For the pedestrian, stairs are not much more than an obstacle to be surmounted. When you find yourself panting up a steep staircase, you may feel particularly inclined to stop and appreciate how the innate geometry of the staircase lends itself to patterns that are mesmerising in their simplicity. It is often the case that the aesthetics of objects that are primarily functional in design are lost on those that use them. For the photographer, however, the transformation from the mundane into the marvellous is just a matter of perspective.
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Stairway to Heaven: 14 Dizzying Photos of Staircases to Make Your Toes Twitch
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A staircase cuts across an escalator in an Escher-esque scene at Liverpool 1, UK.
A staircase cuts across an escalator in an Escher-esque scene at Liverpool 1, UK. Read less
A staircase in an industrial area in northern Toronto casts eerie shadows.
A staircase in an industrial area in northern Toronto casts eerie shadows. Read less
An angular staircase spirals to a pinpoint.
An angular staircase spirals to a pinpoint. Read less
Staircases zig and zag in this black and white shot from Liverpool, England.
Staircases zig and zag in this black and white shot from Liverpool, England. Read less
An escalator climbs in triplicate alongside its crisp reflections towards a clear winter sky.
An escalator climbs in triplicate alongside its crisp reflections towards a clear winter sky. Read less
A claustrophobic staircase in Singapore, bordered by imposing walls.
A claustrophobic staircase in Singapore, bordered by imposing walls. Read less
Paint peels on a staircase at Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue, Vietnam.
Paint peels on a staircase at Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue, Vietnam. Read less
Stairs on a rusted-metal gas tank which glows in dusky shades of blue and orange.
Stairs on a rusted-metal gas tank which glows in dusky shades of blue and orange. Read less
A staircase the One Exchange Mall, St Paul’s, London, snakes organically between two levels.
A staircase the One Exchange Mall, St Paul’s, London, snakes organically between two levels. Read less
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A staircase in São Paulo, Brazil, is almost lost in a camouflage of street art.
A staircase in São Paulo, Brazil, is almost lost in a camouflage of street art. Read less
by Lourdes Siracuza Cappi
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