Beijing smog: Images before and after

For the first time, China's capital has declared a smog "red alert" for three days from Tuesday.

Schools will be closed, outdoor construction stopped and severe restrictions placed on drivers.

Last week, photographers from the AFP agency and Getty Images took to the streets of Beijing to illustrate the difference smog makes.

The contrasting images below were taken a day or two apart, after the smog cleared.

In this composite of two separate images, Chinese Paramilitary officers stand Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People is seen in heavy pollution, top, on December 1 and 24 hours later under a clear sky on December 2, 2015 in Beijing, ChinaGetty Images
In this composite of two separate images, Tiananmen Square is seen in heavy pollution, top, on December 1 and 24 hours later under a clear sky on December 2, 2015 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
This combination image of two photographs taken on December 3, 2015 (top) and two days earlier on December 1 (bottom) shows pedestrians walking past buildings under clear skies and in heavy pollution in the central business district in Beijing.AFP/Getty Images
In this composite of two separate images, the Forbidden City is seen in heavy pollution, top, on December 1 and 24 hours later under a clear sky on December 2, 2015 in Beijing, China.Getty Images
This combination image of two photographs taken on December 3, 2015 (top) and two days earlier on December 1 (bottom) shows a skyscraper under clear skies and in heavy pollution, as seen in the central business district in Beijing.AFP/Getty Images

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