A photographer captures the unexpected views that lie behind famous landmarks

"It is very easy to whisk through and see all the angles and features one expects and is expected to see," Curtis explains. Here, he shows a lone tourist observing "The Wedding at Cana," a painting by Paolo Veronese that hangs directly across from famous "Mona Lisa."

Many historic landmarks are swaddled in souvenir carts. Curtis turned around at the Colosseum in Rome to capture a close-up of plastic-wrapped "David" replicas.

This was one of Curtis' favorite shots to capture. He visited the Christ the Redeemer statue early in the morning to find "janitors and security guards in [a] reflective and playful mood, ignoring the statue and appreciating the view for what it was." He adds "It was a reminder that these monuments are also places of work where the staff have a relaxed ambivalence born of daily exposure."

The imposing Great Wall of China has some less than imposing views.

Despite focusing on the unexpected, he says, "There’s still a thrill to be had in visiting a globally historic site for the first time."

Curtis's advice to other travelers is to look for the unexpected.

"Despite being bombarded with images of a place prior to arriving there, there are always surprising aspects to a monument or historic site," he explains. Tell that to the hordes of tourists trying to capture the perfect view of Mao Zedong's final resting place.

Curtis hopes his photos inspire others to look at the world with fresh eyes when traveling. For more of his work, check out his website.