Robert Cornelius (March 1, 1809 – August 10, 1893)
was a photographer and pioneer in the history of
photography.

He designed the photographic plate for the first
photograph taken in the United States, an image
of Central High School taken by Joseph Saxton in
1839.

His self image taken in 1839 is the first known
photographic portrait of a person taken in the
United States. He operated two of the earliest
photography studios in the United States
between 1841 and 1843 and implemented
innovative techniques to significantly reduce
the exposure time required for portraits. 

Former Associated Press photographer Jack Smith, left, is
pictured with fellow photographer Steven Nehl, then of the Oregonian newspaper.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jack Smith, an Associated Press photographer
who captured unforgettable shots of the eruption of Mount St.
Helens, the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, boxer Mike Tyson biting off
part of Evander Holyfield’s ear, and weeping figure skater Tonya
Harding at the Olympics during a 35-year career with the news organization, has died. He was 80.

His wife Judy said he passed away on Jan. 4 at his home in La
Mesa, California. He had cancer and had been in hospice care.

Six United States Marines raised the American flag atop Mount
Suribachi amid horrific combat on Iwo Jima, the intense wartime
scene captured in perfect angle and frame by photographer
Joseph Rosenthal, on this day in history, Feb. 23, 1945. 

Joseph John Rosenthal (October 9, 1911 – August 20, 2006)

Former Associated Press photographer Jack Smith, left, is
seen with fellow photographer Steven Nehl, then of the Oregonian newspaper.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jack Smith, an Associated Press photographer
who captured unforgettable shots of the eruption of Mount St.
Helens, the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, boxer Mike Tyson biting off
part of Evander Holyfield’s ear, and weeping figure skater Tonya
Harding at the Olympics during a 35-year career with the news organization, has died.

Smith passed away on Jan. 4 at his home in La Mesa, California.

The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980.

USA’s Tonya Harding, of Portland, Ore., shows her skate
to the judges after interrupting her free skating program
at the Winter Olympics in Hamar, Norway on Feb. 25, 1994.

Another of Jack Smith’s famous sports shots came in 1997, when boxer Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s
ear during a fight in Las Vegas.

The Exxon-Valdez oil spill in 1989.