White City

This is the view from the roof of BBC Television Centre in west London. It looks across the snowy blocks of the White City housing estate and not much further – snow showers impede the way. A touch of sepia brings out the lines and depth of the buildings in a wintry scene where there is little clarity. Click on the image to enlarge.

Later I went on to capture the details of everyday architecture and features in their wintry guise – I will share these with you soon.

Tags: BBC Television Centre, housing estate, London, Mike Osborn, monochrome, photography, sepia, snow, White City, winter scene

29 thoughts on “White City”

Noeline Smith on January 20, 2013 at 10:52 said:

White in more ways than one! I must admit, I love the way snow helps make really graphic, sometimes bordering on abstract, images.

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- mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 11:45 said:
  
  Thank you Noeline. It softens everything, the instinct is always to lessen the contrast even more.
  
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ckponderings on January 20, 2013 at 11:20 said:

Hehe… Okay, how do you get on the roof of Television Centre?! :D

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- mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 11:46 said:
  
  I work on the top floor and a door leads straight out there. Couldn’t be simpler – apart from when the door is shut on you!
  
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  - ckponderings on January 20, 2013 at 11:55 said:
    
    Haha. Cool! Working for the Beeb, eh? Nice! I had a mate who worked for them years back. Not been up there for about 15yrs now…
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 12:02 said:
      
      My secret’s out! Well we’re moving out of Television Centre soon, so the roof will be inaccessible for good :-/
      
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      - ckponderings on January 20, 2013 at 12:03 said:
        
        Best make use of it while you can, then! :)
      - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 12:05 said:
        
        I feel duty bound to take a shot with piercing blue skies now…
      - ckponderings on January 20, 2013 at 12:06 said:
        
        Haha! :D
snappy~speak on January 20, 2013 at 13:54 said:

ooh, I really like this. It looks like you’d find it in a dusty, old book.
~Christy

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- mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 14:55 said:
  
  Thank you Christy, I’m glad you like it. With the tinge of colour it was quite hard to pick out any detail!
  
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  - snappy~speak on January 21, 2013 at 01:41 said:
    
    It totally works. I think it’s lovely.
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on January 21, 2013 at 18:11 said:
      
      Thank you very much, Christy.
      
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mjculverphotography on January 20, 2013 at 14:28 said:

Brrr. Looks really cold!!! We think we’re cold when the temps drop to 60 degrees. ;-)

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- mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 14:54 said:
  
  I’d be sunbathing on that roof with 60 degrees at the moment! How very mild :-)
  
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  - mjculverphotography on January 20, 2013 at 15:34 said:
    
    I guess that’s a matter of opinion, if some people here are anything to go by Mike. I always laugh when I see people bundled up as if they’re in a blizzard LOL. Down filled coats and shorts with the ever present flip flops are considered national Florida dress in the winter. ;-)
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 15:44 said:
      
      Ha! That’s quite a combo. Around west London you see Australians wearing their flip flops even in the midst of winter. At home they’d be doing the same as Floridians!
      
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      - mjculverphotography on January 20, 2013 at 17:34 said:
        
        You’re so right Mike. That’s the national dress for Floridians, Aussies as well as people from the Southern part of Africa where I grew up. Come to think of it, I’ve seen them dressed like that in the UK!! LOL
      - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 17:38 said:
        
        What’s it all about?! I also saw some fools jogging through the snow in shorts and the like today. Not me!
      - mjculverphotography on January 20, 2013 at 18:53 said:
        
        Not sure Mike. We are going to the woods on Tuesday. It’s supposed to be really cold….haha – a high of 65. A couple of our friends who sometimes tag along with us (if they go) will be dressed for arctic exploration. The two of us will probably wear a light jacket – if that. More than likely they will stay home because it’s too cold to venture out!!!
      - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 18:56 said:
        
        They need to check out north-west Europe in winter!!! Hahahaha :-)
Liana on January 20, 2013 at 16:03 said:

the mood of this shot is what I like best…it feels Dickensian to me…I just love it

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- mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 16:08 said:
  
  Thank you Liana, I’m glad you like it. Some have said it’s the most miserable sight they’ve ever seen!
  
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  - Liana on January 20, 2013 at 16:09 said:
    
    a tribute to your eye to have seen it lovely for us
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on January 20, 2013 at 16:10 said:
      
      Thank you so much, that’s great to hear :-)
      
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belgradestreets on February 1, 2013 at 15:15 said:

Good to see this, I worked in BH, Henry Wood House and then the Media Centre for a while….happy memories ;-)

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- mikeosbornphoto on February 1, 2013 at 19:12 said:
  
  Ah, a BBC boy! I had no idea. TVC will soon be a memory – I have something up my sleeve to mark the occasion.
  
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  - belgradestreets on February 4, 2013 at 11:28 said:
    
    Looking forward to seeing what you have in mind!
    
    Back with BBC again, after almost 4 years in Sydney, now leading EU project for BBC Media Action in Belgrade.
    
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    - mikeosbornphoto on February 4, 2013 at 22:24 said:
      
      That sounds great. Perhaps I’ll be able to find you on the global address list! TVC is starting to be pulled apart – no mirrors in the lifts today! I’ll document this as best I can with some photographs.
      
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