Category: London

Competition success last weekend

By cpadmin

I had a success last weekend in a photography competition. This competition called for an interpretation of the word “open”. The exact brief from the judge was:

“I want to see your photographic interpretations of ‘open’. The dictionary definition is ‘not closed or blocked’ which means this is a wide-open subject so you should have no difficulty in finding something physically open or a metaphor for something open. In my judging I will be openly looking for unique and out-of-the-ordinary entries.”

The competition was judged in two ways. The people who entered the 1439 images voted for their favourites. In addition the person who created the competition judged the ones he thought best. I chose four images. The first was of Tower Bridge open and a Thames Barge passing through it. Secondly there was an image of an “open” barn door. Additionally a number of sheaves were visible within the barn. Thirdly, I entered a striking image of a fully “open” purple Allium. Finally I entered an image of two friends cutting the tape to “open” the Schoolroom café in Woodham Ferrers.

The results

My interpretation of the word “open” using the Tower Bridge in London came 132nd (top 9%) in the crowd judging. The the creator of the competition judged the image of Judith and Barbara opening the tea room as 7th in the whole competition! So I am well chuffed with the competition success last weekend! The two images and the judge’s feedback is shown below.

  • Photographic Angle 1st Prize in competition
    Cutting the tape. Barbara and Judith open the Schoolroom
  • Competition success last weekend
    Close up as Tower Bridge opens for Thames Barge Hydrogen

The stars of your completely different take are the two old ladies enjoying themselves cutting a ribbon to open a local community church café. In the best tradition of street photography you successfully took your one chance to capture the moment at precisely the right time. Your zoom lens has caught the action from the perfect standpoint in front of the pensioners. I love the reaction of the celebratory crowd behind the scissor wielding lady but I can’t help wondering what the photograph looked like taken by the lady in the centre of your composition – especially as it would have included you taking your top ten judged picture.

To look at other competition successes go to the main menu on our website

A nice day out.

By cpadmin

Travelled to Leicester on Wednesday for a nice day out. My hosts took me to Beacon Hill outside the city where the views of the Trent plain are quite remarkable. I’m pleased with the images I managed to capture on my new camera from the top of the hill. It was a really bright day, though cold. On top of the hill there is a very attractive craggy feature pushing out of the landscape. This made a nice panoramic.

A nice day out
Beacon Hill, near Leicester
A nice day out
Craggy outcrop – Beacon Hill

I passed through London St Pancras as I was travelling by train to and from Essex. Captured a few nice nighttime images of the Christmas lights. People playing the pianos create a nice atmosphere in the station. There is however no Christmas tree at the station this year. Last year the tree was awful. This year there is a pink Eiffel Town monstrosity. Why can we not have a traditional tree in this showplace. I have not included a picture of it here, however if you use this link you can see it. All in all it was a nice day out. Two good journeys and lots to do in the middle.

London St Pancras
St Pancras at night

See more of our images at WWW.Compassphotography.co.uk

A top view from the Sky Garden

By cpadmin

A top view from the Sky Garden
A view from highest point of the Sky Garden

Image of the week – A top view from the Sky Garden

A top view from the Sky Garden was captured last week from the highest part of London’s “Walkie Talkie”. 20 Fenchurch Street is the official name of the “Walkie Talkie”. The views from up here are truly wonderful. You can walk around all four sides of the Sky Garden and look out on the sights of London. These include the Monument to the Fire of London, the architecture of the wharves and Tower Bridge. A unique complete view of the whole of the Tower of London is available. Canary Wharf is in the distance and the river twists and turns are a delight to see. Aeroplanes turning to go into City Airport seem to turn at the same height as you to make their descent!

This image shows…

This image shows the platform where you can eat and drink whilst enjoying the view. The platform is “inside” The “outside” terrace is in the fresh air, it allows you to look through the glass screens and capture images of the river. The river Thames slowly snakes past and the image shows boats moving up and down the river. The high angle opens up amazing views of the buildings on the south bank. HMS Belfast looks like a toy from this height. The great thing about this building is that it’s free to go up to the top!

