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This Photographer Points His Camera The “Wrong” Way At The World’s Most Visited Locations
Anybody who's visited any of the world's major tourist sites recently will know how difficult it is to get a perfect photograph. It's almost impossible to take a good snap without also snapping hundreds of selfie sticks (not literally. Although there's an idea...), but this photographer has come up with a unique way to avoid the crowds - he simply takes his pictures from the wrong direction.
The series is called Volte-face, and the man behind the camera is British photographer Oliver Curtis. His inspiration came in 2012 when Curtis was visiting the Pyramids of Giza. “In the mid-distance I saw a newly constructed golf course, its fairways an intense green,” he said on Creative Boom. “I found this visual sandwich of contrasting color, texture and form intriguing...because of the oddness of my position; standing at one of the great wonders of the world facing the ‘wrong’ way.”
You can see Volte-face at the Royal Geographical Society in London from September 19 until October 14. Just make sure you're facing the right way.
More info: Oliver Curtis (h/t: creative boom, PetaPixel)
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Christ The Redeemer, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
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#2
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
Rosie Daswani 9 years ago
fog...winter in dehli is foggy. It's a nightmare taking a flight to or from Dehli in winter.
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#3
Mona Lisa, Louvre, Paris, France
Judy Wanderi 9 years ago
I did this too, and was in awe of how much detail the photo opposite the Mona Lisa has, I was more captivated by it than the hordes that were gawking at Mona Lisa.
ShroomsGarden 9 years ago
I loved the painting opposite the Mona Lisa, it was simply amazing, and I spent far more time looking at it then the Mona Lisa herself.
Zombie 9 years ago
I think it has become very trnedy to s**t talk the Mona Lisa. It is a pretty painting with an interesting history. It doesn't negate the fact that the other paintins housed in the Louvre are also beautiful.
Artahmiss 9 years ago
But this picture is just stunning, the juxtaposition of one of the most famous brunettes in the world, with one that is just visiting. And how centralized and focused the subject is, and knowing that this is a picture taken in the opposite direction of the tourist attraction is just so... gripping. I'm having a strong emotional reaction to this picture.
Barbora Michalicová 9 years ago
Sometimes, I am, so sorry for Wedding Feast at Cana.... It´s just outstanding painting!
Éirinn Colleen 9 years ago
Mona Lisa is no longer same location as when I saw her 15 years ago, but I agree with the sentiment. Back then as well, the surround paintings were much more interesting.
#4
Parthenon, Athens, Greece
Peta Everton 9 years ago
To see what people miss by looking at the 'famous thing'.
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St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy
Julie Perrissel 9 years ago
He is not the only one pointing the camera in the wrong direction on that one!
MrPositive 9 years ago
Thats not really a wrong direction to be honest. And that church across the water is famous and you can go to the top for a miraculous view.
#6
Pyramid Of Khufu, Giza, Egypt
Melody Lanzatella 9 years ago
Wow, so much garbage! I hate how some of these countries put ZERO effort into even picking up garbage!
Amelia Ch 9 years ago
so much garbage! i hate when turists make no effort to keep visited places clean!
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Carrie Chastain-Little 9 years ago
When I visited there as a kid, there was nothing but the pyramids for miles and miles around - urban sprawl... Sad...
Dawn Marie Huntington Sable 9 years ago
I am surprised to see how close the houses are to the pyramid. I just never pictured the 4,500 year old pyramid being in the middle of a city.
Anne Petersen 9 years ago
Is he really untop of it?! As far as I know that is absolutely illegal, got some crazy a*s people patrolling there. But cool if he's up there and made it without problems. I'd have a go too ????
George Dunne 9 years ago
It is a golf course, all you need are water sprinklers with lots of water.
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#7
Statue Of Liberty, New York, Usa
Septia Yudhi Nugraha 9 years ago
Maybe OP meant NY as the state, not as the city
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Chris Bonafe 9 years ago
someone's hiding underneath the platform trying to get an upskirt of liberty
#8
Mao Mausoleum, Beijing, China
Chris Bonafe 9 years ago
everyone: look how amazing it looks through our 4k camera phones. guy in the corner: hmmm interesting! it looks more real without my phone.
#9
White House, Washington D.c., Usa
.gas. 9 years ago
I love this park! I spend a lot of time there when we visit, just staring at the White House and watching the people go by.
Maiken Kristensen 9 years ago
Never been to Egypt? They don't have a renovation system...
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Sherry Nees 9 years ago
We had a guy take pics like that in Washington as kids doing cartwheels. Wonder how it turned out ❤️ It was at the Washington Memorial
#10
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Annemarie Davelaar 9 years ago
That would mostly be photographed from Trocadero square and this would not be the view. It would actually be quite pretty.
