12 Fascinating Photos of People Posing on the Loveman’s Building Roof, 1894

These fascinating photos capture people posing on the rooftop of the D.B. Loveman & Company department store in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1894. Taken during a time when the store was one of the city’s largest and most important retailers, the images show employees and others gathered informally against the backdrop of the late-19th-century urban skyline.

With their formal attire and relaxed yet posed expressions, the subjects offer a rare and intimate glimpse into everyday life and workplace culture of the era. These rare rooftop portraits preserve a unique moment in Chattanooga’s history more than 130 years ago.

See more»

Lucille Ball and Young Accomplices Sitting With Legs Crossed in Los Angeles, 1933

Before becoming television’s most famous redhead on I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball was a brunette working model and aspiring chorus girl in New York. She found overnight fame when a portrait of her was sold to Chesterfield cigarettes, splashing her face across giant commercial billboards nationwide. That sudden high-profile modeling success caught the eye of legendary Hollywood producer Samuel Goldwyn. He recruited Ball and a select group of prominent advertising models, collectively known as The Goldwyn Girls, to move out West.

This specific picture was taken on July 19, 1933, right as the young women stepped off the train. To drum up publicity, the studio had them pose with their legs crossed on a railway station luggage cart. The women in the photograph were all famous faces from major national print ad campaigns. From left to right, they are:Katherine Mauk (representing Wrigley chewing gum), Rosalie Fromson (representing Pond’s face cream), Mary Lange (representing Camel cigarettes), Vivian Keefer, Barbara Pepper (who became a lifelong close friend of Lucille Ball and later played Doris Ziffel on Green Acres), Theo Phane, and Lucille Ball (representing Chesterfield cigarettes).

The group traveled to Hollywood specifically to appear in the pre-Code musical comedy film Roman Scandals (1933), starring Eddie Cantor. While many of the women transitioned into standard studio chorus work, this trip marked the official launch of Lucille Ball’s legendary Hollywood career, paving her path from a struggling B-movie contract player to a historic comedy icon and the first female head of a major television studio.

30 Beautiful On-Set Portraits of Brigitte Bardot From “The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful” (1956)

These beautiful on-set portraits capture Brigitte Bardot at a pivotal moment in her early career during the filming of the 1956 comedy The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful. Shot between takes and in promotional sessions, the photos showcase her natural charm, youthful beauty, and emerging screen presence.

With her signature blonde hair, expressive eyes, and effortless sensuality, Bardot already radiates the magnetic allure that would soon make her an international icon. These images offer a charming and intimate glimpse into her work and style in the mid-1950s.

See more»

26 Photos of Salma Hayek as Carolina on the Set of “Desperado” (1995)

On the set of the 1995 action film Desperado, Salma Hayek’s experience playing Carolina was both a grueling, emotionally intense journey and the ultimate breakout milestone for her Hollywood career. While the role established her as a major star, behind the scenes she faced immense pressure, casting hurdles, and a highly challenging filming process.

Before filming even began, Hayek had to fight hard for the role of Carolina. Columbia Pictures originally pushed to cast bigger, non-Latina names like Cameron Diaz. Studio executives hesitated to hire Hayek, reportedly fearing her name sounded “too Mexican” for American audiences. Director Robert Rodriguez fiercely advocated for her, making her audition repeatedly until she secured the part.

Hayek has openly shared that shooting the iconic love scene with co-star Antonio Banderas was one of her most difficult moments on set. The intimate scene was not in the original script and was only added after production began. Because Rodriguez was a close friend and his wife was her best friend, Hayek agreed to film on a strictly closed set of just four people. However, when it came time to shoot, she became overwhelmed by fear and began to sob.

Hayek recalled being unable to let go of her towel and crying repeatedly. She praised Banderas and Rodriguez for being absolute gentlemen who tried to make her laugh and never pressured her. To accommodate her discomfort, the final scene had to be heavily chopped up in editing because she could not stay in character for long stretches.

Despite the grueling nature of the shoot, the environment fostered an iconic cinematic partnership. The tranquil, romantic scenes between Carolina and El Mariachi provided emotional grounding against the movie’s explosive action. Hayek’s fierce energy and charisma on set cemented a lifelong creative partnership with Rodriguez, leading directly to her legendary appearance in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and reprising her role as Carolina in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003).

See more»

Young Keanu Reeves Photographed by Ken Nahoum, 1990

The iconic 1990 photo session of a young Keanu Reeves, captured by celebrity photographer Ken Nahoum, showcases the actor just as he was rising to global fame. Taken shortly after his breakout role in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), the photoshoot captures his signature laid-back, early ‘90s grunge aesthetic.

The shoot features Reeves styled in relaxed, oversized button-down shirts, standard denim, a distinct black fedora hat, and rugged boots. Ken Nahoum utilized a minimalist studio setup, heavily featuring a single metal grid chair that Reeves interacts with playfully—leaning over it, sitting backward, and posing dynamically.

The images lean into a raw, candid energy, contrasting soft studio lighting with Reeves’s naturally expressive and brooding features right before Point Break (1991) cemented him as a Hollywood heartthrob.

See more»

Johnny Moncada: Elegant Fashion Photographer of 1960s Italy

Johnny Moncada (1928–2011) was an Italian fashion photographer known for his elegant and sophisticated images that captured the spirit of postwar Italian style.

Working primarily in Rome from the mid-1950s to 1970, Moncada photographed some of the era’s most iconic models, including Veruschka, Jean Shrimpton, Ali MacGraw, and leading Italian faces such as Isa Stoppi and Mirella Petteni. His work appeared in magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Linea Italiana, and Grazia, and he also created striking advertising campaigns for brands such as Vespa and Alitalia.

Blending artistic sensibility with high fashion, Moncada’s photographs remain a refined record of 1960s elegance and glamour. These stylish photos showcase the refined elegance and timeless sophistication of Johnny Moncada’s fashion photography from the golden age of Italian style.

Model in rainbow-colored gown by Irene Galitzine, photo by Johnny Moncada, Linea Italia, 1967

Joan Whelan in suit by unidentified designer, photo by Johnny Moncada, Rome, 1957

Joan Whelan in suit by unidentified designer, photo by Johnny Moncada, Rome, 1957

Veruschka, photo by Johnny Moncada, 1963

Veruschka, photo by Johnny Moncada, 1963

See more»

Officer Chris Amoroso Helping a Woman to Safety From the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001

Chris Amoroso was 29 years old and had been with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD) for about a year at the time of the attacks. He was known as a devoted husband to his wife, Jamie, and a dedicated officer. He had been working at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan but responded to the World Trade Center when the attacks began.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, after the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, Amoroso rushed to the scene to assist with the rescue efforts. A now-iconic photograph captured him helping an injured woman, her face covered in soot and blood, away from the collapsing buildings. That photo came to symbolize the selfless bravery of first responders that day.

(Photo by © Todd Maisel)

After leading the woman to safety, Amoroso refused to stop. He returned to the towers to help evacuate more people, showing extraordinary courage in the face of escalating danger. He was last seen going back into the South Tower shortly before it collapsed at 9:59 a.m. Amoroso was one of 37 Port Authority police officers who were killed in the attacks, the largest loss of life in a single day in U.S. law enforcement history.

Chris Amoroso’s bravery and sacrifice have been widely honored. His name is inscribed at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City. He is remembered not only as a hero of 9/11 but also as a symbol of the countless acts of courage and humanity displayed by first responders that day.