Tate in the frame

January 26, 2014November 20, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 20 Comments

This major London gallery on the north bank of the Thames houses a dazzling wealth of British art. It has been a little overshadowed by Tate Modern, its sibling across the river and more obvious tourist draw.

But I was here to see the impressive shell that houses Tate Britain, recently refurbished to the tune of £45 million with a new staircase and reopened balconies.

The building’s central sweep with all its Neo-classical grandeur is just as impressive. On a quiet day, it’s possible to capture these features without the interruption of visitors – or just simply let them wander into shot.

Click first image to launch the gallery

Accidental shootings

January 25, 2014February 8, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

These are three shots that were not meant to be.

I was taking photographs with my new macro lens on a sunny afternoon in the park. My camera was anything but ready to take a picture in a spot where there was plenty of dappled light, but the shutter was released in a moment of clumsiness.

A multi-coloured, out of focus swirl was the result. But I didn’t delete. I liked the unintended effect and repeated with a slightly different exposure. And again.

Being a fan of experimenting with digital art, I edited the second shot in monochrome and inverted the colours of the third. Maybe it’s criminal to discard shots, however accidental. Do you agree?…

Click each image to reveal more detail

Favourite shots of 2013: Part II

January 1, 2014January 1, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 24 Comments

An entire year of photography has passed and I’ve been looking back at 2013 through the lens.

It’s been tough to choose 10 shots that have really stayed with me, proved a lasting joy and pleasure – and evoke memories of the past 12 months.

Click to enlarge the individual photos and view all 10 as a gallery here or at the foot of the post – then it’s time to vote for your favourite.

Here’s the second set of five and why they were chosen.

HAMMERSMITH BY NIGHT

Low light photography never ceases to lose its appeal, especially in a big city like London. Hammersmith Bridge is my local Thames crossing, and is more elegant than some of its rivals. This shot hangs on our wall as a symbol of our locality and home city.

SITTING AT THE WINDOW

People seldom take centre stage in my photographs. But this couple, sitting on the floor of the viewing platform of The Shard and gazing out over London, had to be captured. London’s highest building unexpectedly turned out to be a place for candids.

BRICK BOUTIQUE

An interest in detail took an obsessive turn in 2013 with my collection of many local types of brickwork and bringing some of them together in one frame. It reminds me of moving to a new area and getting a feel for its physical presence, including the bricks of our own house which feature in this work.

SKY LIGHT

A December trip to Bournemouth on England’s south coast yielded this moment of “sky porn”, with the sun searing through winter cloud cover on a deceptively gentle – and memorable – day away from London. The expanse of sea represents a sense of escape from city life.

GAUZED LIGHT

My top 10 could easily be composed entirely of architectural photographs. This shot perhaps sums up how I strive for symmetry and harmony when photographing buildings, and some unusual perspectives. But it masks the golden majesty of London’s New West End synagogue, probably my favourite visit of 2013.

Click first image to launch the Top 10 gallery

Favourite shots of 2013: Part I

December 30, 2013December 30, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 16 Comments

The first full year of taking photographs and sharing them with you has almost passed. 2013 has been eventful and I’ve been to numerous places around London and beyond, seeking inspiration.

It’s been tough to choose 10 shots that have really stayed with me, proved a lasting joy and pleasure – and evoke memories of the past 12 months. Click to enlarge the photographs or view them as a gallery here or at the foot of the post.

WHITE CITY

This hazy, sepia-tinged image of the rooftops of west London’s White City estate sums up the severe winter weather we experienced at the beginning of 2013. I took it from the top of BBC Television Centre, a workplace I would leave for good in March as a broadcast era came to a close.

DESSICATED BEAUTY

This shot of a flower at the end of its life pleased me with the amount of detail and fresh, dappled bokeh. After moving house in May, I came to Ravenscourt Park’s walled garden for two seasonal sessions. Such a small space but so much beautiful natural material for the camera.

HAMMERSMITH AND CITY GOLD

This night image of a London Tube train hurtling past the back of my old house reminds me of a warm Spring evening with the window wide open and a tripod set up. This gold abstract has become the emblem of my online presence and sparked off an interest in creating digital art through photography in 2013.

TOWARDS THE MOUNTAIN

I love the drama of this photograph, with the rugged mountain in the shadow of the sun and the lone figure moving over the sand. My only trip overseas in 2013 was to the holiday island of Fuerteventura, which was a revelation with its bristling light, fantastic sunsets and vibrant colours.

BEACH HUT INFINITY

A trip to the lovely seaside resort of Whitstable in Kent yielded this slice of endless colour, which I noticed but could easily have missed. It might be less vibrant than the beach huts in Bournemouth, but is a reminder of a memorable day trip to the ever-giving British coast.

Click first image to launch the gallery

Beach huts

December 21, 2013December 21, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 24 Comments

They’re a traditional, essential and practically iconic feature of the British seaside. It’s a shelter, somewhere to change into your bathing costume, a place to make a cup of tea.

The coastal resort of Bournemouth in Dorset, on England’s south coast, is a bastion of the beach hut. The first municipal beach huts were built there in 1909, and there are still hundreds of them there today.

Long lines of little dwellings in every imaginable colour are a sight to behold on a chilly December day. They’re mostly locked up for the winter, but a couple of hardy souls were sat outside their miniature English castle.

They are irresistible to photograph – and this is a collection that simply cannot be presented in monochrome.