Our passion for photography is only matched by our love of history and everything that’s vintage. We firmly believe that only a solid grasp of history can help us avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and lead to a better future for everyone. And there’s nothing like a direct comparison to really show us how much time and life have changed things.
That’s the beauty of the ‘Old Photos In Real Life’ subreddit, a celebration of the contrast between the past and modern life. The page features photos from both the past and present, comparing them side by side in order for everyone to truly get how deep some of the changes go. And, in some rare cases, how in some locations things have pretty much stayed more or less the same over the decades and even centuries.
Scroll down for the best pics featured by ‘Old Photos In Real Life,’ and remember to upvote the ones that impressed you the most. Tell us all about your favorite pics and why you enjoyed them in the comment section at the bottom of this list, dear Pandas. Meanwhile, if you’re in the mood for some more great examples of rephotography, be sure to check out these articles right here and here.
Bored Panda got in touch with moderator u/Npbugati who told us all about the history of r/OldPhotosInRealLife, how they created a ‘ghost’ bot to help moderate the community, and why the subreddit is important to them. Scroll down for Bored Panda’s interview with them, as well as for our chat about rephotography with professional photographer Dominic Sberna.
#1
Holland, 82-2020
#2
Chróstnik Palace 2009 vs. 2021. Chróstnik, Lubin County, Poland.
#3
Here’s A Wonderful 1915 Pasadena Craftsmen Located In Bunglsow Heaven That I Had The Pleasure Of Purchasing And Restoring A Few Years Back. Although This House Was Only 950 Sqft It Took Nearly 2 Years To Complete The Renovations Due To Working With The Pasadena Historical Society And City Permitting
#4
Borodyanka, Ukraine – Before The War And Today
#5
Edinburgh, Scotland
#6
Railway Station In Okhtyrka, Ukraine
#7
Moore Hall, Ireland, 1800s vs. Today
#8
Tunnel Rock At Sequoia National Park, 1952 And 2020
#9
Odessa, Ukraine 1942- And Today
#10
For The First Time In 76 Years, Wwii Veteran Robert White Stands In The Vicinity In Which He Landed After Jumping Into Germany In March Of 1945. He Was As A Paratrooper With The 17th Airborne Division.
#11
Newcastle Castle, UK – 1895 To 2022
#12
Bhitargaon Temple, Kanpur, India. 1875 And 2011. Built In 5th Century Ce And Renovated By British In 1901. It’s The Oldest Surviving Brick Structure In India
#13
A 3.300-Year-Old Chariot Bridge Is Still In Use Today. The Arkadiko Bridge Was Built Between 1300 And 1190 Bce, Making It One Of The Oldest Still-Used Arch Bridges Still In Existence. It Was Built On A Road That Linked Tiryns To Epidaurus, And Was Part Of A Larger Military Road System.
#14
The Arch Of Ctesiphon As It May Have Appeared In 600ad. Compared To Its Remaining Ruins Today In Iraq
#15
Washington Square Arch In NYC
#16
The Monstrosity That Was The Kowloon Walled City
#17
Before And After Boston’s Big Dig, 1980s vs. Now
#18
Wrocław 1945 And 2022
#19
Same Car 1988 vs. 2021, Somewhere In Japan
#20
Panch Ratha Monument, Mahabalipuram, India. Monolithic Temples Sculptured From Granite Rocks Between 630 – 668 Ce. 1825 Sketch By J. Braddock J. Gantz And Now. It’s A Unesco World Heritage Site.
#21
The Lincoln Memorial In 1920 Before The Reflecting Pool Was Built.
#22
Captured Japanese Mini Submarine In The Aleutian Islands, 1943 And 2021
#23
Circa 1803 Hope Plantation, Windsor, North Carolina Before And After Restoration
#24
Bok Tower (Built 1929) And Today …
#25
The Mahabodhi Temple At Bodh Gaya, India, As Seen From A Second Century Plaque And How It Looks Like Today
#26
Unknowingly Captured The Same Image In 2020 That My Dad Took On Vacation Back In 1965 – Shenandoah Np
#27
Sas-Bahu Temple, Gwalior Fort, Gwalior, India. 1869 And 2019. The Temple Was Built In 1093.
#28
Clifton Rocks Railway, Clifton, Bristol. 1905 And Today
#29
Manhattan, 1931 To 2018
#30
Chernobyl Power Plant Control Room In 1986 And Now
“People who believe in conspiracy theories are also often attracted to the Manichean narratives that conspiracy theories offer, involving battles of good and evil pitting against each other in an almost apocalyptic fashion. So, it should come as no surprise that conspiracy theories might sprout up from World War II—a real-life apocalyptic battle between good and evil,” the expert told us.
#31
Times Square A Few Years Apart
#32
Family Farmhouse 1912-2022 (I’d Especially Like To Note That The Green Bench Has Been On The Front Porch For At Least 110 Years)
#33
Edinburgh Princes Street, 1996 – Now
#34
Hiking On The Faroes Guided By The Old Cairns
#35
Nickelodeon Studios In The 90’s vs. The Same Building Today
