January 23rd, 2012. I’m slightly infatuated with The Shard. I lived in New York City for so long that I really got used to the sense of height present in so much of Manhattan. London has a very different feel, and I guess that’s true of many other cities - not constrained for space as an island, it has been free to grow outward rather than needing to grow upward. To be fair, Manhattan is also blessed with a nice solid bedrock base, something London doesn’t have as much of. There are plenty of high rise buildings around London though (Canary Wharf in general, Heron Tower, The Gherkin, etc.) and their numbers are increasing (The Shard, The Pinnacle, 122 Leadenhall, 20 Fenchurch … the list goes on). I like how the skyline is constantly evolving, and I always appreciate having very tall navigational cues - although it’s not as useful here as on the street grid of New York City!
I think this shot really emphasises how the Shard dominates the skyline around it. And I thought it was interesting how The Shard inhabits a gloomy and darker part of the frame, giving it a sinister air as it looms over poor old Tower Bridge, which looks so tiny down there in its brighter corner.
Photo Info - Date: 23/01/2012 15:26:02 GMT, Camera Model: Panasonic DMC-G3, Lens: LUMIX G VARIO 45-200/f4-5.6, ISO 160, Focal Length (35mm): 90mm, Aperture: f/8, Shutter Speed: 1/125
