#37 John Belushi And Dan Aykroyd In Their Tiny New York Apartment, Mid 1970s
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#38 This Is An Example Of The Tradition Of Skull Elongation Among The Mangbetu People Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
This ancient beauty custom, known as Lipombo, shaped identity, status and art until its colonial prohibition in the 1950s.
Image credits: dannydutch1
#39 Actress Merle Oberon Was Born In 1911 In Bombay And Hid Her True Origins Claiming To Have Been Born To White Parents In Tasmania
The first Asian Best Actress Oscar nominee, she used skin bleaching and reinvention to survive Hollywood prejudice, keeping her heritage secret until after her death
Image credits: dannydutch1
#40 19th-Century Paris Once Had A Village Of Treehouse Taverns. Roast Chicken, Wine, And Rope Pulleys In The Branches, These Are Examples Of The Lost World Of Les Guinguettes De Robinson
Image credits: dannydutch1
#41 Disappointed But Unharmed, A Vacationing Couple Pose With Their Pontiac Catalina. 1969
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#42 Tsar Nicholas II’s Daughters Shaved Their Heads After Losing Their Hair In Clumps Due To Measles. 1917 From Left To Right, Grand Duchesses: Anastasia, Tatiana, Olga And Maria
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#43 Isabella Rossellini And Martin Scorsese On Their Wedding Day, 1979
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#44 State Hospital Staff Wearing Skull Masks (1898-1912)
Image credits: Crowbeatsme
#45 Freddie Mercury Having A Sleepover With Some Close Friends. Circa 1980
Image credits: dannydutch1
#46 On The Left Is David Reimer On The Right Is Brenda Reimer
They're the same person, as a child he was a victim of a botched circumcision, so on the advice of one doctor, the family decided to have him castrated and raise him as a girl. At age 13 he began living as a boy again.
Image credits: dannydutch1
#47 22 Yr-Old Charlie Johns Reading The Bible To His 9 Yr-Old Bride, Eunice Winstead. They Married In 1937 And Went On To Have 9 Children Together
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#48 Mississippi’s First Interracial Bride And Groom, Berta And Roger Mills, Enjoying Their Wedding Cake In 1970. 55 Years Ago
Image credits: dannydutch1
#49 This Is The Last Photo Of Travis Alexander, Taken In The Shower Moments Before His Life Was Taken By Jodi Arias On This Day In 2008
Image credits: dannydutch1
#50 Barack Obama, 10, And His Father, Also Named Barack Obama. Obama’s Father Left The Family To Study At Harvard When Barack Was Just Two, Returning Only Once
Image credits: dannydutch1
#51 A Then 118-Year-Old Sarah Knauss Posing For A Family Photo, United States, 1998
When Sarah Knauss was born, William McKinley was president, the Eiffel Tower had been standing for only a decade, and the average American life expectancy was just 47 years.
Born in 1880, she lived through three centuries, twenty-one U.S. presidents, two World Wars, and the dawn of the internet. By the time this photograph was taken, she had become the world’s oldest living person and the oldest verified American in history.
Knauss attributed her longevity to “keeping calm and not letting things upset her.” She witnessed a world that transformed from horse-drawn carriages to space travel. She passed in 1999 at 119 years and 97 days
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#52 A Couple Enjoys Some Privacy As They Embrace In A Hole In The Sand On A Beach In Santa Monica, California. July 1950
Image credits: UtterlyInterest
#53 Students At Augustana College React To The Not Guilty Verdict Of O.j. Simpson’s Trial, October 3rd, 1995
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#54 A Trio Of Images Showing Some Of Warren Jeffs' Wives
Jeffs was a self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He became well known in the 1990s when it emerged he kept 500 kids on a farm and married 12-year-olds.
