“Migrant Mother” is one of the most famous pictures from the Great Depression. The picture taken by Dorothea Lange brilliantly shows the brutal life many were living during such a bleak time in America’s history. The background behind this picture is interesting and one you wouldn’t think. Lange and other photographers of the time were paid by the government to document the times by taking pictures. Lange was driving around California taking pictures. She was on her way home and saw a sign saying peas were being sold, but she continued driving. A couple minutes later, she decided to turn around and take what would be one of the most viewed pictures ever. The family shown in the photo was a single mom with two of her several kids. They were living in a makeshift shelter eating frozen peas barely getting by. The mother shows a tired, rough face as if she has done everything and used all her energy in order to survive and serve as a mother. The facial expression in the picture is much more powerful than words.