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It all depends on your perspective. Changing how you look at things—and we mean this quite literally—can really make you reconsider what you think you know… and spark your creativity while you’re at it.

The r/AlternateAngles subreddit does exactly what it says on the tin, and it does it well. Members of the online community share photos of iconic events and places. However, there’s a twist! The pics are taken from different angles than we’re used to seeing on the news, in history books, and on social media.

It’s a fresh way to look at history, art, and landmarks, and we’re so in love with the very idea that we couldn’t wait to share their best new featured photos with you, dear Pandas. As you’re scrolling down, upvote the photos that impressed you the most, and be sure to go and follow the subreddit to see their latest pics. Forget what you think you know, you’re about to see a different side to everything.

Bored Panda got in touch with the friendly team running r/AlternateAngles for a follow-up interview, and they were kind enough to answer our questions. Check out what a representative of the moderator team told us as you scroll down!

Oh, and what’s this? The previous article Bored Panda put together about r/AlternateAngles? Well, would you look at that? Why, that’ll be perfect if you want a follow-up after you’re done enjoying this list, Pandas.

One of the moderators who helps run the entire r/AlternateAngles community shared with Bored Panda their take on why the subreddit continues to be so popular and why people are so fascinated by entirely new perspectives.

"We are a unique subreddit that offers pictures that you don't normally see in other subs or the internet in general," they told Bored Panda, adding that sometimes you do see cross-posts from other subreddits or taken from the internet, e.g. from Facebook.

"I think the fascination of, for example, the back frame of the Mona Lisa, is something most people never get to see. We generally don't allow pictures of cats, dogs, food, and generic houses with some spin, but require famous artwork, people, monuments, or events—something everyone will recognize from all the famous photos that are published, but not from the perspective of the photo posted in our sub."

#3

Forbidden Angle

Forbidden Angle

The worst angle for a picture of a seal

Jack7074 Report

In the mod's opinion, the perspective can completely change the tone and feel of the photo. However, they noted that most, if not all, of the images shared on r/AlternateAngles "aren't from professional photographers but instead by Joe Average with an iPhone instead of the latest and greatest digital camera" which means that the sub really is open to everyone. The angle and the idea behind it are more interesting than all the other technical fluff.

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"It's those alternate angles that aren't well published that give people a unique perspective of a location, event, or artwork that they had never been made aware of."

The mod took the Mona Lisa example a bit further to show the unique perspective (pun not intended) that the sub brings even more. "Everyone can go on the internet and see a picture or travel to the Louvre Museum. It was at an odd time while they were fixing the location that a few people could see the back side for the first time. The same could be applied to taking a photo of the Statue of Liberty looking straight up or a photo of 9-11 from an amateur that hadn't been published before. I think people are fascinated by that," the moderator shared with Bored Panda.

"Personally, I feel the quality of the photo has little to do with the popularity but rather the uniqueness of the photo and perspective. The centering of the photo, the proper color gradient, and the perfect focus have little to do with popularity. I think also it is very subjective as to what users are interested in, however, the more unique the perspective plays a large part into how popular a post is."

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#7

Don't Know About You, But I Very Rarely See Images Of The Grand Canyon Taken From Right Down At The Bottom. It's A Very Long Way Down, And In A Sense A Much Longer Way Back Up - That Might Be The Reason

Don't Know About You, But I Very Rarely See Images Of The Grand Canyon Taken From Right Down At The Bottom. It's A Very Long Way Down, And In A Sense A Much Longer Way Back Up - That Might Be The Reason

Craxy-Polly-Sparaxy Report

#8

Last Photograph Of The Last Run Of Ladder 118 As It Crosses The Brooklyn Bridge... None Of The Firefighters Would Survive

Last Photograph Of The Last Run Of Ladder 118 As It Crosses The Brooklyn Bridge... None Of The Firefighters Would Survive

tenniskitten Report

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Created relatively recently, at the start of summer in 2019, the subreddit has become the home to nearly 150k redditors since then. The community has a very unique way of looking at history, art, landmarks, and life in general, and it’s what keeps its members coming back.

The content is as educational as it is entertaining, and odds are that you’ll end up sending quite a few of these pics to your friends if you’re anything like us. And the cool thing is that once you realize that r/AlternateAngles is a thing, you can’t help but start considering events, well-known places, and even ideas from different sides.

Previously, my colleague reached out to the mod team helping run the entire r/AlternateAngles community, and they were kind enough to answer some of Bored Panda’s questions.

They told us a bit about the origins of the group: “A comment in another subreddit of famous pictures suggested that someone should create a sub of different views of famous pictures, which led to the creation of r/AlternateAngles by u/Murkon and another Redditor who decided to step down and is no longer a moderator.”

