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| August 29, 2008 | (Use j/k keys to navigate) |
London from above, at night
With the end of the Olympics in Beijing, all eyes turned for a moment to London, site of the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics. While looking for good photographs of London, I was contacted by London photographer Jason Hawkes, who had some wonderful images of London, seen from above at night (from a helicopter, to be exact) - some of which which he's agreed to let me share here. From Jason: "Shooting aerial photography during the daytime had its own difficulties, you are strapped tightly into a harness leaning out of the helicopter, shouting directions through the headsets to the pilot. If shooting in the day can be difficult, night and the lack of light causes its own set of problems, but overcoming them is half the fun and the results can be stunning. I shoot at night using the very latest digital cameras, mounted on either one or two gyro stablazied mounts, depending on the format of the camera and length of lens I'm having to use." (19 photos total)
More links and information
Jason Hawkes - photographer's site
Britain from above - new series from the BBC
London 2012 - official site
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Nostalgia rules! What wonderful images of the city I was born in and miss.
I have always said that it ranks with the best in the world and your photo's confirm that to be fact - ranked above Sydney and Vancouver.
Perhaps time to go home?
Very, very impressive, you have done a great justice for those of us that were born there in the 30's... I go home quite frequently, and it is so wonderful to feel that depth of life and history envelope me once again. My special time to come home is in the spring when all of the gardens, parks and commons are a profusion of colour and gorgeous flowers...especially Kew Gardens...a gardener's delight.
My sister worked in Parker Gallery on Albermarle Street and I worked for a fashion house, Charles Butler's on Bruton Street, we used to meet for lunch in Berkley Square. Oh, sweet memories....many thanks for sharing.
Just returned from London last evening. I am there almost every month. These pictures are splendid but even more amazing is the description of how you get them and since reading that I've added you to my prayers.
Your work should be in National Geo!
God bless,
a.j. Goodhead
A truely wonderful set of photographs to behold. I live just 35 miles outside the centre of London in a little place called Caversham but get very excited whenever I find an excuse to travel up town. It is rare not to take a camera and the link here is to some taken in London some months ago. A few Routemaster buses still run and are worth the trip to London. http://finefix.co.uk/finefix/london/london2008.htm
I'm going to NYC and Boston later this year but can only hope to take a few shots good enough to share with family and friends.
i live in london and i've also looked at all of the facinating places in london now i realise why people love london. london is damn-right good look'in.
jason hawkes is too good. keep it up. he's a marvellous photographer.
AmaXinNg...!!
very nice photo in london city
no words....incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!! such a good photographer.....
As a trueblue Aussie I was literally blown away with these magnificent Pictures of London. Keep up the great photos mate
As a Londoner, I am very proud of my birthplace and these are fabulous pictures - thank you.
Dr. Samuel Johnson said that a man who is tired of London is tired of life. Amen. As I sat in Heathrow one morning in May of 1974, awaiting my flight back to Canada after spending one year in this astonishing city, I was near to tears. I do so love it!
Strange but cool. It's given me some ideas for my own work.
We just returned from London a week ago after visiting our daughter's family who live in Richmond.
We walked many of the streets in the photos and were amazed at how beautiful the city is at night. We only ventured out in the daytime, being from Nebraska!
Thanks for sharing the lovely photos, Jason.
I love London, is a very beautiful place.
GREAT PICTURES I have been to London twice and would have gone again this year except for the recession. Walked and toured many of the places in the pictures and they brought back many fond memorys of a great city. Last fall toured four South American capital cities, but London is still number one to me.
Just Beautiful! I lived in London at Chelsea very near Kings Road and at first it was just OK! Then the city grows on you! I Love it......I love London!!!
Thanks Jason, for an amazing perspective on one of my fave cities. I'm from (dare I say it??) Essex (aaaagh!) and now live in the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Your pics are beautiful, evocative, and bring back wonderful memories.
THIS IS AN AMAZING SIGHT AND GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY. WHICH CAMERA DID YOU USE? I WISH YOU WOULD TAKE ME THERE. YOU'RE PICTURES ARE AMAZING. I WOULD BUY THEM RIGHT THIS SECOND.
SAM!!!!
These night pictures are fantastic, and so clear . Brings back memories of the good old days.
Night Pics are beautiful....but consider all of that LIGHT POLLUTION!!
