Where to Find Pictures of World Cities Then and Now

September 29, 2011 8:53 AM

I'm looking for photos on the web or books showing international cities evolving over the last 10, 20, or 50 years, particularly in the developing world: Mumbai, Dhaka, Guangzhou, et al.
posted by sswiller to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

One of my friends blogs about Shenzhen, China. Don't know if her site has a central photo page but many of her entries definitely feature comparisons between Shenzhen at its beginning (30 years ago) and now.
posted by elisse at 9:48 AM on September 29, 2011

You might find something useful in Living in the Endless City.
posted by shiny shoes at 10:26 AM on September 29, 2011

Have a nose around the photographer Greg Girard's website – he's been documenting the evolution of (some of) Asia's great cities for some years now, and is particularly renowned for his collection Phantom Shanghai.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 12:27 PM on September 29, 2011

This will sound weird, but check book stores/book sales/thrift shops. I've seen a couple of picture books that show previous looks of cities, though it is really focused more on the people.
posted by cashman at 8:08 AM on September 30, 2011

Response by poster: I think what I'm really looking for are photos with matching compositions through time.
posted by sswiller at 9:22 AM on September 30, 2011