Westminster Bridge is one of those places that is always bustling with tourists. It is so busy.
Westminster Bridge is one of the few locations in central London where street vendors can legally operate without special permits for certain goods, thanks to historic trading rights that date back centuries. However, flower sellers must still navigate complex licensing requirements, and the competition for prime spots along the bridge is fierce, with established vendors often working the same locations for years.
An emergency exit sign spotted in the first floor window of a building in Kinsale, Co Cork. Despite the shadows, the sign gives a clue to the internal floor plan of the building. It looks a bit out of place, but it has to be there.
Georgian sash windows like this one were originally designed as a fire safety feature themselves. The large panes and sliding mechanism made them easy escape routes during emergencies, which is why many Georgian buildings have windows that open directly onto the street rather than requiring ladders to reach. The modern exit sign is actually continuing a 300-year-old tradition of prioritising safe evacuation!
A month ago, Cork City Council acquired 4 eyesore buildings at the top of North Main Street in Cork. They are in a prominent location and not used for much over the years – I remember a shoe store in one, a clothes store in the place next to it and a retro goods store too. They’ve been mostly derelict for a long time.
Hopefully they’ll be demolished and we’ll see something decent done with the location.
North Main Street sits on one of Cork’s oldest thoroughfares and was actually built on reclaimed marshland. The street runs parallel to what was once the original course of the River Lee before extensive land reclamation in the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the Georgian buildings here were constructed using limestone quarried from local Cork quarries, which is why they’ve developed that distinctive weathered patina that photographs so beautifully in black and white.
The Millennium Bridge has always been a bit of a drama queen – first it wobbled so much they had to shut it down, and now it’s serving up some of the most atmospheric shots in London.
This long exposure captures something almost supernatural about the daily pilgrimage across the Thames, with ghostly figures drifting like spirits between the sleek modernity of Norman Foster’s steel and glass creation and the timeless majesty of Wren’s baroque masterpiece. The blurred pedestrians become streams of human consciousness, each person’s journey reduced to ethereal wisps against the solid certainty of St. Paul’s dome.
The Millennium Bridge earned the nickname “Wobbly Bridge” because it swayed so dramatically when it first opened in 2000 that it had to be closed after just three days. The problem was “synchronous lateral excitation” – when large crowds walked in step, their footfalls created a resonance that made the bridge sway side to side by up to 7 centimetres, causing people to walk in sync to compensate, which only made the wobbling worse.
A striking blue wall on Dykegate Street caught my eye, especially in the bright sunlight that cast a stark shadow across it.
Dingle is located in the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht, one of Ireland’s officially designated Irish-speaking regions where Irish is the community language. The bilingual street signs throughout the town reflect this status, with the Irish name “Sráid an Daighide” appearing first, followed by the English “Dykegate Street.” The tradition of painting houses in bright colours in Dingle dates back centuries and was originally practical – helping fishermen identify their homes from the sea. Today, these colourful buildings have become one of Dingle’s most distinctive features, with strict planning guidelines ensuring that the tradition continues while maintaining the town’s unique character.
When I was out with Blarney Photography Club during the summer, we headed into town one evening. Love the reflection. Thanks Rodney for the idea!
Castle Street in Cork gets its name from the medieval Cork Castle that once stood nearby, though no trace of the original Norman fortification remains today. The street has been a commercial thoroughfare for centuries and is now part of Cork’s main shopping area. The Mannix name has deep roots in Cork, with the family having been involved in various businesses in the city for generations. Mannix & Culhane closed their doors earlier this year for the last time. I don’t think I ever went into either of their shops.
Aperture
ƒ/8
Camera
ILCE-7RM5
Focal length
24mm
ISO
12800
Shutter speed
1/60s
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