Southwark Bridge

This night in London on November 17th, 2019, was something else. I'd been tracking the lighting schedule for Southwark Bridge, hoping to catch it when the purple tones really lit up—and when I got there, the scene was perfect. Southwark Bridge, opened in 1921, replaced an earlier 1819 iron bridge and spans 800 feet across the Thames. That night, its distinctive purple-blue illumination was dialled up, and the reflections in the Thames pulled the colour across the whole frame, while that bright blue spotlight cutting through the sky just added that extra layer of drama.

Framing it with the City of London skyline behind—the Leadenhall Building (the Cheesegrater, completed 2014), the Walkie-Talkie (20 Fenchurch Street, 2014), the Shard (completed 2012 at 1,016 feet, Western Europe's tallest building)—all glowing in their own way, gave the shot that mix of old and new I love capturing in the city. It's London doing what it does best: blending history with modern energy, all wrapped up in light.

I used my Canon 5D Mark III with the 24-105mm lens at 32mm, capturing a 55-second exposure at ISO 100 and f/10. The long exposure was key—it smoothed the River Thames to glass, capturing those vivid purple reflections from the bridge's lighting while the city lights above remained sharp and bright. The wide panoramic crop emphasizes the horizontal sweep from the bridge across to the modern towers of the City financial district.

This one's full of atmosphere—bold colours, strong contrast, and that unmistakable London skyline. You've got the elegance of Southwark Bridge's 1921 iron construction up front and the energy of 21st-century architecture behind it, all reflected in the water below. The purple lighting against the warm glow of the city creates this vibrant contrast that shows London at its most dramatic.

When you look at this photograph, I want you to feel that vibrancy—standing on the Thames riverbank watching Southwark Bridge's purple lights reflect across the water toward the Shard, the Cheesegrater, and the City skyline, where 1921 engineering meets modern architecture in a blaze of colour on the River Thames.