Tower Bridge

Night Shard

/ mikeosbornphoto / 9 Comments

Night lights and reflectionsA rainy evening high, high above London. A chance to witness dusk and lighting-up time across the city from a commanding vantage point. This is the view from The Shard, one of Europe’s highest buildings. I’ve visited during the day, but the night view surpassed that, with the atmosphere in the partially open 72nd floor viewing platform wholly transformed.

But this is also a tale of photographic teeth-gnashing. You cannot bring tripods on your visit, essential for low light photography and opening the shutter for longer periods. You have to rely on stretching regular exposure times as far as possible and cranking up the ISO. It’s frustrating to know how sparkling and golden your images could be with the right tools. I suppose we all have to head to the gift shop for our beautiful photos of a brightly lit London – or simply make do…

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Gallery entrance

311 steps

/ mikeosbornphoto / 14 Comments

These days, if you want a good view across London you visit superskyscrapers The Shard, the Walkie Talkie or take a spin on the London Eye.

But there’s a 17th century vantage point which is still holding its own and brings the visitors flocking in. It doesn’t even have a lift, but 311 stone steps to a small viewing platform. The Monument was erected to mark London’s regeneration after the devastating Great Fire of 1666, with golden plumes of flame atop the slender stone pillar.

So it was less than good planning to turn up on a Bank Holiday around midday. It was very busy, with two-way traffic on the narrow stairway. And the viewing platform was quite a squeeze. But the views are impressive, given that modern viewpoints tower over this one. There’s no grubby, over-reflective glass either, but a sturdy wire mesh which you can photograph through – and is an interesting feature in its own right.

Clamber up the stone steps if you find yourself in the City of London – you’ll get a certificate for your efforts. But do come early.

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The Photo Shop

London in monochrome

/ 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.

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After the Olympics

/ mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

The Olympic Games in London are drawing to a close. It’s been a remarkable couple of weeks. Predictions that the city would grind to a halt have not come true, and Great Britain exceeded expectations with some amazing sporting achievements. It was hard to resist its lure and sense there was something special in the air.

Before the games I insisted I wouldn’t get involved, and didn’t even apply for tickets. I didn’t get physically close to the action but wanted my own memories. This included visiting Tower Bridge which became an Olympic beacon, while the buildings beside the River Thames sparkled and shimmered even more than usual. The immense number of tourists taking in the sights was astounding.

And there was Hackney Wick, an area close to the Olympic Stadium which seemed fiercely autonomous in the shadow of the games. Weeks earlier, the massive Olympic rings at St Pancras station were a photographic draw.

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So what are we going to do with ourselves after the games? Will there be a tide of post-Olympics blues? On 29 August, the Paralympics begin in London. Another chance to absorb the sporting spirit and enjoy the city’s weeks in the spotlight.

London’s Olympic lights

/ 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