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#10

The Sahara Desert With A Snowfall On It

The Sahara Desert With A Snowfall On It

Frangifer Report

#12

Looking Up - The Eiffel Tower

Looking Up - The Eiffel Tower

Quizchris Report

According to the mods, the concept of r/AlternateAngles “can be summed up by a rule: Limit all submissions to alternate views, or unique perspectives, of well-known locations, items, people, and events. An alternate angle of your kitchen does not qualify but Gordon Ramsay's kitchen does."

In the mods’ opinion, what’s well-known is very subjective. “The occasional post of an obviously non-well-known picture slips through, but we strive to keep with the original objective,” they told Bored Panda.

Some posts actually turn out to be fakes or have been photoshopped, which goes against the rules of the subreddit. The moderators rely on the help of their “fantastic and active user base” to help out with filtering out those.

Those of you who plan on posting, not just lurking, on the sub should keep a few additional rules in mind. Obviously, you shouldn’t be manipulating or editing any photos to try and trick the internet. That’d just mean (and frankly, we don’t really see the point).

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#13

Great Pyramid Of Giza (From The Sky)

Great Pyramid Of Giza (From The Sky)

del_454 Report

#14

Sunset From Space

Sunset From Space

valenTD925 Report

#15

A Flying Giant Squirrel From India (Petaurista Philippensis) Caught In The Act On A Sunny Day

A Flying Giant Squirrel From India (Petaurista Philippensis) Caught In The Act On A Sunny Day

PatatasFrittas Report

#16

I've Never Walked Directly Under An Electricity Pylon Before! There's Some Brilliant Symmetry

I've Never Walked Directly Under An Electricity Pylon Before! There's Some Brilliant Symmetry

CondemnedHog Report

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Francis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i love that this pic is next to the eiffle tower from underneath pic :) makes scrolling very satisfying :)

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What’s more, you should aim to write descriptive titles that let redditors know exactly what they’re seeing. Adding dates is also “highly encouraged.” Meanwhile, if you’re posting a photo of a structure or landmark, then it must bring some unique alternate value. For instance, you might share a pic of a building while it’s being renovated or what it was like while it was still under construction. In short, show the subreddit an alternate temporal angle, too, not just a spatial one.

#17

The Iconic Photo Of Michael Jordan Which Turned Into The Logo

The Iconic Photo Of Michael Jordan Which Turned Into The Logo

Blueblanketboy5 Report

#18

New York’s Manhattan Without Skyscrapers

New York’s Manhattan Without Skyscrapers

Okama_G_Sphere Report

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Skara Brae
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Photo from 1931. https://viewing.nyc/this-incredible-vintage-aerial-photograph-shows-manhattan-from-above-in-1931/

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Alas, if you’re a fan of memes, then r/AlternateAngles is definitely not the place for those. What’s more, the mod team wants everyone to have a great time, so there’s a zero-tolerance policy for personal attacks on other redditors. You can end up being banned if you don’t follow the rules (which might provide a very unusual angle to the whole subreddit experience, but that’s way too meta and it’s better not to risk it).

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#19

Albert Einstein Before His Famous Photo With His Tongue Out

Albert Einstein Before His Famous Photo With His Tongue Out

applejuicegrape Report

Very recently, Bored Panda spoke about angles and perspectives with professional photographer Dominic Sberna, from Ohio in the US. He stressed that perspective really does mean a huge amount in photography.

"The angle of vantage for the photographer can really change an image," he told us during an earlier interview.

#24

Penguin Feathers

Penguin Feathers

imac1987 Report

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Elsker
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Please tell me it died at a very old age in the arms of its beloveds?

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"It all depends on what you're going for. It's best to play around and try different things to see what looks best and what works best depending on your subject," he said that photographers should play around with angles and see how they can change what the audience feels.

#25

Mount Rushmore Before The Presidents Were Carved In. It Was Called Six Fathers At This Point

Mount Rushmore Before The Presidents Were Carved In. It Was Called Six Fathers At This Point

Craigsandrew Report

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JoyfulZebra
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was better that way (Edit: Abandon all hope, ye who enter this comment section)

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#26

The Oval Office Between Presidents

The Oval Office Between Presidents

fonziefonz Report

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"Make sure to not lose sight of what you're trying to achieve in your image. Have a clear goal in mind with what you're trying to convey,” expert photographer Dominic said that professionals and amateurs alike should remember to focus and always keep their goals at the forefront of their minds.

