London 2012

Olympic legacy

/ mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

Two years ago the eyes of the world were on London for the Olympic Games. A neglected area of the city was redeveloped to host the event, which was deemed a huge success.

After the action has finished, it’s easy for facilities to fall into disuse. There’s little sign of that in London. The area has been turned into a playground for the city, with beautifully sculpted walkways where everyone is free to roam.

It has great architectural interest with the amazing curves of the Aquatic Centre, designed by Britain’s high priestess of building design, Zaha Hadid. It sits near Orbit, a thrusting artistic twist of metal created by Anish Kapoor. And the athletes’ village has been turned over to private residential use.

This is a place that visitors want to explore, long after the buzz of Olympic competition left the arena. Here’s a portrait of the park captured one afternoon in both its might, detail and as a people’s place.

Click first image for the full gallery experience

The Photo Shop

After the Olympics

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

The Olympic Games in London are drawing to a close. It’s been a remarkable couple of weeks. Predictions that the city would grind to a halt have not come true, and Great Britain exceeded expectations with some amazing sporting achievements. It was hard to resist its lure and sense there was something special in the air.

Before the games I insisted I wouldn’t get involved, and didn’t even apply for tickets. I didn’t get physically close to the action but wanted my own memories. This included visiting Tower Bridge which became an Olympic beacon, while the buildings beside the River Thames sparkled and shimmered even more than usual. The immense number of tourists taking in the sights was astounding.

And there was Hackney Wick, an area close to the Olympic Stadium which seemed fiercely autonomous in the shadow of the games. Weeks earlier, the massive Olympic rings at St Pancras station were a photographic draw.

Click on the first image to launch the full-size gallery

So what are we going to do with ourselves after the games? Will there be a tide of post-Olympics blues? On 29 August, the Paralympics begin in London. Another chance to absorb the sporting spirit and enjoy the city’s weeks in the spotlight.

London’s Olympic lights

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

A pleasant evening along the Thames in London just a day after the Olympics spectacular opening ceremony. The river’s South Bank is thronging with people, mostly tourists. The centre of the capital seems brighter, more illuminated than usual. I’ve never seen so many cameras, so many photographs being taken – there is even a bristling of tripods.

A bridge is dazzlingly lit up orange and blue, turning the Thames into a rich, glittering sheet of water in the presence of St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Olympic shot everyone has been taking. Tower Bridge shimmers, with the Olympic rings as its centrepiece.

Across the river from Tower Bridge, it’s business as usual for the skyscrapers of Docklands, which are amply lit. I didn’t have the chance to take this shot before, so this was the night to do it. London’s lights are hard to resist at any time.

See also:

Pretty in pink

In the Olympic Stadium’s shadow

/ mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

The opening ceremony has taken place and the Olympic competition is under way at London 2012.

A few days earlier, I made an attempt to get close to the Olympic Park in east London, but with no ticket nor accreditation, it was a failed mission. So I went to an area just to the west of Stratford called Hackney Wick, which sits near the stadium. The massive centrepiece of the games was just on the other side of the canal, but the path was heavily guarded.

This corner of east London is very urban, filled with light industry and warehouses. There are some canalside residences and a surprising number of cafes and restaurants, not to mention a lot of colourful wall murals brightening up the inner city brickwork. It’s not swish, it isn’t sleek, but I sensed that life was carrying on regardless of the massive global event brewing in the neighbourhood.

People were still going about their business in small factories and yards, and there was even a model being photographed, glamorous against the painted bricks.

I’m sure the residents could hear every beat of Friday night’s impressive opening ceremony, but maybe it’s simply business as usual next to the Olympic Stadium.

Click on the images to enlarge

                                     

Pretty in pink

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

London’s iconic Tower Bridge in all its glory on a summer’s evening. Just days before the start of the Olympics, it is being illuminated in various colours to mark the imminent arrival of the games. Just after this pink and light purple show was a patriotic burst of red, white and blue.

I was a bit too early to see the Olympic rings unfurl from the top of the bridge – they’ll be on display and lit up in the evenings during the games. Coming back to capture this on another warm, pleasant evening will be anything but a drag.

See also:

London pride