Brother begging on streets to save her baby sister who's lying in a cardboard box

In 1973 photographer Chick Harrity snapped one of the Vietnam War's most memorable images. It showed a baby girl, named Tran Thie Het Nhanny, lying in a cardboard box next to her brother, who begged on the streets of Saigon.

When the photo was published in February of that year, it inspired Americans to raise money to bring the baby to the US to undergo surgery to correct a congenital heart defect.

The White House News Photographers' Association on Saturday gave a lifetime achievement award to Harrity, whose 48-year career included 35 years in Washington.

To Harrity's surprise the award was presented by the woman whose image he captured in that famous photograph. After surgery in the US, Nhanny was adopted by an American woman and now lives in Ohio.

President George Bush was the guest of honour at the ceremony. Introducing himself as "Laura Bush's straight man" he added the narration to a series of joke photos he brought along.

"I know you think you are documenting the Bush presidency, but you have nothing on my mother," he told the gathering of photographers at the start of a series of pictures showing former first lady Barbara Bush taking snapshots.

Many of Mr Bush's photos were of White House photographers assuming various odd positions to get just the right angle - including one lying on the grass for what appeared to be an up close and personal view of dog Barney's rear.

However, closing on a serious note, Mr Bush said: "When people think of historic events, they don't usually remember the words … they remember the images. One photo may not tell us the entire truth, but it gives us a piece of the truth … a glimpse of history, and that's important work."