How about shutting off the lights, look up and see the most spectacular light show ever! All Natural !
Jane
Jason Hawkes, you've done yourself proud in taking these absolutely breathtaking and magnificent photos of a very beautiful, royal and historic grand jewel of a city. Thank you for sharing your creativity and talent with us. I'm reminded of my wonderful visit to London in the early 1970's. BRAVO!!!
ABSOLUTLY " HAMMER" ( IN SWISS IT MEENS ABSOLUTLIFANTASTIC)
exellent work ,really awsome!!!
Amazing photographs......yet with the so-called global warming the world is talking about - why O why are so many lights on in buildings where people are obviously home in bed....a shameful waste of power!!!!!
Absolutely stunning.
Breathtakingly beautiful.
Jason, thank you for sharing part of yourself with us all. Because these pictures are part of you now and always.
I live in Australia but still remain a Londoner at heart having left when I was just 20. Never will I tire of looking at photos of this wonderful city. Our son runs a pub in Wandsworth and is I think now more a Londoner than we are.
much appreciated!
Brilliant, never knew our capitol city could look so wonderful.
Wonderful sights and superb photography, keep up the very good work.
Beautiful the city , but nem if compared with the RIO DE JANEIRO into the BRAZIL!
beautiful pictures! thanks for uploading them here! WE LOVE LONDON! ;)
Although all the photos are so beautiful, let us not forget that darkness (or semi darkness) can be so. I was in Southampton Row/Russell Square area on Thursday 21st May when most of the power to shops/offices/hotels was off! There was a certain tranquility in Russell Square in almost pitch black - 9.30 pm. I live in the north, and stayed for 3 nights. I like London
It is a wonder dream but i can not see it practicaly,
beautiful London.
HELLO I LIKE THE VIEW OF LONDON IT SO VERY NICE I WISH SOMEDAY PHILIPPINES WELL BE MAKE LIKE THAT LONDON PLACE........... AND I HOPE SOMEDAY LONDON HAS PROVIDE A MANY RESOURCES ....... TO BE ALL THE PEOPLE THEY WAS LIVE GOOD AND HAPPY EVER AFTER.
Thanks for showing my dreams....................
I didnt realize how BEAUTIFUL London is at night. its wonderful. i love how all the colours in the night go together so well and how bright the colours are. i want to go back to London soon again and just stay there for ever and ever. i love all these pictures that you have taken from above at the night time!! You did a WONDERFUL JOB taking these pictures by the way!! now i know where to get married at. which i am soon!! i cant wait to go back home and then to Italy!! I LOVE LONDON :)
Wow!
It's amazing...
Thx for these wonderful pictures!!!
I took some during the day, they are nice but no compare to yours ;)
simplyolli.wordpress.com
I am a Londoner, born and bred. I just want to say that these are the very best photographs I have ever seen of my home town. I love London and, seeing these, is it any wonder? Thank you for publishing and thank you for the large sizes too.
I saw a link to these photographs via @qikipedia on Twitter.
Stunning photographs. I'm in awe. I miss London now because of these photos and I will be booking a trip as soon as I can.
Who knew a motorway junction could appear to be so beautiful?
The pictures are great. The comments, however, are better. There's not much more pleasing to read than amazingly positive comments about your home town. Makes me want to pop out of my office on the Thames and take a stroll down river to soak it up. Except it's bloody well raining again, so i'll have to make do with the view from the window.
Great pictures it realy makes me proud yo have been bourne in this lovely city
Great pictures makes me proud to have been bourn in a lovely city
I too am a Londoner born and bred and sadly now retired and living in the Garden of England (Kent) but to me its still the greatest city in the greatest country in the world and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else
Thank you for those wonderful pictures of my home town I am passing them on to my relatives in Australia and Canada.These strangley enough were sent to me from Adelaids from an ex-pat who lives out there
Hi Jason,
I tried to see if someone else had posted the same question I'm about to post but there are just wayyy too many comments to go through. So I will apologize in advance if you have answered this question previously.
I'd like to know what camera and settings you used? I use a Nikon D50 but for to take a night shot even at the fastest speed, unless everything is still...my photos would come out blurred. Any hints?
They are awsome.
