Observatory view

May 2, 2015May 3, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 4 Comments

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If you want to see London in all its glory, then you have to climb up high. A favoured vantage point is on the hill above Greenwich, home of the world-famous observatory. And that’s exactly what it is. A place to see a grand sweep of the city and a large bend in the River Thames, from the mighty Shard to the City. The bristling of Docklands’ corporate skyscrapers is just across the way. And if you’re blessed with a crystal blue sky, then all the better.

London in monochrome

November 18, 2012October 9, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 24 Comments

London is a huge, thriving city well known for its colourful emblems – the red of underground trains and buses, the golden hues of the Palace of Westminster and Tower of London and the blue of the Boris bikes. They are the lifeblood of many photographs and postcards. But the views and landmarks of this city also come across beautifully in black and white.

This selection of shots from the album brings together some of my own favourite places and frames.

Click on the first image to launch the full size gallery

: Tower Bridge

: River Thames at Chelsea

: Docklands

: Battersea Railway Bridge

: St Paul’s Cathedral and the City

: O2 Arena

: Hammersmith Bridge

: The Shard

: Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s

: Thames Barrier

Aerial views

November 7, 2012 / mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

The newest addition to London’s complex transport web is a cable car, which crosses a waterway between North Greenwich and Royal Dock. The Emirates Air Line, as it’s officially called, provides a short joy ride and an impressive viewing – and photographic – platform across parts of the city.

In these shots, captured on a bright afternoon, the protruding yellow struts of the O2 Arena dominate the frame. It was used for gymnastics during the London Olympic Games and temporarily renamed the North Greenwich Arena. The soaring, shimmering skyscrapers of Docklands line up across the Thames. The new vantage points of the cable car are pretty impressive.

From another point on the ride, this cluster of riverside buildings dominates the vista. The slender form of the BT Tower, some way off in London’s West End, can be seen to the right of the tallest tower. This is a London ride well worth taking.

London’s Olympic lights

August 6, 2012August 6, 2012 / 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

The highest heights

July 3, 2012 / mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

Some shots of London’s loftiest buildings, including the iconic Gherkin, The Shard – Europe’s tallest structure – and some other impressive edifices around the city’s financial district and Docklands.

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