Top 22+ Iconic Pop Culture Moments and Places from a Different Angle

Some images are so iconic and seared into our brains that we can picture them with our eyes closed. However, unless you’ve ever seen some of these places or things in person, you’ve only seen them from one particular angle. What happens when that camera gets turned, and you see something you know very well from a different viewpoint? It helps you learn more about the background story of these iconic images and places, and lets you see the bigger picture. Here are 20 photos of iconic moments in history and pop culture, shown from a different angle.

#1: Sesame Street Favorites

If you loved Sesame Street as a kid, there’s a good chance you thought of some of these puppets as your closest friends. They are so lovable that it can be easy to forget they aren’t alive. Have you ever wondered what the force behind their lifelike movements is?
Your favorite Sesame Street friends ran on human power! This picture shows how their creator, Jim Henson, got dirty with his creations. In case you ever wondered, Bert and Ernie were completely human-powered! Even their hands were just human hands disguised as puppet hands. Notice how it took two puppeteers to operate Ernie!

#3: Ghostbusters’ Marshmallow Man

Do you remember the awe you felt the first time you watched Ghostbusters and saw the enormous Marshmallow Man rampaging through New York City? It was pretty impressive, considering it was the early ’80s. Did you ever wonder how the filmmakers pulled that off? He almost looks like perhaps he was one of those giant Thanksgiving Day parade balloons, but that wasn’t the case. 
Instead of being several stories tall, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was, in reality, the size of a human. They made him appear larger than life by placing him on a small-scale recreation of Manhattan. It’s all about perspective and tricks of the eye. Creating such a detailed landscape must have taken much time and work.

#4: The Pyramids of Giza From Inside a Pizza Hut

There is no denying that the Pyramids of Giza are one of the world’s greatest wonders. Likewise, we would argue that pizza is also a world wonder. However, for some reason, it just does not seem right that a person can sit inside a fast-food pizza place and enjoy the view of this phenomenon of mankind.
As sacrilegious or surreal as it seems, this image is absolutely real. Now, you can travel to Egypt only to enjoy questionable pizza and breathtaking views. We wonder how the ancient pharaohs would feel about this arrangement. After all, they never got to taste delicious pizza, so there’s a chance they might think this is fantastic!

#6: Behind The Scenes of Abbey Road

The cover of Abbey Road is so iconic that you can probably picture what it looks like with your eyes closed. It has such a natural feel that most people probably think of it as something that happened organically: the Beatles members were crossing a road, and somebody just happened to snap their picture.
Of course, it’s never as simple as that. A lot of planning went into capturing that image. First, a location had to be scouted, clothing had to be carefully picked out, and then the actual photo shoot had to be arranged. When working in public, you always need to worry about bystander interference. The photographer employed the local police to stop car and foot traffic during their photo shoot!

#7: Do You Recognize the Man in the Picture?

Believe it or not, public television painter Bob Ross didn’t always look like the happy little hippy he was on his show. Instead, the man best known for painting happy little trees was a struggling artist at one time. So, we wonder what his life was like when he was a clean-cut young man without his iconic perm.
Ever the pragmatic Bob decided to perm his hair at some point because it was easier to care for and cost less money than regular maintenance. We know his curly mop was somewhat of a calling card for him, but we’re partial to his retro hairstyle. What a difference a few years can make!

#9: A Frog’s Slimy Underbelly

If we told you that this was a living creature, what would you guess it was? Our guess would have been an alien, but we would have been entirely wrong. What you’re looking at right now is a little frog! What might seem like pink bubbles are the frog’s toes. Awww! They’re so stinking cute!
If he had not been sticking to a glass surface, we might never have gotten this unique and amazing view of his little belly. Thank goodness for these opportunities to see things from nature that aren’t customarily viewed this way. That reminds us: Have you ever seen those photos of cats sitting on top of glass tables? They’re priceless!

#10: The Sphinx From the Other Side

While visiting the Pizza Hut in Giza, you’ll likely be tempted to visit the famous Sphinx. However, there’s a lot more to this mythical creature than what you see from the front. For example, did you know that the Sphinx has a tail? This photographer decided to walk around the Sphinx’s back and discover what there was to see.
The photograph doesn’t show a tunnel inside the Sphinx’s backside. The passage was discovered in the 1920s but then covered over and forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1980. Nobody knows precisely what the tunnel is for, but some theories suggest it is a passage to an unfinished tomb.

