• Photographing Iceland – First Stop London!

    “CRANES!”

     

    After arriving in London I now have a few days to kill before jetting off to Iceland. Shaking off the jet lag quickly, I decide to do some long exposure photography around the Thames River at night.

     

    Check it out now on my YouTube channel, click the pic below to go straight to the video 🙂

     

    London Photograpy

  • End of this journey

    Coming to Heathrow airport this morning the driver had the song, “Everybody’s Talkin At Me” on the radio.  Was kind of a fitting song as I listened to the lyrics heading home to Australia.

     

    My friends and I talked about this journey as being a trip of a lifetime, and it has been plus so much more.  It’s been an adventure in lots of different ways, and has ignited feelings inside of me that I have not had since I was 12 years old.  I sipped coffee in cafes in Paris, rode a scooter around Tuscany (thanks Luca), enjoyed voyages across Lake Como in beautifully made Italian wooden boats (thanks Jennine and Luca), gondola’d Venice, did the ride around the Amafi Coast road, roamed the ancient steets of Rome, sat atop the Scottish Highlands and enjoyed bangers and mash in a classic old London pub.

     

    I have met some of the loveliest people (and not so lovely) and made great new friends, but most of all I have captured some fantastic images that will be loaded to this website very soon.

     

    For those of you who have followed this blog, I hope you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have.  It’s been fun having you along for the ride.  Take care and until next time…

     

  • Day 3 London

    Day 3 London – Another great day here despite predictions for rain.  Last night was a great night, capturing some images in the rain around near Big Ben.

     

    For my last day here in London I decided to relax a bit and have some fun.  Started off by visiting Madame Tussauds.  Quite enjoyed seeing all the stars, celebs and historical figures.  Then I went to Harrods for some shopping.  I can see why it is one of the most luxurious (and expensive) department stores in the world.  Going up escalators and being serenaded by a female opera singer from a balcony!  The service is brilliant there I must admit.

     

    I then picked up the camera and headed to Westminster Abbey and the London Eye.  Was mainly aiming at different angles, sections, reflections and slashes of light.  Luckily it was a great sunset so got some good shots.

     

    Had a wonderful time here in London, although it was a short stay I got to see and experiennce a lot.

  • Day 2 London

    Day 2 London – Another great day here in the L of H & G!

     

    Started the day off by heading to the Tower of London and then worked my way back along the Thames (on the opposite bank from yesterday) snapping off different shots.  Switched to the Tube for another mode of transport as it got me to places quicker than the hop on hop off bus.

     

    Found this wonderful old pub to photograph around the corner from my accom, then went to Hyde Park again to shoot the Princess Diana Memoral Fountain.  Was very well thought out and a fitting tribute to Diana.  I picked up some lunch on the run and stopped in the park to eat.  To my surprise when I looked on the fence behind my bench I had a visitor.  A squirrel just full of character wanted some food, so gave him a few cashew nuts.  I asked him to pose for the camera, so he stood up, smiled and took a bow  Just one of those rare photos you get.

     

    Off to the centre of London tonight for some night shots.  Tomorrow they are expecting heavy rain, but at least I had London for two great days of sun and I got a lot achieved photographically.  But I will still shoot in the rain as you never know what the camera might see.

  • Day 1 London

    Day 1 London –  You know I hummed and harred about coming to London, and I have to say I am so happy I came here now.  Right up until this morning I came to London with no itinerary, nothing planned to see or do.  I just went with the flow.  I have had the most magnificent day here and London has really surprised me.  It has been picture perfect, blue sky, about 21 degrees and you can tell there is an air of excitement here with the Queen’s Jubilee just gone and the 2012 Olympics right around the corner.

     

    I began the day by walking across from my accom to Hyde Park and Kensington Palace.  Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are so incredibly beautiful with all the spring flowers out.  So happy to have that across the road from me so I can relax and play.  Then I went onto Buckingham Palace and once again luck was on my side with a marching band just starting up and walking down the Mall as I was walking past.  Had front row centre to rattle off shots with them and Buckingham Palace in the background 🙂  Then it was onto Number 10 Downing Street, Big Ben, Westminster Hall, London Eye and finally to London Bridge (it’s not falling down despite the song).  Walking along the River Thames I struck photo gold because the walkway somehow had flooded in about half a foot of water?  At ground level the shots I took have the perfect mirror reflection of trees and people in them.  In a way, the people look like they are walking on water.

     

    I have now got one of those hop on hop off bus passes and the bus drops me off at my accom door, yay for saving leg power!  So for the next couple of days I will make my way around London jumping off at different spots and exploring.  I really do like this place and so does the camera 🙂