Using photographs to compare now with the past

[Chris Dodkin]

Found this very interesting write up in the LA times, using photographs to show how LA has changed from 1951 to 2009.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/photography/la-me-then-now-pictures-html,0,563914.htmlstory

The photographer went back to the same location, and matched current shots to the old 1951 photos - you simply click where directed to flick between the old and new.

Very interesting stuff - although I think it would have been more effective if they'd matched the time of day, and done the current images in B&W as well.

Sample images:

 

[Ralph Thornton]

There is an older thread titled "Back to the Future" that had some then and now pics. These were mostly people re-photographed in the same location over a long time span. I posted the comment below in that thread but many new members may not have seen it. So I'll post it here as well. It seems to fit this thread better anyway.

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Over the years the glaciers in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, as well as the glaciers worldwide, have shrunk or disappeared. I've been volunteering with the United States Geological Survey to document how much change there has been to these glaciers. We attempt to find the precise location from which the original historic photograph was made and take a new photo of the same view.

Last year was my first year on the project. We had some bad luck. The spring of 2010 was quite cool and numerous late season snowstorms added to the previous winter's snow pack. Then, just when most of the previous winter's snow had melted (which was in late August) the park got several new snowstorms.

This is a 1914 view of Clements Glacier in Glacier National Park. The photograph was taken well off of any road or trail. Clements Glacier is the small glacier left of center.

Here is the 2010 duplication of the 1914 original. While it shows some of the late summer 2010 snow, the glacier has disappeared completely. We'll try to get a version this summer without the end of summer snows.

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Chris,
This is an interesting photoset.

First I compared buildings, roads, cars etc. I've not been to LA in maybe 35 years and didn't realize that the city grew up with the big buildings.

Second thing I noticed was the difference in the contrast and dynamic range of the two photos. Lots more details in the shadow areas in the old photo but also somewhat overexposed in bright areas.

 

[Paul Lange]

Huge changes over time there, it can be a slap in the face especially if you return to somewhere after quite a few years and see it for yourself.

 

[Glen Roberts]

I did something similar a few years ago when book came out swing different places in our village. I went round to the same street corners and took photographs looking the same direction as the ones in the book to compare them. Some of the old pic's were from the early 1900's and others were from the 1950's so there were quite a few big differences.

My niece, who is a school teacher, made a history type of lesson for her class using the old photographs and my updated ones.