By Nelson Groom
Virtual reality is all around us and nowhere is that more literal than in the case of these immersive 360-degree photographs of iconic world landmarks.
The snapshots put a new spin on familiar landscapes by turning them into miniature worlds that encompass every angle.
Gold Coast photographer Brendon Gee, 44, has been picking up legions of online followers for his depictions of popular settings from the temples of Japan to the beaches of Australia - but says these are only the beginning.
While the photographs are stunning by themselves, combining them with virtual reality (VR) headsets gives users a highly immersive experience.
"It starts with capturing the surrounding environment from multiple images," says Brendon.
"I stitch all these images together to make the 360-degree environment, and then you can use them with a VR headset to take a virtual tour around.
"From my experience, sunrises are the best on social media. They create a great contrast of colours with yellows, reds and oranges against the blue backdrop. Who doesn't like a sunrise?
"I'm still learning new aspects, though. You think you know what makes a good shot, but sometimes it can surprise you once it's turned into a tiny planet."
Brendon uses a variety of cameras and software that lets him blend together footage, including some with camera lenses on multiple sides to create photos that capture everything around him.
The resulting 'planet' snaps can be viewed with VR headsets, or on websites that support 360-degree video, which include Facebook and YouTube.
Brendon believes the technology has a bright future with wide-reaching uses - from education to helping the elderly.
"I recently returned from the a big conference in Japan and we will see a lot more of this 360-degree content in the future," he said.
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