Framed Tower Bridge colour and black and white prints.

It's one of London's enduring urban legends that an American entrepreneur once believed he was buying Tower Bridge, but whether it was a bit of cockney slight of hand or simply a genuine mistake, he ended up purchasing London Bridge instead. I’ve been photographing Tower Bridge for years, capturing it both in vivid colour and striking black and white, exploring its changing moods and architectural details across seasons and light.

Night and day, Tower Bridge looks spectacular, and I’ve spent many an evening dodging the traffic on the road beneath the bridge trying to capture the perfect light-streak shot. This colour panoramic also includes many of London’s newer skyline additions, so you can pick out the Walkie Talkie, the Cheesegrater and the Gherkin among the vista. I took this particular image in the middle of the day, which worked wonderfully for the reflection on the water. Generally I shoot at the beginning or end of the day, though, because those times let me produce more contrasty prints and use the longer shadows as an integral part of the composition.

Tower Bridge lends itself beautifully to black and white photography. It’s angular and architectural, often photographed against the sky or reflected in the river, and a few prints together make excellent coordinated sets. During the day the bridge reads mostly in greys and soft pastel tones, but at night it becomes spectacular — it comes alive with lighting and dramatic contrasts. You can see all of these prints in the London black and white galleries.

You may have seen in the blog where I talk about movement — I’ve got a print of commuters on London Bridge. The image above is the panoramic version of that print, showing a wider sweep of the scene and a greater sense of motion. You can see it here. You’ll be pleased to know I didn’t have to risk my life to capture this image, as there are railings and a raised island in the middle of London Bridge that provided a safe vantage point.