This Photographer Takes Pictures Of Famous Landmarks While Facing The Wrong Direction

Structures like the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal are so well known that practically everyone in the world can picture them. We’ve all seen images of these landmarks countless times. But while these icons are worthy of admiration, it’s easy to forget that they’re also buildings surrounded by mundane life.

Oliver Curtis is a cinematographer and travel photographer, and a few years ago he visited the Great Pyramid of Giza. He was appropriately moved…but he was also inspired by what was around the pyramids–smoggy suburbs, a golf course, and trash from many visitors.

“I was struck by the incongruity of how we treat the environment today, right next to such a historical monument,” he told Wired. “Our focus and money are spent on the monuments that become these focal points, while the rest of the environment, that isn’t actually crafted for our pleasure, is completely overlooked.”

This experience inspired a photography project called Volte-Face, in which Curtis visits famous landmarks and photographs not the landmarks themselves, but the surrounding neighborhoods. Here are 15 photos of the are around the world’s most famous destinations. (via Bored Panda)