Nessie - 8 Facts About Loch Ness' Most Elusive Resident

Before we jump to what is considered the most famous Nessie photo of all time, it is worth mentioning that there were not a huge amount of sightings, at least not ones that were recorded at the time anyway, until a renewed interest seemed to emerge around the 1930s.

While talk of the monster may have persisted locally, there was suddenly a spate of sightings in short succession. While some different characteristics were given, this is where the picture of the monster as most imagine it now was born. A long, slender neck and a small head with a large body and flippers on the sides. Very reminiscent of a plesiosaur.

It should be noted that not all sightings matched this description, but the publication and wide-distribution of the 'Surgeon's Photograph', taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson, cemented this as the classic appearance of the monster.

The most famous image of a long neck and small head rising from the water was actually one from a set, although the others are not as well known or widely published. When first circulated in newspapers, although many were taken with the idea and it caused a huge amount of interest, there were people who were sceptical from the start.

Due to there being nothing else of note in the frame, it was impossible to deduce what proportions the "creature" had, but the man who took the photo swore to its authenticity and the modern day era of Nessie hunting was born.