Living in London, I take it for granted when cheeky art crops up. A friend’s Facebook photo inspired me to take this photo.

The street sign isn’t far from where she lives in Folkestone, and she took me to it when I was visiting her recently. Regardless of what happens in Heaven, if anything, the artist certainly catches your attention.

The sign, by Glaswegian artist Nathan Coley, was part of the Triennial art fair in 2008. We walked by it at night, and it’s lights demanded to be seen.

On one level, it can challenge what we think of Heaven. The sign does make me question what Heaven is, if there is one, and what is expected of it?

The sign could be taken to reflect the city, but I think that it would be shallow to see it that way. Folkestone has seen better days, and is to some degree overshadowed by Margate, Clacton on Sea, or even Brighton. Although it’s a bit rough around the edges, Folkestone and the surrounding towns have charm, and I enjoyed photographing them.

Many people have their favourite eras of architecture. I must admit, I am not, generally speaking, a fan of 1960s architecture. I admire the bold ambitions of modernity, but much of the architecture is often very brutalist, and have not had the desired impacts of the architects.

That said, I often find myself drawn to photographing buildings from that period. Euston train station in London is one such building. I have used the stations on many occasions. It’s not my favourite building – the Victorians knew how to build train stations, and St Pancras is a good example.

The current Euston station is functional, but not necessarily pretty. It’s interesting there was an outcry when the original station on the site. On a practical level, it works. The bustling station links London to Birmingham and the North. However, on another level, I would have preferred something along the lines of the previous station that stood on the site.

The brutalist nature of many of the 1960s buildings is the very thing that draws me to photograph it. Often I photograph these buildings in black and white. What draws me to Euston station is its unashamed functionality. I have photographed it in colour as I was often passing through it quickly, en route to another destination.

In 2007, there was an announcement that the train station would be rebuilt. However, in 2011, this was cancelled in favour of a redesign. It will be interesting what they do to the site, but I wonder how much you can improve what is already there.

The St Pancras redevelopment was tasteful and was in keeping with the original Victorian design. I am wondering whether the redesign of Euston will be keeping with the 1960s design or make the building more ‘modern’ in 21st Century tastes. 

I don’t often take photos at night, but I do enjoy taking night shots. The city around me is a very different place under a night sky. With the clocks going back onto standard time, I am often reminded of this.

Sometimes I feel annoyed that I don’t have as much daylight to photograph in. Other times, I feel frustrated that I don’t have time, or don’t have my camera with me, to take dusk or night shots.

Leaving work one night last week, I took a bit of time to wonder around More London before heading home. I am so glad I did.

The moon was shyly peering around a small cloud. Sitting underneath was Tower Bridge, lit up with flood lights and dominating the skyline along the Thames. The photo was begging me to take it – and how could I not?

Tower Bridge is such an icon in London, and most of my photos of it are in the day time. The look and feel of the bridge is so different at night, and the moon above adds a nice atmosphere to it.

I think I might be tempted to pause more often after work and take some more night shots around Tower Bridge and London Bridge. There is certainly some interesting architecture about.

Now that November is upon us and the clocks have changed, winter’s presence is slowly making itself known. However, autumn’s delights are still hanging on by its finger tips – rapidly disappearing day by day.

The contrast between the fading autumn colour and the grey and black buildings at More London, near London Bridge in London, peaked this past week. The modern buildings look sleek and bold, and look stunning in the summer sun – contrasting against a bright blue sky. In the increasingly winter light, they are becoming a bit stark and cold.

Before the winter sets in completely, autumn is lingering, even in More London, offering small hints of warmth and colour against the glass and steel of the modern buildings. I had the opportunity to play with this contrast this week over a few lunchtimes.

Even the London Assembly building couldn’t escape..

…nor did the Tower of London. 

The colours were rapidly disappearing by the end of the week, and am wondering how long they will last. I will be sad to see them go, but I am sure they will be back next year.