The Wonders of the World have always inspired awe in visitors.
But if it’s possible, these mind-bending photos of them will prompt more gasps.
Wonders of the world have been transformed into their mini-versions in a seven-year round the world adventure – that cost $31,000.
The colossal Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza, in Egypt – which measures 241ft long – are given a new look in this mind-bending photo
The Pyramids in Giza, which covers an area of 566,000 sq ft, are transformed into its mini-versions in a seven-year round the world adventure
One of the most famous sights in the world, the Taj Mahal mausoleum in Agra, India, which took 20,000 workers to build, is given a fresh perspective through camera trickery
Chichen Itza, a pyramid built by the Maya civilization in a large pre-Columbian city in Mexico is part of the eye-popping visual feast from across the planet
The Atlas Mountains, Morocco, which extend for 1,200 miles, appear peculiarly small because of the creative focus
Mini models! The colourful houses that sprawl across Reykjavik, the largest city and capital of Iceland, look like they could be dolls houses
From ancient wonders like the legendary Acropolis of Greece and the stone heads of Easter Island to modern icons such as the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York and London’s Houses of Parliament – these are the mini-monuments that will dazzle you.
Other outstanding pictures include the Eiffel Tower made to look like a toy over the Paris, the jaw-dropping vista of Machu Picchu in Peru made tiny and while not technically a wonder the fun image of a dreamy landscape invaded by hot-air balloons has been included.
By using a photo-processing method called tilt-shift, New York photographer Richard Silver, 51, spent £20,000 over seven-years to create the eye-popping visual feast from across the planet.
Made you look! Teotihuacan in Mexico appears tiny. The result can be achieved through a blurred focus and photographing a subject from a high angle
The famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York is dwarfed in this imaginative photo. By simulating a shallow field of depth, subjects can appear smaller than they are
Some of the Monolithic Maoi statues of Easter Island reach 7m tall and have entranced the world for centuries – but they look positively miniscule in this image
The Acropolis in Athens has theatres, temples, sanctuarys and odeons – but in this picture it looks like it would struggle to hold a hundred visitors
‘In this picture-series you are traveling the world with me,’ said Richard.
‘Since 2006 everywhere I have travelled I take a few photos that will be tilt shift-ed and added to my portfolio.
‘What I am trying to accomplish is to shrink-fit the world, one city at a time.
The globe-trotting snapper’s master-plan is to one-day photograph every city on the planet using his quirky technique for making the epic become miniature.
For Richard it’s the reaction of people who view his work that makes it all worthwhile.
Toy town! The 15th century Inca site of Machu Picchu in Peru covers13-square meters and is built 7,970ft above sea level
It was largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, and is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. It may be the largest amphitheatre in the world, but the Colosseum in Rome looks a fraction of its true size
The Eiffel Tower in Paris looks like a toy in comparison to the 320m-tall structure – that is the same height as an 81-storey tower
The Great Wall of China may measure 13,170.69 miles and snake across the huge sub-continent, but this picture makes it look so small that it could be crossed in a day
The Hagia Sophia, Istanbul may be 82m long and 55m high, but it appears minute in this picture. The mosque and dome have entranced architects for years – but this picture makes it look as if visitors could circle it in minutes
The magnificent Houses of Parliament, which holds Big Ben and is the most central government building in the UK, look like they’re part of a small-scale model – right down to the tiny cars crossing Westminster bridge
Petra, the historical and archaeological city in the southern Jordanian governorate of Ma’an is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges – not that you’d know it from this picture
‘Most people are able to recognize the places that I photograph,’ he said.
‘When they recognize the location the smile that seeing my pictures brings to their faces makes all of my work worth doing.
‘Some people don’t believe me, even after I tell them that it is a real photograph with real people.
‘My favorite question is ‘is that a model or is that real?’.
‘When that is asked, I accomplished what I set out to do.’
Richard’s work is on permanent display at the LaGrange Gallery, Georgia, USA.
The colorful streets of Tokyo, Japan, are renowned for their bustling pace and towering buildings – but this concrete jungle looks more like a playground in this photograph
Hawaii beaches are known for their long stretches of sand that hug the coast – but during this seven-year trip the photographer – whose work is on display in Georgia – saw a different side to the sights
A bustling street in Korea looks like something out of a game – but the vehicles are actually navigating huge traffic arteries in the Asian country
At 65m (213 ft) high with its distinctive blue paint, London’s Tower Bridge is one of the most well-known sights in the capital – but Richard Silver turns the tables on a well-known sight once again
The Mykonos Windmills are an iconic feature of the Greek island of the Mykonos. From as early as the 16th century one of the most recognized landmarks on the island, which is one of the Cyclades islands