Image credits: dannydutch1
#55 Luigi Lineri, The Italian Collector Who Gathers And Chategorizes Stones From The Adige River In Northern Italy For Over 50 Years
Image credits: dannydutch1
#56 John F Kennedy Talking To A Neighbor While Wearing The Back Brace, Which Was Designed And Fitted Especially For Him
Image credits: dannydutch1
#57 Chet Baker Aged 26 vs. Chet Baker Age 56. Stay Away From [illegal Substance], Kids! Two Years After The Photo On The Right Was Taken, Baker Fell From A 2nd Story Window In Amsterdam And Passed
Image credits: dannydutch1
#58 Barack Obama And His Fellow Classmates Protesting Against Homework, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1970s
Image credits: No_Dig_8299
#59 Dr. William T. Corlett Of Cleveland’s Western Reserve University Took This Photograph Of A Recovered Smallpox Patient. The Scars Were Permanent. Circa Early1900s
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#60 Last Known Photos Of Extreme Cave Diver Dave Shaw, Moments Before His Final Dive Into South Africa’s “Bushman’s Hole”
He blacked out at a depth of 872 feet while retrieving a fellow diver’s body, his helmet camera recording his demise.
Image credits: Chemical-Elk-1299
#61 The Niagara Falls L Without Water, 1969
Image credits: theanti_influencer75
#62 A 1972 Photograph Of Maria Rasputina Holding A Portrait Of Her Father, Grigory Rasputin. She Left Russia In 1920, Became A U.S. Citizen, And Lived In Los Angeles Until Her Passing In 1977
Image credits: dannydutch1
#63 James Dean Sitting In An Open Coffin At Hunt’s Furniture Store In Fairmount, Indiana, 1955. He Would Return To His Hometown In A Coffin Just Seven Months Later
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#64 Uma Thurman’s Mother Nena Von Schleebrügge Posing For Vogue Magazine In 1958
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#65 Robert Bloch, Author Of Psycho, At His Desk In The 1950s. Widely Regarded As His Most Enduring Work, The Novel Remains One Of The Most Influential Horror Stories Of The 20th Century
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#66 This Is The Grave That 20yr-Old Barbara Mackle Was Buried Alive In After Being Kidnapped In 1968
Image credits: dannydutch1
#67 On This Day In 1977, Park Ranger Roy Sullivan Was Struck By Lightning For The Seventh Time, He Survived All Seven Strikes Over 35 Years, Setting A World Record
Image credits: dannydutch1
#68 Lew Alcindor's Graduation At Ucla, 1969. (Later Known As Kareem Abdul Jabbar)
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#69 A Gigantic Man In A New York Tavern, 1908
Image credits: CarkWithaM
#70 Boxer Fred Bretonnel In 1920 At The Age Of 15 And In 1928 At The Age Of 23
In a career totaling 76 matches, he lost 18, drew 14 and won 42 with 14 knock outs. He would commit suicide in 1928
Image credits: onwhatcharges
#71 A Korean Sailor Takes A Break From Transporting Cargo, Sitting Under The Shadow From The Sail, Smoking From His Long Bamboo Pipe. He Wears Cool Hemp Clothes. Circa 1904
Image credits: dannydutch1
#72 February 2014: Raleigh North Carolina, Following 3.3 Inches Of Snow
Image credits: morganmonroe81
#73 Hillary Clinton Getting Her Face Painted At Wellesley College, 1969. She Graduated That Year Earning A Degree With Honours In Political Science
Image credits: UtterlyInterest
#74 A Kiribati Warrior From Beru Wearing A Suit Of Armor Made From The Tough Outer Fibers Of Coconut Husks, A Helmet Of Dried Pufferfish, And Holding A Shark Tooth Spear
Image credits: dannydutch1
#75 First Underwater Photograph Of A Person, 1899. The Photographer Was Louis Boutan, And The Man We See Is Emil Racoviță, A Romanian Biologist And Explorer
Image credits: TidesOfMarch
#76 Teenage Sigmund Freud With Mother, 1872
Image credits: ExtremeInsert
