The world around us is constantly changing, but we might not notice how much it actually transforms when we’re in the midst of all of it. It’s only when we compare photos taken in the past and the present that the contrast between the two becomes obvious.
To draw your attention to how much we have progressed, Bored Panda compiled a list of then-and-now photos that show how dramatically our surroundings have changed. Scroll down to find them below, and don’t forget to upvote those you found the most surprising.
While you're at it, be sure to check out a conversation with photographers Mark Klett and Garry Pycroft, who dabble in then-and-now photography, called rephotography, and kindly agreed to share more about it.
#1 Noorabad Bridge, Morena, India. 1829 vs. 2010
Image credits: Edward Francis Finden and Patrick Young Waugh
#2 Norway, Hellesylt 1885 vs. 2016
Image credits: Knud Knudsen
#3 Tokyo Station - 1914 vs. 2023
Image credits: wikimedia
The images in this list that compare the same place in two different moments in time are called rephotographs. They provide us with a then-and-now view of the same site and allow us to document the changes that are happening for various purposes.
To know more about this fascinating kind of photography, we reached out to photographers Mark Klett and Garry Pycroft, who dabble in then-and-now photography, and they kindly agreed to share their experience with us.
#4 Eilean Donan Castle, Taken Sometime Before 1911 vs. 2020
Image credits: G. W. Wilson & Co.
#5 Hiroshima, Japan. 1945 vs. 2006
Image credits: U.S. Navy Public Affairs Resources Website
#6 Moai Statues In Rano Raraku, Easter Island. 1914 vs. 2019
Image credits: Katherine Maria Routledge
Pycroft starts by explaining that there are two types of fundamental approaches to rephotography. The first is quite straightforward—the image connects two photos, one before and one after. Meanwhile, the second is more artistic—it blends the two images to create the appearance of the past being in today's environment.
"My images fall into category 2. I should also state that I consider myself probably the most travelled "rephotographer" in the world. My website, Voyageur Du Passe, shows my images from the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Hungary, and Switzerland."
#7 The Ruins Of Tikál, Guatemala. 1890 vs. 2023
Image credits: Alfred Percival Maudslay
#8 Pyramid Of The Sun In Teotihuacan, Mexico. 1900 vs. 2023
Image credits: Library of Congress
#9 Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., U.S. 1917 vs 2020
Image credits: Library of Congress
Pycroft decided to dabble in rephotography because he simply loves the entire process.
Whereas photographer Mark Klett tells us that what drew him to rephotography is the curiosity about what has happened to the scene or place shown in an older photograph.
"What has changed, and what does it look like now? It’s a kind of time warp to stand in the same place where a historical photograph was made long ago. It’s an often unexpected and eye-opening experience."
#10 Seoul, South Korea In 1900 vs. 2016
Image credits: wikimedia
#11 Outdoor Theater, Bucharest, Romania. 1916 vs. 2016
Image credits: 9999problems
#12 Mortuary Temple Of Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egypt. 1880 vs. 2022
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#13 Caerphilly Castle, Caerphilly, South Wales. 1855 vs. 2024
Image credits: Francis Lockey
#14 Stonehenge In Wiltshire, England. Then vs. 2019
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#15 Los Angeles In 1880 vs. 2019
Image credits: metrolibraryarchive
#16 Buddahs Of Bamiyan, Afghanistan. 1963 vs. 2008
Image credits: UNESCO/A Lezine
#17 Machu Picchu In 1912 After Major Clearing Work Had Been Undertaken vs. 2023
Image credits: Hiram Bingham III
#18 End Of Great Wall, Shanhai Pass, China. 1930 vs. 2008
Image credits: Frey-Wyssling
#19 Magnesia Ad Maeandrum, Anatolia, Turkey. 1984 vs. 2013
Image credits: reddit.com
#20 Odeon Of Herodes Atticus, Located On The Southwest Slope Of The Acropolis Of Athens, Greece. 1893 vs. 2001
Image credits: William Vaughn
#21 Arch Of Constantine, Rome, Italy. 1896 vs. 2022
Image credits: Keystone View Company
#22 Togetsukyo Bridge, Kyoto, Japan. 1870 vs. Now
Image credits: GooglySmelmo
#23 Milan Cathedral, Italy. 1938 vs. 2016
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#24 Seljestadjuvet In Odda, Norway. 1905 vs. 2022
Image credits: American Stereoscopic Company
#25 Roman Baths And Abbey, England. 1890 vs. 2024
Image credits: Detroit Publishing Company
#26 Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. 1930 vs. 2020
Image credits: Walter Mittelholzer
#27 The Parthenon, Athens. 1900 vs. 2022
Image credits: Matson photograph collection
#28 Piramide Cestia And Porta San Paolo In Rome, Italy. 1920 vs. 2012
Image credits: ETH Library Zurich
#29 Pennsylvania Station In New York, United States. 1911 vs. 2007
Image credits: Library of Congress
#30 Seoul City Gates, Korea. 1910 vs. 2024
Image credits: Frank G. Carpenter
#31 Golden Gate Bridge In San Francisco, California. 1934 vs. 2017
Image credits: Charles M. Hiller
#32 Malabar Hill - Panorama Of Bombay, India. 1860 vs. 2021
Image credits: Samuel Bourne
#33 Statue Of Liberty In Liberty Island, New York City. 1927 vs. 2014
Image credits: Department of Agriculture
#34 Ponte Vecchio In Florence, Italy. 1965 vs. 2019
Image credits: Biblioteca Europea Di Informazione E Cultura
#35 Reichstag In Berlin, Germany. 1900 vs. 2024
Image credits: Library of Congress
#36 Cairo, Egypt. 1870 vs. 2019
Image credits: Antonio Beato
#37 The Peruvudaiyar Kovil Or Brihadeeswarar Temple, India. 1880 vs. 2016
Image credits: wikimedia
#38 Eiffel Tower In Paris, France. 1889 vs. 2025
Image credits: Library of Congress
#39 Copacabana Beach In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. 1930 vs. 2022
Image credits: Library of Congress
#40 Times Square In New York, United States. 1980 vs. 2023
Image credits: Bernard Gotfryd
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