My only regret was that the sun stayed in!

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V

Settings f6.3, 1/100, ISO 100

Looking out down river!

By cpadmin

Image of the week – Looking out down river!

Looking out down river is the statue of Lord Nelson. The statue is in Greenwich, outside the Trafalgar pub and well worth a visit. From this position Nelson gets to see all of the boats travelling up and down the Thames. It is as if he is watching over the comings and goings. The traffic on the river is much less than it used to be though. Less traffic does allow you to see the sweeps of the river as it snakes around and back again. In the distance you can see the Millennium Dome. On the left of the image is Canary Wharf.

The statue was erected in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. The Nelson statue was created by sculptor Lesley Pover after being commissioned by Trafalgar owner Frank Dowling.

The pub has great views over the river from the bar. Lots of people like to have their photograph taken with Nelson and he usually obliges without a grumble! Find out more about the statue using this link

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V

Settings f6.3, 1/320, ISO 100

Looking out down river!

To Greenwich on the Thames

By cpadmin

Travelled by boat to Greenwich on the Thames this week. Took advantage of the warm weather to sit outside on the boat and soak up the sun. It was just like summer. Travelling under Tower Bridge is always spectacular. Here we are so low that the bridge looks as if it is bending back. HMS Belfast is in the distance.

To Greenwich on the Thames
Under we go, Tower Bridge

The second image shows how little river traffic is on the Thames today as we journey to Greenwich. We are at New Crane Wharf in Wapping and have just been passed by a speeding police boat going in the other direction. Hence the wave! Symmetry is a word you might use about the buildings here! It’s also marvellous to look at the detail.

To Greenwich on the Thames
New Crane Wharf, Wapping

At Greenwich it’s worth walking to the top of the hill and taking in the view from the Royal Observatory. Canary Wharf continues to develop a pace. It is said that the number of tower blocks will make it look like Manhattan! You can just see the river bending round in the distance too.

To Greenwich on the Thames
View from the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Equipment: Sony SLT-A65V, Tamron 16-300mm

Settings vary

Startling starlings in St James Park London

By cpadmin

Shru saw these startling starlings on a walk through St James park in London.  This park is beautiful and is always busy with tourists, school groups, people lunching or exercising. If you are lucky you can even see starling bathing in St James Lake.

Startling starlings
Startling starlings

You will have to work hard to see some of the birds, they are so well camouflaged against the background  of the water and the gravel  under it

These starling were out in large groups in the midday sun to either cool down or just have a wash.  They were swooping in turns.

The eye is lead in from the diagonally from the bottom right and the top left.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF-S 18-135mm IS STM

F5.6   1/3200 ISO 1250

Tower Bridge, captured from in front of the Tower of London.

By cpadmin

Tower Bridge, captured from in front of the Tower of London. Image of the week 11/06/2018 

Tower Bridge, captured from in front of the Tower of London.

Tower Bridge, captured from in front of the Tower of London. This iconic bridge is shown on a wintry March morning. It is partially framed by leafless branches of the trees on the embankment. The towers are reflected in the murky rippling water. The overcast grey sky dulls the whole image. This prevents the colours of the bridge being shown off to their greatest advantage. There are golden crests of the towers and blues and reds from the cables if you look closely.

Shru’s image is unusual in that there is an absence of river traffic and vehicles crossing the bridge. The scene is more placid than the normal hive of activity. The drooping flags also tell us that there is no wind as the image is captured. The bridge is vertically and horizontally placed in the centre of the rule of thirds grid.

Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London. Because of this, Tower Bridge is sometimes confused with London Bridge, situated some 0.5 mi (0.80 km) upstream.

Did the Americans think that they were buying Tower Bridge?

Have a look at the story which goes back to 1967. Americans buy a London Bridge

 

Equipment: Canon EOS 7D Mark II EF-S 18-135mm IS STM

Settings: F5.6 1/320ss ISO 100