I was born 8 miles outside London and now live in Oxfordshire, London will always be my first love with Venice second, I've visited New York and other U.S. town also Paris, but LONDON YOUR'E LOVELY AND ALWAYS IN MY HEART. Ann 75 and proud to be a Londoner.
Fantastic!
Thank you so much for the pictures of London! I have always wanted to see it but now am too old so this will have to suffice! It is beautiful!
I do'nt like Londres .
I have never been to London but seeing these beautiful pictures wants me to go
all the more. They are fantasic photos, excellent work.
As I view these fantastic photos, I then peer over my laptop to a book, "Europe: an Aerial Close-up" by Charles E. Rotkin, sitting on my bookshelf. Now, I have pulled this book off the shelf for the first time. London of this book is shown in black and white, aerial views, produced via analog, graphic art techniques using silver-based gelatinous film, hand stripping, screening, plating and printing on lithographic presses. Further perfection via folding, cutting and binding finished this beautiful hardback book. Here, London districts are displayed in close-up, black and white, graduated half-tone dot percentages and described in flowing text of the author with the help of old-school typography and black ink on paper. What a culmination of the talent, all the way from the photographer, author, graphic designers, typographers, strippers, proofers, platers, pressmen, converters, and binders.
Fast forward to the beautiful, color, gyro-stabilized, aerial, digital photography of London. All of these exquisite photographs would not be possible without the talent, vision and courage of Jason Hawkes. London comes alive in his photographs. His photos shows London as a complex combination of land, water, architecture, infrastructure, transportation modalities and interior design. What beautiful images he brings to us. Through computerized, graphic art techniques, brought to you via another myriad of talented digital graphic artists and manipulators, web designers and hosters, we are treated to seeing London in a totally new, updated format.
These new and the old formats of viewing London add to and compliment each other. In a sense, we experience a freeze frame sort of time travel. From old London to current day, we view London of approximately 1952 and 2008*. I have an appreciation for the talent and craftsmanship of everyone that helped bring the analog and digital version forward for everyone to admire. Now I want to go to London and Europe and enjoy these places up close and personal. Thank you for the inspiration.
* for accurate date of Jason Hawkes photography, refer to his website
How can one have an such an incredible affinity for a place they have never been? I wish I could describe how these pictures stir my heart. Finally I am going to see my beloved Britain :-)
Wow!!!
So beautiful. In our country no electricity like that.
Tell me what kind of power sources they used. Hydro-power, Turbine Generator, Nuclear power?????
What a wasting the power!!!! Global warming!!!!
Our country save power!! NO LIGHTS at all.
Do you know which country???
fantastic pictures
Beautiful pictures of a fantasic city!
Many years ago I saw a Kodak presentation on 3 Carousel projectors called "London Dusk Until Dawn". This is the up to date 21st centuary version. If you can find the old one (70's I think) it too is, well worth viewing.
It's I a dream city....I hope one day I will be there and drink a great cup of tea while enjoy the architectonic beauty.
Absolutely stunning Jason. I regret I was only in London for one night - and took a tourist boat trip upstream from the Tower Bridge; and only half my camera shots were any use. A great pity some of your reader's comments have to criticize you for the light show: we both know that global warming is a lie. Keep up the good work for us poor folk who can't come and see it personally.
I love photography! Your pictures are superb~ thank-you for sharing your talent with us! Your critical eye has given us, your viewers, gorgeous night-time digital pictures! They all are beautiful!
Wonderful pictures....truly breath taking.
You're making me feel really home sick for London.
Keep up the good work.
What a wonderful sight, I too was born and raised in London and have been back many times but never have I seen such beauty in a City. Thank you so much for your beautiful pictures.
These shots have really made me want to go to London ASAP.
Fantastic photos.
They are amazing and all credit must go to the photographer for the skill involved, but it does make you realise how much energy is used.
What a fantastic lot of photo's.
The skill required
must be admired.
There's not much more,
That could be desired.
I'm from Surrey but live in Australia. I used to work near Blackfriars Bridge and travel in to Waterloo Station so I knew the landmarks in most of the photo's.
This is real art
The photos were really lovely.
I lived in London for nearly 2 years.
These photos brings me a lot of memories.
awesome
My first trip to London was in 1963; I returned in 1983; then I took my kids (12 & 13) in 1986...then my husband, daughter, and I were there in 2000. I love everything about London and hope to return one of these days.
