Golden hour Thames

November 1, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 13 Comments

The nights in London are now long and dark with the onset of winter. Just a short while ago, summer was breathing its last gasp on the embankment of the River Thames close to the iconic and imposing Palace of Westminster. The building caught the last vestiges of sunlight, while people went about their business – tourists took photographs as joggers passed by. There was even a wedding shoot taking place. Most noticeable of all was the green leaves of the trees, lush and intact. How different things are now…

Click first image to launch the gallery

Westminster nightfall

October 11, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 16 Comments

The Palace of Westminster. Arguably the most recognisable London landmark topped off by Big Ben, the capital’s timekeeper. It’s taken me a number of years to visit the stretch of the south bank of the Thames between Westminster and Lambeth bridges, which offers this view.

I set up my tripod in one spot as dusk rapidly turned to autumnal darkness. Each is a separate long exposure shot, two have monochrome finishes. What I couldn’t master was capturing the detail of the clock face, which is the brightest point of the composition. And the building is undergoing some repair work, meaning scaffold and a covered section are unavoidably part of the photographs. But two pleasure boats obliged to create the light trails in the main photo.

There is little to beat the transition from day to night in a big city – especially if you have your camera ready to catch it.

2014 moments #10

January 4, 2015January 4, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 7 Comments

I’ve enjoyed sharing my 10 favourite photographs of 2014 with you over recent days. These are the shots that stood out to me and had a particularly strong sense of place and meaning. You can find a gallery of the top 10 after this, the final entry.

THE CENTRE OF WESTMINSTER

This is a piece of pure architectural opulence, captured at the Palace of Westminster in London. The nerve centre of British political life, I wondered if the likes of Margaret Thatcher had ever stopped in the Central Lobby and peered upwards at this sumptuous ceiling. I also spend a lot of time taking photographs with my head flung back – it’s worth it every time.

The shots of the year – click first image to launch the gallery

Westminster opulence

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 21 Comments

The “mother of parliaments” deserves a resplendent setting – and it certainly has that. The architecture of the Palace of Westminster is soaked in grandeur, and its inner corridors are enriched with the atmosphere of a cathedral.

After waiting in a lengthy queue and undergoing airport-style security screening, St Stephen’s Hall, Westminster Hall and the Central Lobby – the “foyer” for Britain’s political nerve centre – were ours to peruse and photograph.

It’s staggeringly opulent. All I can wonder is if David Cameron, Tony Blair or Margaret Thatcher ever took a moment to absorb its magnificence or craned their neck to admire the Central Lobby’s gilded ceiling.