After many decades, some places have developed rapidly while others remain only in memory.
Throughout the course of history and society, photographs have played an essential role in preserving and reflecting all aspects of those times. Because of this, we can sit down and admire the adaptability and gradual improvements of humanity through each period, no matter how challenging it may have been.
To showcase the significant changes in society, photographer Nicole Lashar has captured streets and compared them with images taken decades ago, creating a striking “Then and Now” photo series.
Regarding the purpose of these photographs, Lashar shares: “When I started my photography journey, I was excited and passionate about pursuing it just like when I travel to new cities and explore the art and architecture there.
Photography allows me to combine the art of photography with travel into a fresher experience. Initially, I didn’t focus too much on the results but concentrated on the experience of discovering new locations and going back in time to find perspectives on these places from the past.
The more I continue to create photos like this, the more I realize its importance as it shows us the differences and developments of these locations throughout time and helps us understand the society of that era better,” the photographer added.
Hikmet Kaya Forest in Turkey in 1980 and now
Haarlemmerdijk Street in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1971 and 2020.
Boston highway in 1990 was moved underground and replaced with green space in 2010.
Paris streets after the great flood of 1910 and now.
Youngstown Falls in 1951 and 2022
Roman Theater Cartagena, Murcia, Spain in 1991 compared to 2021.
Kharkiv, Ukraine in 2015 and 2022
Minami-Sanriku Town, Japan has developed rapidly in less than 10 years from 2011 to 2020.
Old Town Square Poznań, Poland during World War II compared to 2021.
Besikli Cave Tomb in Hatay, Turkey in 1932 and 2018.
When asked about the challenges of carrying out this project, the photographer said: “The biggest challenges for photographers when creating ‘Then and Now’ photos are finding the original images, locating the exact spots since these addresses are rarely known, and how to frame the shot accurately with the past photograph.”
“To make it easier for shooting, I first select a location based on its proximity in the city and the number of old photos of the building. Then, I search the image database for high-resolution images and use Google Maps satellite imagery to ensure the building has not been demolished and has other reference points to assist in capturing the site and recreating the photograph.”
Positano, Italy in 1920 and 2020, still unmatched in beauty after 100 years.
Butchery Lane and Canterbury, England from 1895 – 1920 and 1992 – 2022
Toghrol Tower, 1000 years old, in Rey, Iran. The first photo was taken in 1840.
Gooderham Flatiron Building, Toronto, Canada in 1895 and 2022
Famous Manhattan neighborhood, New York, USA in 1851 and 2022
The Arctic 103 years ago – today
Chichen Itza, Mexico in 1892 and now
Berlin Kreuzberg, Germany in 1985 and 2018
A corner of Utrecht, Netherlands in 1982 compared to 2020
Shambles Street, York (England), the inspiration for “Diagon Alley” in Harry Potter in the late 1800s and today
Bishan Park, Singapore in 1988 and 2020
Moscow 20 years apart
Flatiron Building in New York in 1917 and 2012
Singapore in 2000 and 2022
An island in the Netherlands in 1930 compared to 2020
Dubai Marina 2000 – 2020
