Oxygenic photosynthesis synthesizes sugars from water and carbon dioxide using light energy from the sun, thereby converts light energy into chemical energy and provides oxygen for aerobic life on the earth. The light-harvesting, electron transfer, and water-splitting reactions of photosynthesis are catalyzed by two large membrane-protein complexes photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI). Through high-resolution crystal structural analysis by synchrotron X-rays as well as femtosecond X-ray free electron lasers, the mechanisms of these reactions have become understandable at the atomic level. Here we review the recent progresses in analyzing the structures of PSII and PSI as well as their functional implications.