bridges

2014 moments #3

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I would like to share my 10 most memorable photographs of the year over the coming days with you. These are shots that I am particularly proud of, while each evokes a sense of place and meaning from 2014.

Pink Freedom

PINK FREEDOM

This was just one photograph from a weekend in the Hungarian capital Budapest. The elegant Freedom Bridge, which spans the Danube, is framed in a glowing pink sunset. It’s a shot that embraces the architecture of a wonderful city, offering so much for the photographer and traveller alike.

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A taste of Budapest

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I finally made it to the Hungarian capital on a whistle-stop weekend visit, armed with camera, lenses and tripod.

Dermot and I covered Budapest largely on foot – the best way to absorb an old and majestic city. This taster trio of photographs package up our experience neatly.

Freedom Bridge at dusk

The Danube majestically meanders through the city and is arched by a number of beautiful bridges – heaven for this fancier of river crossings. Freedom Bridge reminds me of my local green Hammersmith Bridge in London.

Buda vista

Views. Climb steps, clamber up hills and even take a little funicular railway – and you can see Budapest in all its glory from numerous points.

Budapest ironwork

Budapest is bursting at the seams with detail. Intricate ironwork on humble door grilles to coloured plasterwork, it’s all here and never runs dry.

The Hungarian capital was a photographic feast, and there’ll be more to come…

Three bridges

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This is the story of a long walk along London’s Chelsea Embankment by the River Thames.

It’s a winter’s evening and dusk begins to fall early, while the weather is comfortably mild. Perfect conditions to watch darkness rapidly fall and see three bridges take on their night-time guise.

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Chelsea Bridge at dusk. It subtly twinkles but doesn’t want to impress too much. A charred stump of Battersea Power Station looms large on the right.

Albert BridgeFurther along the embankment, and the dark has taken hold. This is when Albert Bridge shines majestically, truly showing off against the sky. In the background, the full might of Battersea Power Station can be seen.

Battersea BridgeAnd to Battersea Bridge, which is barely illuminated. A long exposure is needed to tease out the gold of its graceful arches. The pagoda-like tower of exclusive Chelsea Harbour looks like it sits on the third bridge.

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Across the Peace Bridge

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The Peace Bridge was opened in Derry, Northern Ireland in June 2011 and has swiftly become a major feature of the city. It sits astride the River Foyle and is intended for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge is designed to bring together Derry’s divided geography and communities.

This contemporary structure with its graceful pinnacles and curves is a draw to the photographer. The city looks weathered against the bridge, which enjoys a steady stream of human traffic. Reflections of the Peace Bridge in the water it crosses and its own detail make it a joy to capture.

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This bridge has been elevated to one of the best I have visited and photographed. The sense that this has brought a new lease of life to the fabric of Derry came across quite palpably.

Millennium Bridge

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London’s Millennium Bridge shimmers at night with the glory of St Paul’s Cathedral above it. While I was pleased with the outcome of this shot, it’s a view which has been photographed again and again.

That evening a group of photographers had gathered on the bridge and were clicking wildly, while a man practically pushed me out of the way to get his shot.

So here ends a trio of bridge posts for the Jubilee weekend, starting with Hammersmith Bridge bedecked in a big Union Jack, to the unloved curves of industrial, neglected Barnes Bridge. It’s a personal fascination that I’ll come back to again.

But does a shot that has been captured so many times take the shine off your own effort?…