Who photographed the famous V-J Day kiss in Times Square on August 14, 1945?

Alfred Eisenstaedt photographed the famous V-J Day kiss in Times Square on August 14, 1945.

Eisenstaedt was working for Life magazine when he captured the image of a U.S. Navy sailor kissing a woman in a white uniform amid celebrations in New York City. The photograph became one of the best-known images associated with the end of World War II.

The woman was later identified as Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant, while the sailor was identified as George Mendonsa. Eisenstaedt did not record the names at the time, and several people later claimed to be the subjects. The photograph’s composition and the uncertainty surrounding the identities contributed to its lasting cultural fame.

A different photograph of the same moment was taken by Navy photographer Victor Jorgensen. His image, titled Kissing the War Goodbye, appeared in The New York Times. Because both photographs show the same kiss from different angles, the two photographers are often confused.