Southwark Cathedral

Faith buildings

/ mikeosbornphoto / 22 Comments

They come all in manner of shapes and sizes, for an array of worshipful purposes.

Even if you don’t hold a particular faith (I fall into that category), it’s hard not to find these buildings impressive and moving on some level.

They are invariably engaging to capture in photographs, occasionally challenging in the dim of candlelight. In some cases, you are not permitted to use your camera.

This tiny fraction of faith buildings I’ve had the pleasure of visiting encompasses six religions. Each place is arresting in its own way, while they all have a shared mystique.

Tap/click first image for gallery view

The London album

/ mikeosbornphoto / 23 Comments

I live in London and spend most of my time capturing moments and places around this great capital city.

The London album is a simple notion to make the most of this. It’s a new page which gathers together the photographs and posts about areas and landmarks of the city. Each name on the index – which you can find on the front page – clicks through to images and notes about that place.

Clearly there is a long way to go before I have London covered! Here is just a small sample from the album. Do let me know if you think of any London areas or famous spots which you would like to see added.

You can click here to take a look.

Click first image for the full gallery experience
Waterloo Station
The Shard
Southwark Cathedral
Whitechapel Gallery
St Pancras International
The London Eye

Ecclesiastical curves

/ mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

Southwark Cathedral lies close to the South Bank of the River Thames. The building is close to London Bridge and in the shadow of uber-modern skyscraper The Shard. It lies so near to the very popular Borough Market that visitors eating their snacks often spill into the grounds at weekends.

While the exterior is beautiful, going inside the cathedral is a great experience. On this particular afternoon, the choir was rehearsing and in full voice and the light warm, feeding the intricate stonework with its graceful curves and archways.

London’s larger religious buildings, including St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, forbid visitors from taking interior photographs. For a small donation, you are issued with a permit at Southwark and allowed to wander around the building and enjoy it to the full with your camera.

Click on the first image to launch the full size gallery

Capturing The Shard

/ mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

London’s newest skyscraper has been taking shape on the horizon for some time now, and is edging towards completion. The Shard made the news recently after trespassers managed to climb their way to the summit.

The towering landmark is difficult to resist as an object to photograph – and it can be captured from numerous vantage points around the city.

The photo on the left was taken from Hampstead Heath, high above London’s city skyline and some miles away.

The Shard dominates St Paul’s Cathedral and the buildings around it, although it seems quite distant and almost frail in its sepia tones.

Taken from close quarters on the right, it is highly illuminated, brash – maybe a little overexposed – and consumes the sky.

A much older landmark – Southwark Cathedral – is dwarfed by the might of the high rise and almost struggles to be visible.

If you run a Google Image search for The Shard, it offers more than seven million results. Even before it is open, London’s newest skyscraper is a real draw for photographers.

I wonder how many ways there are to capture this structure?…