I have been living and working in the great metropolis of Bangkok for the last 5 years, which has been very enjoyable. Nonetheless, these pictures have captured everything that I love about my home city, and for the first time ever, made me home sick!
Great work.
would love to see busy london again posted craig 13 06 09
I was a flight attendant with Air Canada for 38 years and retired 4 years ago. London was one of my favourite destinations. These amazing photos brought back so many wonderful memories of cherished times I spent there. These locations are all familiar to me. The photos are absolutely fantastic. Thanks for the memories!
awesome simply awesome
I live in Hampshire but go to London several times a year on day trips and one of my desires is to see London at night from the Eye. Having seen these amazing pictures makes me want to do it right now! They are stunning. Gaynor
You're making me homesick!
Great work, congratulations to the photographer
Bravo......such photography.......thanks.......really makes one homesick!
Absolutely fantastic. Makes me proud to be English. Well done Jason Hawkes
These were fantastic photos - truly beautiful. I know London but never really viewed it from the air, except flying into London Heathrow.
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!
Makes one realise how absolutely our civilisation depends on technology for infrastructure and POWER, and what chaos could result if the situation suddenly changed - for reasons easy to imagine in our fragile society !!
Absolutely amazing clarity of pictures - hate to think of the power consumption though?
really,lovely,amazing view, nice pics of what u can see in the sky , well done on taking photos
I worked as a professional aerial photographer for NASA for a spell, also doing helicopter / gyro-mounted (film) cameras in the early 70's and have great admiration for Jason Hawkes masterey of the technology, especially at night. Sorry to see the environmental whako's getting their two-cents in though. Just can't leave it alone can they? Well, there is an old English phrase that fits the situation. "Piss Off!"
beautiful contury i like that
very interesting and wonderful pictures
very fantastic photos, i never ever seen before like this. u become a one the most photographer in the world. its very difficult to shoot at night, but u really done a good job. keep it up. thank u jason.
How beautiful London is ,mazing that a marvelous site was made by the hand of man and congratulations to the photographer, at last i have seen my Great Ganddad contury of brith.
I like London and visited often, mainly on business, when I was younger. At one time I also lived in Hampstead for two years and enjoyed it.
I was surprised, however, on my last visit that in talking to a number of ordinary Londoners the subject came up that I live in Vancouver. Without exception every one of them said that they wished they could leave London and England and move here. I suppose I should not be surprised as, much as I like London, I would not leave Vancouver and move there.
London is a great city, one of the best, if not the best in the world! Great pictures!!! I would not live anywhere else!
WELOCOME TO LONDON. I love London!
i just returned from london.i enjoyed these photographs,it remind me my visit. excellent and amazing pictures.really mindblowing work.congatets to JASON HAWKES.keep it up
Beautiful city . Can't wait to go back, hopefully soon.
Thank you, your pictures portray what I feel in my heart, a great love for London the city of my childhood, I will always have a longing for London, fortunately I have been able to visit family each year and enjoy the niceties of this gentle, green flower filled, history laden city.Anne, Cape Coral, Florida, USA
These are coming to my classroom!
is very very beautiful place
From Alabama Yes, Alabama, I have been to London twice and would love to go back again! These pictures are wonderful and ''KEEPERS". Thanks for sharing,
Auesome I will go to London soon,,,,don't know when ,,but i will never say never....Beautiful
fantasstic;amazing; recognize quality when i see it;spent 2 weeks in london;walked two days in london;in the early 80s; have 5 reels of 100 slides each; maybe there will be an occasion to share my slides some time in the 21st centuryuntil the aloah.
Great photography, but Oh My God, what energy waste. Great advert for an un sustainiable world.
The photos are fantastic and brought back many happy memories of childhood and early working days in the City. I left London and England in1957 to live in Canada (a great country) but I am still a Londoner at heart. The City sure has changed. The Emirates Stadium looks fab. but it will never replace Highbury Stadium in my memory where as a child (pre-WW2) being passed over the heads until I was at the front of the stand. 'Appy Hampstead on a Bank Holiday and a pint of wallop in the Gatehouse pub - How I wish we had had digital cameras in those days.
what lovely photo,s my people came from keates street spitalfields years ago if thay could see it now it would open thier eyes .
thanks for sharing...beautiful
Beautiful, can't wait to visit