People Are Sharing ‘Then And Now’ Pics On This Page To Show How Time Changes Things (30 Pics)
Rephotography is the act of taking a photo of a place that has already been photographed some time ago. While being a challenge for the photographers to recreate all the angles as close as possible to the original, these images also speak wonders about the passage of time.
Whether we're looking at expanding cities or melting glaciers, these side-by-side comparisons tell fascinating stories about the state of the world we live in as well as humanity's abilities to create and destroy.
A few subreddits -- most notably, r/OldPhotosInRealLife -- have created huge archives of these photos, so we're inviting you to take a look at some of the most fascinating ones.
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My Grandfather And I In Tokyo, 73 Years Apart
Looking at some of these photos, human progress seems self-evident. City skylines keep expanding, people within them switch from horses to cars... But that's just the visuals. How do we actually calculate our advancement?
For this task, many use the Human Development Index (HDI).The HDI provides a single index measure to capture three key dimensions of our development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.
The Arctic 103 Years Ago Compared To Today
The Human Development Index utilizes four key metrics: 1) life expectancy at birth – to assess a long and healthy life,
2) expected years of schooling – to assess access to knowledge for the young generation, 3) average years of schooling – to assess access to knowledge for the older generation, 4) gross national income (GNI) per capita – to assess the standard of living.
Chichen Itza 1892 And Now
In 2019, the United Nations Development Programme used the HDI to find out which countries are the most developed. The first place went to Norway, Switzerland came in second, and Ireland was third. The US tied the UK for the 15th spot.
Naturally, the HDI -- just like most similar metrics -- has been criticized. Mostly, for the alleged lack of consideration of technological development or contributions to human civilization. But it remains one of the most used measures worldwide to calculate how advanced countries are.
Bike Ride In Berlin Kreuzberg ( ~1985 / 2018 )
Utrecht, Netherlands 1982 vs. 2020. They Converted The Highway To A Canal
The Shambles In York (UK) Inspiration For Diagon Alley From Harry Potter. Late 1800s And Today
Bishan Park, 30 Years Apart. Top Pic, 1988. Bottom Pic, 2020
World War I Trenches
Moscow Pictures 20 Years Apart
The Flatiron Building, New York (1917 And 2012)
Atomic Bomb Dome - 75 Years Later
They left it largely untouched. There is still masonry debris surrounding the building. It is theorized that the atom bomb detonated above this building as the walls were not blown out by a horizontal blast wave but rather a vertical force that caved in the roof.
The Banyan Tree In Maui. Top Photo Taken By My Grandfather While He Was Stationed There During Wwii. Bottom I Took Without Knowing His Photo Existed
The Changing Face Of St Bartholomew-The-Great's Gatehouse In Smithfield, Which Was Built In 1595 And Some Point Bricked Over. It Was Bombed During A Ww1 Zeppelin Raid Knocking Off Some Bricks Revealing Its Tudor Half-Timbered Facade. It Was Restored To How It Looks Today. 1916 vs. Now
I've always loved timber framing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timber_framing
My Hometown, Approx 100 Years Ago vs. My Pic From Last Week.... Not So Much Has Changed...
My Great Grandfather And I Trained At The Same Location, Exactly 100 Years Apart. He Left For France Shortly After This Was Taken In 1917
Singapore 2000 vs. Now
Some of the buildings on the right. It's tough to tell because the two photos are at pretty different angles
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This area has been undergoing intensive development over the last 10-15 years, so it's no surprise really.
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Those buildings on the bottom left (second picture) look like the eyes of a fly...
Haha my first thought exactly. I wonder why they decided to make them look like that. I can't complain though as London, England two fairly new skyscrapers that have become colloquially known as the "gherkin" and the "walkie talkie" due to their shapes!
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Singapore is a stunning sight to behold. I recommend going there to see it if you can.
Those metal building bottom left look like noodle strainers, I swear
Yes! I thought they looked liked upside colanders too!
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Pictures taken from different angles make it more difficult to compare
Why is the pic from 2000 in black and white? And why is it so grainy? Maybe it's just the gen Z in me, but I thought there were better cameras back then.
I was there in 1999. Worked in the Suntec for 16 days. Was nothing like the bottom photo. I would love to go again now.
Wow, that is the most drastic change , and only 20 years difference
wow this is amazing to me, I went in 2002 and the top picture is how I remember it. Its so different now
I was there in 2001 right before 9-11. The top pic looks too underdeveloped, as far as buildings.
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Looks like everything from 20 years ago has been obliterated.....only 20 years!! Is this even the same place! Those shiny buildings front left, look like woodlice. Doesn't make me think - Oh wow - I have to see this place....