#12: The Back of King Tut’s Head

In 1925, Howard Carter made history when he discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. The discovery was significant because his tomb is the most complete example of an ancient Egyptian royal burial. For the first time in modern civilization, we finally got a good look at the luxury and detail-rich world of the pharaohs.
For example, look at the back of King Tut’s mask. Most people are familiar with the face of his burial mask, but few have seen its back. Most people have never wondered what it looks like, and if they did, they likely did not expect to see this! Look at the tremendous detail that went into this piece of art that was never intended to be seen by other humans.

#13: People Reacting to The Challenger Disaster at Cape Canaveral

In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger launched out of Cape Canaveral, Florida, on what was to be a historic trip to space. Aside from the regular crew members, a school teacher was on board. Tragically, 73 seconds into its flight, the Challenger exploded before viewers on TV and many who were there in person.
The photos of the explosion are heartbreaking, but seeing these rare pictures of attendees reacting to the nightmare unfolding is unspeakably gut-wrenching. The world was utterly shocked to see this tragedy unfold in real-time; these poor people who witnessed it live remind us how devastated everyone felt at the time.

#15: Watching a Disaster Unfold

Some of us remember the day of 9/11 vividly, and others may have tried to block it. On that day, something changed in the world. People all over the world were glued to their screens as they heard about the horrors of the 9/11 terror attack. What about the residents of NYC? Some saw the buildings collapse first-hand, not through a TV screen.
This image captures the onlookers on the streets of New York as they watched the Twin Towers collapse on 9/11. You can see the shock and horror on their faces; we wouldn’t expect them to react any other way. This was a traumatic day for many people; can you imagine being so close to the scene and watching everything unfold?

#16: Hiding in Plain Sight

One of the most famous sculptures in existence is undoubtedly Michelangelo’s David. He created his masterpiece between 1501 and 1504, at the height of the Italian Renaissance. This statue remains so well-known and studied to this day because of its flawless beauty and magnitude—it towers over 5 meters!
So, during World War II, many people were worried about the fate of classic art pieces if their buildings were bombed. Since so much valuable treasure was being destroyed, they encased David in a protective tomb of bricks. Whether this fortress was ever tested is unknown, but at least they did manage to save it for future generations to admire.

#18: Alien Off-Duty

The sci-fi thriller movie Alien was a huge success that spawned many sequels over the years. And it’s no wonder; it was the perfect mix of horror and science fiction, sparking millions of imaginations. Once audiences caught a glimpse of a xenomorph, the idea of terrifying aliens stalking us took root.
These creatures are so terrifying in the films that it is impossible to imagine them as anything else. However, this behind-the-scenes photo from the Alien 3 set casts these villains in a new light. Do these otherworldly monsters have feelings, too? Do they get tired after hours of shooting? No, this is just one of the actors taking five.

#19: Statue of Liberty from a Different Perspective

The Statue of Liberty sits in New York Harbor, welcoming all to the shores of her country. She’s a symbol of freedom, bravery, and protection. She was a gift from France, designed by French sculptor and painter Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. However, most people don’t realize that her official name is Liberty Enlightening the World.
Most people also don’t realize that because of her enormous size, Lady Liberty could not be constructed in one piece and shipped across the ocean that way. So, instead, Barthold made her out of several components that would be assembled once she was in her final destination. These pictures depict several of the pieces scattered around Paris.

#21: Queen’s Iconic Music Video in the Making

Bohemian Rhapsody, released in 1975, is one of Queen’s most iconic songs. Part of what made it so memorable and unique is its length of 6 minutes, which was very unusual for the time (and still is), combined with its promotional music video. Much like the song, the music video was a little bit eerie, quirky, and psychedelic. This music video ended up being one of the most iconic video clips in the history of music.

#22: Lincoln Memorial Back in the Day

One of the things that defines the Lincoln Memorial, built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is the impressive Reflecting Pool at the front, right? Well, the pool came after the actual structure, which was built in 1922. The Reflecting Pool, completed in 1923, remains an iconic part of Washington, D.C.