London in Black and White

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament

This weekend is the birthday of a friend originally from England. So, that’s my excuse for indulging myself in sharing a few of my photos of London that I’ve digitally processed into black and white, and some even further into silhouettes.

dragon statue marking the Temple Bar, City of London

Some subjects seem to lend themselves well to black and white and some don’t. London, because of its dimensional textures and intricate shapes, seems especially receptive to the black and white medium. The city’s numerous statues and roof-top adornments are particularly successful as silhouettes. I suspect, though, that it’s all those wonderful old movies of London from World War II times that predispose me to seeing it in black and white.

dragonfly weathervane atop Westminster Abbey

As I said, this post is in honor of one English friend’s birthday, but it was another good friend–a long-time resident of Wimbledon (a suburb of London of tennis fame), but born and raised in Scotland–who helped me identify the subjects of the photos long after I’d taken them. Also, she has recommended a number of the links that I’ll list in this post. A special thanks to her!

Salvador Dali’s “Elephant and Pyramid” on the South Bank next to the London Eye

Below is “Eros” at Piccadilly Circus. My Scots friend tells me there’s a saying that if you wait long enough under Eros you’ll see everyone you’ve ever known there. She recommends this page about the Piccadilly Circus buildings and statues: Piccadilly Circus, which is part of a larger collection of London outdoor sculptures at Bob Speel‘s rich website on British art.

“Eros” at Piccadilly Circus

Normally, I have a horror of websites that automatically start playing music, but the music on this one, Camelot International’s Tower of London site, definitely fits the mood of the place. I’ve only been to London once but I desperately want to go again. If I ever can, one place I’ll visit again is the Tower of London. It’s a must see, along with its very entertaining Beefeater tours.

near the “Bloody Tower” at the Tower of London

Just one glance at the London Drum City Guide or this very snazzy London Official City Guide and you’ll immediately be hooked as a “Londonophile.”

golden statue of St. Paul in front of St Paul’s Cathedral, Cheapside

London’s Black Cabs (taxis) are the way to travel in the city. This History of the London Black Taxi Trade on the BBC site dates the service back to 1636. There’s an interesting documentary on the Knowledge of London test, drivers of the black cab service must pass. Here’s a quote from the BBC site about that test:

The ‘Knowledge of London’ was introduced in 1851 by Sir Richard Mayne after complaints that cab drivers did not know where they were going. Passing the Knowledge involves detailed recall of 25,000 streets within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross station. The locations of clubs, hospitals, hotels, railway stations, parks, theatres, courts, restaurants, colleges, government buildings and places of worship are also required. It can take three years to pass the test, including the six months it takes to be tested.

dragon slayer atop Westminster Abbey

You can read more about that test on Taxicabs of the United Kingdom and at The Knowledge, a site dedicated to the Knowledge. Another such site is Knowledge of London. You can download the official booklet from the taxi library.

Winston Churchill

Another London museum that’ll have you thinking you’ve walked into an old movie is the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. The highlights of the war rooms are the Map Room, the Cabinet Room, Churchill’s desk and room, and the transatlantic telephone room.

“The Birthday Cake” Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace

London has spectacular museums. My favorites were the British Museum, the Tate, Tate Modern, the National Gallery, and the Natural History Museum (see this Top Ten London Museums list). But one seemed particularly special and that was the Victoria & Albert Museum (or the V&A as it is usually called). I think it seems special because Queen Victoria and Prince Albert lived one of the greatest love stories of all time, one transcending the death of Queen Victoria‘s beloved Prince Albert.

“Quadriga” atop Wellington’s Arch Hyde Park Corner

My tinkering around with black and white photography, some of which are silhouettes, is partially inspired by art work my father used to do when he was a very young man. A scan of one of his pieces is immediately below. This one he did in 1932 and it was a pen and ink. Sometimes he did them with black paper cut out with scissors, then glued on white paper. As always, when you show less (less detail, less color, less information), you somehow “show” more.