Each World Cup produces its share of inspiring, controversial, emotional, and ultimately unforgettable moments. Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, here are our picks for some of the most stunning ones ever captured by the camera.
One of the most appealing aspects of soccer is its simplicity—a ball, some open space, goal markers, and you can play. As the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia, with matches held in massive modern arenas, here is a look at the beautiful game in action in some smaller and more unusual venues around the world, including pitches built on a glacier, on a beach, floating in a river, made of straw, on a rooftop, and more.
4Beyond Murder and Mayhem: The Lighter Side of Weegee
Arthur Fellig, the photographer better known as Weegee, is best-known for his photographs of late-night New York mayhem. Murders and fires and car crashes were his specialty, and, in his own words, “crime was my oyster.” But Weegee could also make great images of scenes that weren’t so grim — often injecting humor into unlikely places — and he had a gentle and generous touch, especially, with working-class city dwellers. The playful side of Weegee is as significant a body of work as his crime scenes — and during the four years I spent writing his biography, “Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous,” I came to believe that many of his more lighthearted pictures of his fellow New Yorkers, while not his most famous, are some of his best. In them, I recognize my city and my neighbors, even at 70 years’ remove.
5Heartwarming Photos Capture the Simple Joys of Life in a Post-WWII Paris
Willy Ronis is a legendary name in French photography. Ronis began his career in his father’s photography studio, selling it when his father died in 1936, and setting up his own freelance business. Mingling with the great photographers of his time—Henri Cartier-Bresson, David Seymour, and Robert Capa—he was the first French photographer to work with LIFE.
Passing in 2009 at age 99, Ronis had continued photography until 2001 when his cane made it too difficult to continue working with his camera. The legendary photographer enjoyed a wide-ranging career, one that included fashion photography for publications like Vogue. But it was his street photography—particularly his images of post-WWII Paris—that defined his work. His ability to document human moments between ordinary citizens is a fascinating lens into a city pulling itself out of the hardships of war.
This year’s Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and prayer, will come to a close with Eid al-Fitr, the festival of the breaking of the fast, on June 14. For the past month, Muslims around the world have refrained from eating, drinking, smoking, and having sex during daylight hours in order to focus on spirituality, good deeds, and charity. Collected here, a look at the traditions, ceremonies, food, and community of Ramadan 2018.
