high rise buildings

Manchester wildflowers

/ mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

Here in the middle of Manchester you look for every scrap of nature – and it can flourish in the most unexpected places.

A stone’s throw away from my Castlefield home is a vast, very busy interchange where major traffic routes meet.

One central section has burst into life with yellow, white and pink wildflowers – a stunning show bringing nature alongside a stark man-made creation.

Less than a mile away is a rust-coloured branch of a self-storage company where alium flourishes, while cow parsley grows undisturbed on an area of the canal towpath. 

We need wilderness more than ever, especially in our urban centres. Why mow it down for the sake of neatness? Please share your thoughts on this below

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Towers of the east

/ mikeosbornphoto / 15 Comments

When you stroll around the fashionable London districts of Hoxton and Shoreditch, you tend to look straight ahead to spot bijou little shops, high-class eateries – and hipsters sporting beards.

But this part of the city has more than its fair share of high-rise buildings, from very modern glass-clad affairs to the concrete bunkers from the 1960s. Futuristic or retro, these tall edifices are bursting with perspective. So if you pay a visit, take a few moments to stand still and look up.

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The Photo Shop

High and mighty

/ mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

High and mighty

An impressive mountain of glass and steel in the heart of the City of London – a true statement of power and prestige.

This is just one of the many new high-grade skyscrapers that have sprung up in recent years. There are more on the way, which cluster together in the capital’s business district.

Nearby is a less imposing and more elegant curved tower. With your camera you can spend a long time pointing upwards on a trip to the so-called Square Mile.

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Upper curves

Gallery entrance

Dazzling desert towers

/ mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

Dubai is an upwardly mobile city, bristling with skyscrapers. They come in every shape and size, mostly shiny and new. The world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, is fittingly found here.

In the piercing sunlight of the Arabian Gulf in summer and under a clear blue sky, photographing these towers is hard work. You have to squint and point your lens far upwards. It can be harsh and unyielding. But with these soaring lines the results can also be astounding – especially for a fan of extreme architecture.

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London’s skyscrapers seem to pale into insignificance compared to the high rise might of Dubai. There is no desert light in this city. How do you think the two compare? Take a look at Skyscraper study and The highest heights to make up your own mind.