Churchill posed with a cigar in his mouth, refusing to smile, and then the photographer politely, but decisively pulled the cigar from his mouth - at that moment the shot was taken. It turned out to be a picture of Churchill looking stern, resolute, and slightly irritated. This image became a symbol of Great Britain's resilience during World War II.

The photograph went around the world, it was printed on stamps, coins, in textbooks and magazines. It not only established the image of an "iron" leader for Churchill, but also glorified Yousuf Karsh himself - after this painting, he became one of the most sought-after portraitists of his time and photographed many great people of the 20th century, including Albert Einstein and the Pope.