Photographs, in a way, make time travel possible. They’re our portals to the past that instantly take us back to a precise moment preserved forever.
These images also capture a person’s evolution as years pass. Digital creator Ard Gelnick has been doing this for a while, collecting “then and now” pictures of celebrities and pasting them side-by-side.
His Instagram archive consists of stills of A-list actors like Bruce Willis and Heath Ledger and renowned musicians like Lady Gaga and Tracey Chapman.
If you enjoyed our previous pieces covering Gelnick’s photos, you may like this one, too.
#1 Maggie Smith
#2 Bruce Willis
#3 Ke Huy Quan
Before-and-after photos like the ones on this list show progress, how ever much of it happened. In 2015, Vox featured a similar gallery that showed the different transformations of landscapes around the world.
These are NASA-captured satellite photos in a series titled “Images of Change.” One picture shows the state of Rondônia in Western Brazil between 1975 and 2009 when vast forest lands were turned into farms and pastures.
#4 Annie Lennox
#5 Johnny Depp
#6 Daniel Radcliffe
Another photo shows the transformation of Cancún, Mexico, between 1979 and 2009. The before-and-after pictures show the rapid urbanization after the city became a tourist hotspot in the ‘70s.
However, the economic boom from tourism came at a cost, as the expansion and gentrification led to pollution and loss of diversity.
#7 Donald Sutherland
#8 Sean Astin
#9 Matt Leblanc
Before and after photos may indicate advancement but may also serve as harsh reminders. According to National Eating Disorders Association director Chelsea Kronengold, it may trigger an unhealthy comparison, especially among those with body dysmorphia issues.
“The impact of before and after photos lend to social and body comparisons, which can cause harm to anyone — especially people struggling with body image and eating concerns,” Kronengold told HuffPost.
#10 James Earl Jones
#11 Mark Hamill
#12 Macaulay Culkin
However, before-and-after photos aren’t all bad. As entrepreneur and Social Triggers founder Derek Halpern points out, they can also be a way of creating connections with people.
“Showing your prospects where others came from and where they are now helps prove to them, ‘this can work for you, too,’” he stated.
#13 Tracey Chapman
#14 Sinéad O’connor
#15 Michelle Pfeiffer
What about you, dear readers? What do you think about these before and after photos? How much have these celebrities evolved over the years? We’d love to know your thoughts!
#16 Clint Eastwood
#17 George Michael
#18 Joaquin Phoenix
#19 George Clooney
#20 Alanis Morissette
#21 Julia Roberts
#22 Hugh Grant
#23 Heath Ledger
#24 Pink
#25 Diana, Princess Of Wales
#26 Kate Middleton
#27 Matthew Perry
#28 Stevie Nicks
#29 Kurt Cobain
#30 Dwayne Johnson
#31 Lady Gaga
#32 Eddie Murphy
#33 Agnetha Fältskog
#34 Sting
#35 David Beckham
#36 Mr. Al Pacino
#37 Prince
#38 Bruce Springsteen
#39 Pedro Pascal
#40 Henry Thomas
#41 Ralph Macchio
#42 Kris Kristofferson
#43 Olsen Twins
#44 Lenny Kravitz
#45 Billy Ocean
#46 Roger Federer
#47 John Travolta
#48 Anthony Michael Hall
#49 Harry Styles
#50 Rafael Nadal
#51 Billy Joel
#52 Janet Jackson
#53 Angelina Jolie
#54 King Willem-Alexander
#55 Lionel Richie
#56 Adele
#57 Malcolm-Jamal Warner
#58 Kirstie Alley
#59 Sylvester Stallone
#60 Charles Aznavour
#61 Michael Jackson
#62 Shannen Doherty
#63 Jimmy Fallon
#64 Queen Máxima Of The Netherlands
#65 Peter R. De Vries
#66 Alain Delon
#67 Madonna
#68 Lauryn Hill
#69 Dua Lipa
#70 Justin Bieber
#71 Niall Horan
#72 Jochem Myjer
#73 Taylor Swift
#74 Gerard Ekdom
#75 André Van Duin
#76 Ronald Koeman
#77 Beyonce
#78 Tatum Dagelet
#79 Jim Bakkum
#80 Joost Klein
#81 Frank Schaafsma
#82 Justin Timberlake
#83 Francis Van Broekhuizen
#84 La Fuente & Job Smeltzer
#85 Carly Wijs
#86 Tom Cruise
#87 Wieteke Van Dort
#88 Bram Krikke
#89 Nance Coolen
#90 Post Malone
