Last week I was admiring the wonderful images in David Hoffman’s recently published book Endurance & Joy in the East End 1971-1987 (you can order your own copy here from Spitalfield Life Books). All the images are in black and white and some of you may remember that I tried this approach some years ago regarding my exploration of City Alleys.
There is definitely something, isn’t there, about black and white images – atmosphere, the means to play with geometric shapes, seeing a new perspective of a familiar image and so on.
So I’ve been looking at some candidates for taking this approach and these are the results. I hope you like them.
The view from The Grapes pub, Limehouse. Entitled Another Time, it is a life size figure by the sculptor Anthony Gormley …
Below are five images from the viewing gallery at 22 Bishopsgate, Horizon 22.
Looking down on Tower 52. It was originally the NatWest Tower, hence, seen from above, it’s shaped like the NatWest logo …
The viewing gallery …
I like the shadows …
Back on the streets, Blackfriars tower refelection …
Roman Wall and offices at Tower Hill …
Merchant Navy War Memorial, also at Tower Hill …
The Firefighters Memorial at St Paul’s …
Temple Bar viewed from the St Paul’s Cathedral crypt …
Crypt memorial …
Battersea Power Station …
Flypast!
The Stockwell Bus Garage roof. In 1952, the time of its construction, it was Europe’s largest unsupported roof span – it’s still impressive now …
The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao …
Maman (1999), by Louise Bourgeois …
The demolition of an old building opened up a temporary new view of the Guildhall and the Shard …
Panorama looking east with little St Giles church tucked away on the right …
The poor Gherkin, and even Tower 52, becoming dwarfed and enclosed by new developments …
City skyline with The Tower in the foreground …
Bunhill Burial Ground …
St Stephen Walbrook …
St Dunstan-in-the-East …
Various architectural images I liked …
The Gherkin and the church tower of St Andrew Undershaft reflected in the glass of The Scalpel building …
London Wall…
Lloyd’s of London meets Leadenhall Market …
St Pancras Station with Sir John Betjeman’s statue in the foreground …
Tower 52 looking up …
Finally, a few from the Barbican (as you might expect!) …
Where archers can be deployed if necessary …
In colour for comparison …
I hope you enjoyed that little excursion into black and white. Clearly, I think, some images work better than others.
Normal service will be resumed next week.
If you would like to follow me on Instagram here is the link …