#11
Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Mario TELLEZ BARROS 9 years ago
Is this Will-E, the WALL-E´s cousin, at the centre of the image, .... isn´t it?
Wendy Crow 9 years ago
"Wailing Wall" is an incorrect outdated name. The correct name is the Western Wall.
Sarah Henderson 9 years ago
No he's not its downhill from where he Iis standing ....I used to live there
Amy Lanoie 9 years ago
I don't understand. This isn't what's facing the Wailing Wall... Maybe this was a number of years ago?
Amy Lanoie 9 years ago
I'm confused. That's not what's facing the Western Wall... Maybe this was years ago?
Beasty Boy 9 years ago
It is now, the area around wall is going through critical maintenance and restoration to protect it from time.
Load More Replies... #12
Reichstag, Berlin, Germany
Lillian Mikhailchenkova 9 years ago
must disagree with the angle here. if you would turn around from the usual photo-angle of Reichstag, you would NOT see this. It is true that the photographer has Reichstags in his back in the case, but the photo is not choosen from usual photo point and is almost pointed towards another typical photo object... (just a biiit more to the right). so this is almost a very common photo...
#13
Stonehenge, Wiltshire, Uk
Dewald Behrens 9 years ago
And that is a major road connecting London and Cornwall. Good for a drive past shooting ( of Stonehenge with a camera, of course)
#14
Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.c., Usa
Diana Sweeney 9 years ago
If you turn around at The Lincoln Memorial you see the mall and the Washington monument/reflecting pool, etc. This is not accurate.
Septia Yudhi Nugraha 9 years ago
'wrong way' doesn't need to be the opposite direction. Like in the Mao Mausoleum pic, we still can see the building.
Load More Replies... #15
Lenin's Tomb, Moscow, Russia
Susanna Vesna 9 years ago
Not the right time to take the photo. Usually the Red Square looks great from all sides.
Dawn Marie Huntington Sable 9 years ago
The founder of the communist party - capitalism represented right outside his tomb. Isn't it ironic - this would fit into a song.
Tammy Gibson 9 years ago
If they angled it a bit differently they could have caught the beheading stone
#16
World Trade Centre, New York, Usa
#17
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
#18
Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, Usa
Jessica Lopez 9 years ago
That's Lake Hollywood at bottom of hill. Need to actually HIKE up to side and not be a lazy a*s!
#19
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
#20
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
#21
Great Wall Of China, Mutianyu, China
#22
Buckingham Palace, London, Uk
Katta Larsson 9 years ago
Is the guy on the left a ballet dancer considering the position hos feet are in ????????
#24
Angel Of Independence, Mexico City, Mexico
#25
Arbeit Macht Frei Gates, Auschwitz, Oswiecim, Poland
Jeanne Deaux 9 years ago
That's ... very disturbing. But, well, what isn't disturbing in Auschwitz?
#27
North Korean Jsa, Dmz, Panmunjeon, Korea
Janin Matuschak 9 years ago
But since he's facing the wrong direction this is actually a south korean solider ;)
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Random Person... 9 years ago
Wince when did anyone want to visit North Korea? Never seen a selfie stick there before...
Veronica Loraine 9 years ago
Taking a photo of the North Korean soldiers isn't risky but if you go PAST him... Immediate (possibly long term) jail visit
#28
La Moneda Palace, Santiago, Chile
Tomás Figueroa 9 years ago
Why the hell pacos always appear in chilean pictures??? This country is more than that!!!
#29
Cell 5, Block B, Robben Island, South Africa
Dawn Marie Huntington Sable 9 years ago
Yes. I had to look it up. "A cell in block B is the highlight of the tour: This is Mandela's former prison cell, now known as "Cell number 5." It's about four square meters (43 square feet) big. A deep and a shallow plate, a spoon, a small wardrobe, a two-centimeter-thick (0.8-inch-thick) sleeping mat and a blanket are inside. This was Mandela's home for 18 years. His name here was “46664”."
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#30
Monument For Democracy, Bangkok, Thailand
Tricia Ferrell 9 years ago
I was thinking the same thing. He must make a ton to afford this.
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What do you think ?
Arty 9 years ago
the idea is original, but apart from the first ones there is nothing very aesthetic in these...
Stephanie de Blaauw 9 years ago
Some of these would benefit from having a picture the right way or even a pinpoint on a map... been to several and looking at these I have no clue where he stood for the picture. Some seem to be close to the actual site but the one at the Eiffel tower seems to be nowhere near the actual tower.
Arty 9 years ago
the idea is original, but apart from the first ones there is nothing very aesthetic in these...
Stephanie de Blaauw 9 years ago
Some of these would benefit from having a picture the right way or even a pinpoint on a map... been to several and looking at these I have no clue where he stood for the picture. Some seem to be close to the actual site but the one at the Eiffel tower seems to be nowhere near the actual tower.
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