It's a beautiful, spotlessly clean and vibrant city and should be visited.
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Very wrong. Lot's of plants and trees if you really look. One million trees are going to be planted within a timeframe to make Singapore cooler - as in bring the temperatures down.
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The land was shipped in from Indonesia specifically for this new neighborhood. Its a City State with no room to grow.
I was last in Singapore in 1997 do I guess I will barely recognize it
I was there in July/August 1981. I wonder what it looked like from this view then?The growth is massive.
Wow 😮 and then I think about what I've done in the last 20 years... Doesn't even compare.
Lived there 1998 - 2001. Fondly remember the top picture. We used to have dragon boat races in that river!
Wow are to believe that’s all in 20 years. I love Singapore wish I could visit
Been so many times since 1994...place has got worse, so sterile now, like one big airport mall....i never go anymore... a city that was ruined over time.
1920 / 2020 . San Francisco, Ca
I have a whole book "then and now" about SanFrancisco ... the city went through several fires, earthquakes, and boom of Silicon Valley and ... it still keeps a lot of Victorian charm mixed with hipster style graffiti. It's so different, I love SF
Early Los Angeles Compared To 2001
The Former Island Of Urk - The Netherlands 1930 vs. 2020
History: A Dike was added in 1939 and later, land reclamation took place. No more Island of Urk.
From Fascism To Kebabs, Durham 1934 vs. 2020
Buckhurst Hill Station (London Underground Station) - (1875 - 2020)
University Of Montana ~150 Years Apart
Dubai Marina (2000 - 2020)
The Trams They Are Changing ( 1990 / 2018 )
1820 Industrial St, Los Angeles
I Just Made This To Show Just How Much Melbourne's Skyline Has Grown In 20 Years...
Dresden In Ww2 vs. Dresden Now
The Development Of This City In Georgia
Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, USA
According to Wiki: "In 1949, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began a contract with the City of Los Angeles Parks Department to repair and rebuild the sign. The contract stipulated that "LAND" be removed to spell "Hollywood" and reflect the district, not the "Hollywoodland" housing development."
Subang Jaya, Selangor. 44 Years Apart
the damage it does to nature in name of development. No body ever think about eco-friendly alternatives until it's too late. No problem if built fewer buildings and established greenery . It is such a wasted opportunity. There could be a large area of lush green . But noooo .Places like California and Australia have burned due to contribution by all over the world. And still only wildlife nd plantlife suffers largely. They have bleed the earth. Humans will pay with their burning and blood. Earth demends your head . Die disgusting selfish people . Suffer horribly
Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Hate to say it, but in some of the places where development has exploded, I find myself liking the older pictures better. Less claustrophobic. However, when progress means more trees, less dirt and decay, architectural treasures uncovered and restored to their full grandeur, and a park that has grown up beautifully, I prefer the newer pictures.
And that's "civilisation" for you right there: no more trees, no more space, too many people. Well done humans, well done.
@John L The indigenous tribes of the Amazon Basin are actually doing the planet a great favor by not wanting outsiders there. I don’t want outsiders there either. I want it left alone. The more slash and burn destruction that region suffers, the more the rest of the planet suffers. You think climate change is bad now? Burn down the Amazon Forest and see just how bad it can get.
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Very Very interesting. But, so many of the pictures were just sad. Overbuilt & ugly.
Most of the pictures about cities and towns make me sad. I see nothing to be prowd of only evidence of human folly and distain for the land.
So for all those people who are commenting that the "today" picture shows ruined land... where would you put today's population?
Does that mean you're sexually active right now? (Joking I know it's a bot)
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Hate to say it, but in some of the places where development has exploded, I find myself liking the older pictures better. Less claustrophobic. However, when progress means more trees, less dirt and decay, architectural treasures uncovered and restored to their full grandeur, and a park that has grown up beautifully, I prefer the newer pictures.
And that's "civilisation" for you right there: no more trees, no more space, too many people. Well done humans, well done.
@John L The indigenous tribes of the Amazon Basin are actually doing the planet a great favor by not wanting outsiders there. I don’t want outsiders there either. I want it left alone. The more slash and burn destruction that region suffers, the more the rest of the planet suffers. You think climate change is bad now? Burn down the Amazon Forest and see just how bad it can get.
Load More Replies... Very Very interesting. But, so many of the pictures were just sad. Overbuilt & ugly.
Most of the pictures about cities and towns make me sad. I see nothing to be prowd of only evidence of human folly and distain for the land.
So for all those people who are commenting that the "today" picture shows ruined land... where would you put today's population?
Does that mean you're sexually active right now? (Joking I know it's a bot)
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