It is the second longest river in the UK, and has traditionally been a major economic artery into London for generations.
However, with the decline in ship transport into London, and the shift of Britain’s economy to the service and financial sector has had a dramatic impact on the Thames.
So, what’s the draw to photograph such an iconic waterway?
The obvious would be the buildings that line both sides of the river. The Southbank, the Parliament Buildings, Greenwich, Canary Wharf and the Battersea Power Station all sit along the river’s winding path.
While the shipping industry no longer uses the Thames to bring goods into London, and the rest of the UK, people still earn a living on the Thames. Where once the shipping trade employed people, now tour boats and commuter boats ferry people to various destination.
While on holiday before Christmas, I spent some time on a frosty and foggy day walking around London taking some candid shots on my new digital point and shoot camera. I happened to be walking across the Jubilee foot bridge towards Charing Cross, and I managed to get a series of very moody and atmospheric shots of the Thames.
The pictures aren’t perfect – some parts of the sky are burned out as the camera couldn’t handle the brightness. However, I feel the pictures capture the character of the Thames – with its history, present and future all wrapped into one.
I could sense the dock workers and seafarers of days gone past working the river while watching a tourist boat pass along the river underneath my feet. The shift from cargo to passengers made all that more present.
I look forward to photographing the changing face of the Thames.