My night view

November 27, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

This is my new perspective on the world. Welcome to the neighbourhood of Castlefield, a short hop away from Manchester city centre. My balcony after dark takes in the arched pedestrian bridge which links both sides of the Bridgewater canal. The lights of bars and buildings opposite glow brightly. And above, a tram breezes along the viaduct. The skyscape is dominated by the city’s tallest building, the Beetham Tower, peppered with the lights of both the Hilton Hotel and loftily perched residential dwellings above.

It was a freezing, frosty night. Even a trip out onto the balcony was a chilly stretch…

Abu Dhabi: Water metropolis

March 25, 2016February 14, 2025 / mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, nestles handsomely on the waters of the Arabian Gulf. During the relative cool of the winter, I spent an entire day making my way along The Corniche – a showpiece walkway by the water’s edge and Abu Dhabi’s beaches, with the high-rise majesty of the city centre next to you. The blue and white palette is dazzling.

The walkway eventually gives way to the bustling junction with 18th Street, the artery leading to Marina Island. It bristles with boats, has its own impressive shopping mall and a vast UAE flag. As the daylight slowly ebbs, people gather to pass the time. Dusk into darkness brings its own reward as the city twinkles and casts colourful reflections onto the water – a photographic delight.

As this is the final glance at Abu Dhabi, I’d suggest that it’s a better bet than nearby Dubai, which has mopped up all the notoriety having shot up from almost nothing. Well there’s only one way to find out…

Click first image to view this collection

A Christmas album

December 20, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

Christmas means a lot of things to an awful lot of people. Even to a photographer – who doesn’t really enjoy the festive season – it means something. Beautiful shiny little objects, blazing colours, warm light, bold bokeh and a great opportunity to capture a particular mood. I took my bagful of seasonal booty and photographed them in full daylight, then at dusk with candlelight and some background fairy lights.

I hope you enjoy this little essence of the season and have a very enjoyable Christmas.

Click first image to view the gallery

Night lights

May 5, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 27 Comments

A train line which runs behind your house has its advantages, although it’s taken me eight years to exploit this. It’s after dark and pleasant enough to set up the camera and tripod by an open window.

The Hammersmith and City line trains are less frequent at night and tend to thunder straight past. So these are bright, fast-moving objects under low light conditions. It was very hard to catch them.

But what I did capture were numerous colourful, thick streaks of light zipping past the sky, which I discovered can be made into beautifully neat abstract frames.

I managed to see into the carriage of one train and also turned my lens on the trees when the trains were absent, finding a beautiful ink blue sky. A good and unexpected evening’s work.

Click first image to launch the gallery

The bright lights of Dubai

September 26, 2012March 2, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

With its teeming skyscrapers, the Middle Eastern metropolis of Dubai is a place made for after dark. The searing light of the sun has disappeared, while the tall buildings glimmer and twinkle with a myriad of illuminations.

Next to the Dubai Mall – the largest shopping centre in the world – is a dazzling spectacle made for night-time. The Dubai Fountain is a show which sees plumes of water gushing high into the air and dancing to music.

This makes the city a great location for night photography. Armed with my tripod, I took shots of the Dubai Marina area, and then headed to catch the fountain in all its glory.