You might not know who Janis Krums is , but chances are you saw his iconic photo of the `` Miracle on the Hudson . '' Krums , then 23 , was on a commuter ferry rushing to rescue passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 after Capt . Chesley B . `` Sully '' Sullenberger III gracefully landed the plane . He snapped a photo with his iPhone and posted it on Twitter . `` There 's a plane in the Hudson . I 'm on the ferry going to pick up the people . Crazy , '' he posted on Twitpic , Twitter 's photo sharing site , on January 15 , 2009 . He only shared it with his 170 followers , but the photo spread quickly . Soon news networks started calling to interview him . His image was one of the earliest to appear after the landing . 2009 : Hudson photo crashes Twitpic servers . `` This may be among the most striking instances yet of instant citizen reporting , '' wrote the LA Times the day of the landing . Krums ' photo appeared on the front pages of newspapers . He was interviewed on national TV , and he said the moment changed his life . He became one of the first and best examples of citizen journalism going viral on Twitter . ( And his Twitter following went from 170 to more than 10,000 . ) Gallery : iReporters capture 2009 crash aftermath . These days , he is the CEO/co-founder of Opprtunity.com , a real-time professional discovery platform . Five years after the iconic photo , Krums shared with CNN how one photo changed his life . The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity . CNN : What was the reaction like when you posted the photo on Twitter ? Did you have any idea it would go viral ? Krums : I had no idea that it would do what it did . I actually gave my phone to one of the passengers that we rescued . Once I got the phone back , I started to get text messages and calls from what seemed like every news outlet . The first call that I took was from MSNBC . I was very surprised that it went viral the way that it did . I posted to my 170 followers and did not send it to any news outlets . It was incredible to see the power of Twitter and how news can spread around the world in a matter of minutes . CNN : Do you think the iconic Twitpic has specifically led to opportunities for you or contributed to your success ? If so , how ? Krums : It 's been a great story when I talk to people about technology . I 've gotten some incredible opportunities to speak at such places as Columbia Journalism School and the Poynter Institute . I 'm involved with technology , so I actually became an adviser to Rawporter.com . Their mission is to protect , promote and sell photos and videos from everyday people . CNN : Do you still shoot Twitpics , or do you prefer other photo platforms like Instagram ? Please explain . Krums : I actually shoot mostly with Instagram . The reason that in 2009 I used Twitpic was because it was the best and really the only viable site to use for photos on Twitter . I 'm always trying new apps , so when I find something that works I stick with it . CNN : What are the types of things you most like to photograph with your mobile device ? Krums : I tend to shoot sunsets and other beautiful scenes , random cool things , friends , and you ca n't go wrong with a good selfie . CNN : What 's your favorite photo that you 've ever taken ? Why ? Krums : I would say that the Miracle on the Hudson wins by a large margin . It 's an iconic image of an incredible event . What Sully was able to accomplish is truly a miracle .
US Airways Flight 1549 crash landed in the Hudson on January 15 , 2009 . The plane was carrying 155 passengers and crew members when it crashed into a flock of geese at about 9:45 a.m. local time as it approached New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Krums ' photo became iconic , changing citizen journalism .