View from Millbank Tower

This is another classic view of London, one in which everything lines up marvellously. I shot this from the Millbank Tower, a 1960s skyscraper located on the banks of the River Thames, just south of the Houses of Parliament. At the time of its construction it was the tallest building in the UK. The building has had many illustrious tenants, including the HQs of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party, as well as offices of the World Bank and the United Nations.

The view encapsulates from left to right the dome of the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Abbey, a view up the busy boulevard called Whitehall, Parliament, Westminster Bridge, Hungerford and Waterloo Bridges, the London Eye, and the cluster of tall buildings of the South Bank. At far right is the dome of St Paul’s cathedral.

I love this view, I find it really spectacular. Sadly I had to shoot this through glass, which always degraded the image, but I have some techniques which minimise this. The detail is still fantastic, as can be seen in the 100% detailed views, but the edges are very slightly softer, as I had to shoot at an angle through the glass. I am trying to get onto the roof of this building, so as to have an unobstructed and clear view, but this would mean lots of security measures. However watch this space and I’ll let you know!

This evening in March 2022 when I shot this wide panorama, the conditions were absolutely perfect – with a perfectly clear sky and with minimal pollution or haze in the air.