Volte-face: Photographer turns his back on the world's most over-photographed sites

Taken over a period of four years, Volte-face is an invitation to turn around and see a new perspective of the over-photographed sites of the world – to send our gaze elsewhere and to favour the incidental over the monumental.

Oliver feels that despite the landmark not being present in the photograph, the images are still suffused with the aura of the construction. The camera lens effectively acts as a nodal point and, by giving the photograph the title of the unseen partner, this duality becomes a virtue.

Speaking about his first visit to Giza, Curtis said: "After walking around the base of the tomb I found myself looking back out in the direction I had arrived from, with the pyramid behind me. Intersecting the horizon under a veil of smog lay the city of Giza. Immediately in front of me and under my feet, the sand of the desert was adorned with an assortment of human detritus; litter, pieces of rusted metal, a large rubber washer and a torn hessian sack.

"Then, in the mid- distance I saw a newly constructed golf course, its fairways an intense green under the late morning sun. I found this visual sandwich of contrasting colour, texture and form intriguing not simply for the photograph it made but also because of the oddness of my position; standing at one of the great wonders of the world facing the ‘wrong’ way."

Now you can see Oliver's series of images at an upcoming exhibition at Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London – from Monday 19th September – Friday 14th October 2016. Or visit www.olivercurtisphotography.co.uk to find out more about Oliver.

Via direct submission | All images courtesy of Oliver Curtis