#28

Cars Never Claimed From Giants Stadium Commuter Lot After 9/11

Cars Never Claimed From Giants Stadium Commuter Lot After 9/11

ilovebostoncremedonu Report

#29

Not Sure If This Counts But, The Grand Canyon View From A Plane

Not Sure If This Counts But, The Grand Canyon View From A Plane

LexiaRaikkonen Report

#30

Mary Poppins Movie, 1964

Mary Poppins Movie, 1964

still-at-the-beach Report

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susansf1 avatar
Susan S
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the good ole days before CGI, stunt men and women flew on wires, crashed real cars, and were set on real fire. There was no pretending that the tennis ball in front of the blue screen was a monster, like nowadays...obviously I am an old curmudgeon

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"Follow the rules of composition and don't make things too small. I have photos of rock climbers at a national park in Nevada, where I personally feel the overall perspective is a bit lost," the photographer noted that everyone has photos that turn out differently than they’d hoped.

"Make sure the audience is able to understand what it is they're supposed to be seeing and comparing the perspective to the surroundings at hand.”

#31

John & Yoko Waiting For The Maid To Make The Bed So They Can Continue Protesting Against The System

John & Yoko Waiting For The Maid To Make The Bed So They Can Continue Protesting Against The System

HighMacGuy Report

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Gemma jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

cannot stand John Lennon, beat his first wife, left her and Julian to run off with Yoko and was a bully to him when he was around jumped on any popular planet saving idea and was all about living without religion and possession but drove a Bentley

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#32

Aerial View Of Over 400,000 People At The Woodstock, 1969

Aerial View Of Over 400,000 People At The Woodstock, 1969

SeasonedTimeTraveler Report

#33

A Photo Of Central Park During The Great Depression (1933)

A Photo Of Central Park During The Great Depression (1933)

Kaffine69 Report

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Raven Sheridan
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see the rental ad now... "FOR RENT: 1 bed, 1 bath, cozy bungalow. Centrally located, with panoramic city views, on a large lot. Yard needs a little work. $3,400 a month." 🤔

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#34

William D. Nuñez Took This Picture Of Aa Flight 175 On September 11th, Seconds Before The Plane Hit The South Tower

William D. Nuñez Took This Picture Of Aa Flight 175 On September 11th, Seconds Before The Plane Hit The South Tower

Kaffine69 Report

#35

A Picture From The Boom Operator Of Me Refueling On My 100th Mission Over Afghanistan

A Picture From The Boom Operator Of Me Refueling On My 100th Mission Over Afghanistan

Kaffine69 Report

#36

Michelangelo's 'The Creation Of Adam' As Seen On The Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Michelangelo's 'The Creation Of Adam' As Seen On The Sistine Chapel Ceiling

John-Piece Report

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#39

View Of Taj Mahal From One Of The Corners. Photo By Me, November 2021

View Of Taj Mahal From One Of The Corners. Photo By Me, November 2021

doctorbrunner Report

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DennyS (denzoren)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you asked me what this was I wouldn't know it was the Taj Mahal. It's always photographed one way. This really shows how much work was put into it.

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#42

Ghostbusters Firehouse Cleaned Up

Ghostbusters Firehouse Cleaned Up

BallShapedMan Report

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Jaden Alexander
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#43

A Mall Christmas Display From Above. Also A Little Funny

A Mall Christmas Display From Above. Also A Little Funny

thelaureness Report

#44

I'd Never Seen This Angle Of The Sydney Opera House And It Looked Different To Me

I'd Never Seen This Angle Of The Sydney Opera House And It Looked Different To Me

OutdoorSandwich Report

#45

Alternate Hairstyles For Dorothy [wizard Of Oz]

Alternate Hairstyles For Dorothy [wizard Of Oz]

Okama_G_Sphere Report

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Friendly Atheist
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She was so beautiful. But she was abused and used and ended up a tortured soul.

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#46

The Space Shuttle From The Top

The Space Shuttle From The Top

InsufficientFrosting Report

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Francis
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when i turn the pic 180degree it looks less confusing to me...

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#47

Daft Punk Without Their Helmets On

Daft Punk Without Their Helmets On

TatersGonnaTate1984 Report

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Deborah Harris
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see why they kept the helmets on without them they just look like any weekend dad band

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#48

A Rare Picture Showing Michael Jackson's Vitiligo

A Rare Picture Showing Michael Jackson's Vitiligo

Kaffine69 Report

#49

The Mushroom Cloud From An Atomic Test Is Seen From Fremont Street In Downtown Las Vegas, 1955

The Mushroom Cloud From An Atomic Test Is Seen From Fremont Street In Downtown Las Vegas, 1955

Kaffine69 Report

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Jaden Alexander
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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#50

Las Vegas Police Facing Mike Tyson After He‘D Just Bitten Evander Holyfields Ear Off 1996. What He Saw

 Las Vegas Police Facing Mike Tyson After He‘D Just Bitten Evander Holyfields Ear Off 1996. What He Saw

SeasonedTimeTraveler Report

Note: this post originally had 111 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.