Mike Pickwell's OCA Learning Log: London - Buildings and People, 24.9.10

I was lucky to be able to spend a recent weekend in London and took the opportunity to take some photographs of people and especially buildings and include a selection here.

This first image is the entrance to Apple Market in Covent Garden. Despite being a dull day I was taken with the bright colours. I used a slow shutter speed to give some movement blur in order to convey the bustle of the market.

The next two pictures were taken in Fleet Street and I enjoyed playing in photoshop making a black and white conversion but leaving the iconic telephone box and London bus coloured. In this shot I waited until there was a distant figure in the frame.

This photo is taken in the Turbine House in Tate Modern. I was inspired by the pattern created by the window.

Rather than photograph St Paul's itself I found this reflection in a nearby building.

I liked this reflection in a building on Shaftesbury Avenue as we were going to see a performance of Les Miserables.

I took the next series of pictures in Kew Gardens concentrating on the various green houses.

I decided to do a black and white conversion on the shot of The Palm House taken through the trees.

I took some images of the whole of the Palm House but preferred the ones that only showed part of it. I had to wait quite a while to get some sun on it but I also like that it has lit up the dark clouds in a pleasing way.

Another shot of the Palm House.

Inside the Palm House here. I liked this spiral staircase and waited to get some people climbing it.

The Princess of Wales Conservatory.

This is also the Princess of Wales Conservatory. I like this shot taken from outside of the two ladies looking at an exhibit.

I loved the shape of The Davies Alpine House.

The next section focuses on the people and buildings taken on the river trip to and from Kew.

I like the reflections here.

One of the derelict power stations along the river.

I was struck by the shape of this block of flats.

Another reflection - almost an abstract.

One of the many rowers out on the river. I liked his sunglasses.

I was fascinated by this building with it's huge green sails which presumably open and close to let in light or keep out the sun. They remind me of the blades that control the aperture in a camera. I also like the dark sunlit sky behind.