The River Thames with the Millennium Bridge, St Paul’s and The City Panorama with Full Moon. At right is the South Bank and the Shard is beyond. November 2021.

London is spectacular because of these views along the River Thames. The multitude of glittering lights, the modern skyscrapers, and the juxtaposition of the classically baroque dome of St Paul’s cathedral are a wonder to see. Placed as a backdrop to the shimmering water of the River Thames with the ethereal structure of the Millennium Bridge spanning it, and the view is quite unique, and has transfixed me for decades.

This panoramic view of London I captured in late 2021, on an evening which was both very clear, and still, after an earlier rainfall. The colours become more rich at such moments when the dust and pollution levels are lower, having been washed away by the rain, and I knew the evening was just perfect for what I was after. That the moon was floating in the sky above the rover and the skyscrapers of The City was an extra bonus.

Even just through the viewfinder of my camera I was fully aware that the scintillating tones and lights were captivating at that moment.  My premonition was proved to be correct as sat down the following day at my computer to blend them all together to create this resulting panorama. The long exposure time of each shot –  20 seconds –  in each of the dozen images that constitute this wide panorama, created the extension of time that smoothed the surface waters, evoking the atmosphere of tranquillity and serenity that I had envisaged.