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Birds Eye View

21/4/2013

London, UK

The Shard is one of the more recent additions to the London skyline. Towering over London Bridge train station, it stretches into the sky and points to the stars above.

A friend and I went up to the viewing gallery at top of the Shard, and it was well worth going up. I’m not one for heights, and was a little apprehensive. However, the views over London were amazing, to say the least.

The weather was not bad with sunshine and some cloud – we were fortunate as it hailed not long after we came down. To see the city from such a height was such an experience, and my fear of heights managed not to bother me particularly. I think I was far too busy looking at the view, and taking photos of it. It was amazing how far you could see.

To see the London and it’s iconic architecture was amazing.

London, UK

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Architectural Statements

9/10/2011

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Canary Wharf, London, UK

The Thames River in London has increasingly started to fascinate me as a photographer. I have always taken the river as granted – it was always there, and I photographed it from time to time.

Increasingly over the last number of months, I have been drawn to the Thames more and more. The last couple of months, I have had more time to explore the river and to take photos - often taking snapshots of what I see, but occasionally spending time along the river with one of my larger cameras.

What has struck me about the Thames is the number of iconic and dominant buildings along the river. Canary Wharf (left) stands tall in the East End – built on former docks. It dominates the skyline for miles around, and is a statement of money and the might of the financial industry.

It is interesting that Canary Wharf is built on former dockyards – the former economic engine of the UK, and London. What makes the photo for me in the left is the boats sitting on the Thames – which are a reminder of yesteryear, and a contrast to the steel and concrete of Canary Wharf.

Thames, London, UK

An image that caught my eye was the old warehouses – many of whom have now been turned into flats – that dot along the Thames. Again, these hint of a bygone age, and, in a way, I am glad we haven’t lost the buildings completely. They hint at what the river got up to previously.

Tower Bridge, London, UK

Tower Bridge, for me, is a grand statement by the Victorians – and it wasn’t to everyone’s taste when it was built – but it has become an iconic bridge over the river. It is a nice site to see the bridge open and shut for taller boats. It is probably one of the very few bridges which sometimes suffers from mistaken identity - with London Bridge.

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Economic Force

18/9/2011

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Canary Wharf, London, UK

London’s Docklands and the Isle of Dogs have been a favourite of mine to photograph. It’s steeped in economic history, and has morphed from water trade to a financial district to rival the City of London.

The docks were formerly part of the Port of London, at one time the world's largest port. They have now been redeveloped principally for commercial – mainly in Canary Wharf - and residential use.

I happened to revisit the area a few days ago, and passing through Canary Wharf, I took a slight detour through the shopping centre to have look at some of the concrete and steel of the office buildings. I am sure that it is a sharp contrast to warehouses and docs that were there previously. However, glass buildings seemed to be the new warehouses of London’s economic power – albeit now trading in a very different way.

Canary Wharf, London, UK

I wanted to explore more as I hadn’t been to this part of the Canary Wharf, but didn’t have enough time. On a way to a friend’s house, I came across a part of the Isle of Dogs I had photographed many years ago. Overlooking the south of the Thames River – towards Greenwich and the O2 Centre – I snapped a few shots on my point and shoot as dusk drew in.

The industrial landscape, the growing dusk with the incoming clouds had created a very different and moody atmosphere – contrasting the shiny and reflective modern buildings.

What struck me was this contrast. The new economic trading reality replacing the old industrial one. And the new money pushing out the East End’s working class. While the new architecture celebrates the new way of making money, the old industrial and shipping past seems to seep through; hanging on and serving as a reminder of where Britain’s economic wealth had come from.

I am sure I’ll be back with my camera – many more times.

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Birds Eye View

Architectural Statements

Economic Force

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