Photographer Stephen Wilkes has an incredible style in which he takes thousands of images from a single, fixed location over the period of a day or two and combines them to create stunning images that capture the passing of time.

“What if you could capture more than one moment in a photograph?” Wilkes asks. “What if a photograph could actually collapse time, compressing the best moment of the day and the night seamlessly into one image?”

Wilkes does just that, and surprisingly his process that creates these stunning images isn’t necessarily unique. Just like any complex, large composite image, Wilkes combines images taken at different points within a day or so. This allows him to capture the day and the night side-by-side, providing a fun perspective of what some of the world’s most beautiful locations look like in a 24-hour span.

While the compositing process may be nothing new, it’s Wilkes attention to detail and ability to find the perfect moments that truly set him and his photographs apart.

You can find more of Stephen Wilkes’ great work at his website.

[via TED.com]