England | London Calling | agmtraveller.com

Photographing the World's Most Exciting City

Where: London. England. United Kingdom, Europe.
What: Tower Bridge, Climbing the Millennium Dome, Greenwich Meridian Line, London Eye, The Shard, Thames Clipper, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Houses of Parliament, The Gherkin, Lloyds of London, Camden Lock, The South Bank, Tate Modern, GLA Armadillo, Banksy Graffiti, Big Ben, Iconic London Underground roundel, The Walkie Talkie, The Cheese Grater, Iconic red bus and telephone boxes, London Eye, TV-am Eggcup House, The London Studios, BBC White City, BBC New Broadcasting House, Buckingham Palace.
When: 1978 and ongoing.
Country counter: No.1
How: London Underground (Tube), Black Taxi, Walking, Thames Clipper river cruise, Emirates cable car.

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life;
for there is in London all that life can afford."

So goes Samuel Johnson's famous maxim. Having travelled to many the world's most famous capital cities now, including Cairo, New York, Moscow, Tokyo, Berlin, Istanbul, Toronto and Paris, it is only now that I can fully appreciate London. From afar I look back in awe and reverence and pride, for I am from this great city. London's River Thames flows through my veins; London's energy and frisson beats in my heart, London's yellow bricks ground my every step. There really is no place like London. It is my forever home - wherever I may live in the world.

London has diversity and energy; it has monarchy and poverty living side-by-side; it has a place for everyone and is steeped in history. Seemingly every cobble and every brick has some important event or person of import connected with it. It is a city with icons at every turn which are unmistakably, quintessentially, unquestionably London in their resonance: the roundel of the Tube, the red buses and telephone boxes, buildings of majesty like the Palace of Westminster and Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Saint Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben... These icons speak to the world - and the world speaks back.

Below is a curated selection of some of my best photographs from my many visits to the capital of England and of the United Kingdom which, I think, go just a little way to capturing something of the essence of this magical city, a city like no other.

The Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben clock tower in the City of Westminster. 

The unrivalled glory of the River Thames at night with its Millennium Bridge, The London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. London is, without doubt, the most beautiful city in the world.

The Millennium Dome foregrounding a spectacular Canary Wharf as seen from the new Thames cable car.

Saint Paul's Cathedral amid a built-up city. Seen from the top of London's Shard.

The view of London out towards the east and Canary Wharf as seen from London's newest building - The Shard. Foregrounded is the GLA Armadillo building and Tower Bridge. I love the way the Thames meanders into the distance in this shot.

London's new architecture: The Cheese Grater, The Gherkin and the Walkie Talkie.

The Greater London Authority building, also known as the Armadillo, foregrounded by a rain-covered banister.

The most iconic of travel signs, imitated around the world but never bettered, set against London's wonderful yellow brick. The house I grew up in was built of this stuff and so I have a bit of a thing for the yellow brick buildings of London and the South East - something you never knew would speak so much of home - until you leave it. 

Four iconic red phone boxes in a row along The Strand.

The sun sets over the Palace of Westminster.

travel tips, links & resources

• The quickest way to get around London these days is to take the tube - and the quickest way to pay for the tube is by purchasing an Oyster card and loading it with funds. Both of these measures mean you won't be stuck in traffic and won't get held up fumbling for change to purchase single journey tickets.
• Try to head a little off the beaten track once you have seen the more obvious landmarks. East London, in particular, is well known as an up and coming artistic and boheme part of the city.
• Brick Lane, home to the city's Bangladeshi community, is an awesome place to go for a real taste of East End London.
• A walk along a section of the Grand Union Canal at Camden is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon - after a visit to the world famous market.
• East London is also home to the most impressive remnants of Banksy art work. If you're in the area, keep your eyes peeled and possibly check out a guide before setting off.
• A trip to London would not be authentic without tasting the traditional food of Cockneys: Pie and Mash. These shops are becoming increasingly rare so pop in and eat like a local while you still can. If you're extra adventurous you could add jellied eels to your order of pie, mash and liquor.

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