View of a City

I shall shortly be traveling to one of my favourite cities – that grand metropolis, dear old London. And, as always, I am looking forward to it immensely as its fascination is endless, and I never tire of it. And I tend to use my camera a lot there, for there is something of interest at every corner, and every cobblestone seems to exude masses of history. And it's a modern city too, of course, with a skyline that changes a little every time I get up high to observe what's new. One of the best views of London (and the City of London as opposed to the City of Westminster) is from St.Paul's Cathedral where this picture was taken, here looking up the Thames toward Westminster. Unlike some of the other popular high-up observation spots in London, here you are actually outside, on a rather narrow balcony that encircles the tower on the top of the famous dome. You're exposed to the wind and cold, and it's a long climb up inside the dome to get there, but what a thrill when you step out and see the magnificent city sprawled all around you, the majesty of the cathedral itself directly below, and the busy silver river beside you. Breathtaking. And no single picture really does it justice; you have to be up there to experience it for real. However,this didn't stop me from shooting away like mad in all directions as I recognised landmarks and buildings and saw the busy city going about its business. For though you are high up, you are still essentially part of the city, and its sounds waft up towards you; so the experience is much more visceral and immediate than for instance seeing a city from a plane window, or an enclosed observation deck. And when you get back down on the ground again, you will always look up at St. Paul's with greater familiarity, proudly saying to yourself every time you see it "I've been up there!" Location: London, England

Simply a Police Box, or possibly...?

First, I must apologise for not having posted anything here for a few months - massive technical problems, travel, illness in the family and simply not having enough time have sadly kept me away from my computer and blogging activities. However, all issues have now been happily resolved, and not only have I replaced my temperamental computer with a sassy new Mac, but I have invested in a brand new camera (my first DSLR) and some lenses, and look forward to sharing some great new photographs taken with it once I get to know it a little better. However, I have as always by my side my trusty small camera (a Canon Ixus 135 if you're interested), and though I have not been blogging of late, I certainly have been taking pictures. Lots of them! Here's one I took in Glasgow a few weeks ago, posted in celebration of my favourite television programme which celebrated its 53rd birthday today (if you can't guess what it is then just enjoy the iconic solidness of the Police Box!). It was a chilly evening, people were scurrying home after work, and only I seemed to be captivated by the bright blue box - my imagination was already working overtime, hoping that it would transport me somewhere across the universe... What I particularly liked was the way the Police Box stands so unapologetically in the middle of a pedestrianised thoroughfare; seemingly unobtrusive and captivating at the same time. The glare from the lights behind give it that magical edge, and I was particularly happy with the way the blue, red, green and yellow colours layer the image. The lack of sharpness is due to my old camera's reluctance to do pictures at night and my own hands probably trembling a little when faced with a TARDIS! Location: Glasgow, Scotland