Urbanscapes

A starburst illuminates one of the open widows on the marble and stone facade to the Library of Celcus in Ephesus. The setting sun bathes the palms behind the library in golden light, and the skies are bright and blue. — Library of Celcus, Ephesus, Turkey

The front facade of Almudena Cathedral as seen from the Royal Palace courtyard entrance. The gold-gilded and black gates and walls are arranged in front of the cathedral entrance. The sky is bright blue, with some faint clouds. — Almudena Cathedral, Madrid, Spain

The castle is illuminated by the yellow flood lights at its base and looms tall across the Saint Angelo bridge. The statues adorning the bridge are presented in the foreground gradually shrinking into the distance. - Travel & Architecture Photography — Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy

Galata Tower stands above the surrounding modern buildings of Istanbul against a grey clouded sky. Throngs of people can be seen atop the balcony that wraps around the Tower's tallest level - Travel & Architecture Photography — Galata Tower, Istanbul, Turkey

Wide-angle view of the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul with dramatic cloudy skies, Ottoman architecture, and a plane flying in the background – travel and architecture photography. — Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

Two of the great pyramids of Giza loom above the dense sprawl of modern buildings below. The sky is filled with the desert dust and warm colours of sunset, while the buildings below lie in the shadows - travel and architecture photography. — Great Pyramids of Giza, Giza, Egypt

The domed prayer hall and arches are set in front of the central outside courtyard of the great mosque. The sky is bright with the heat of the Tunisian sun. Travel and architectural photography. — Great Mosque of Kairouan, Kairouan, Tunisia

The setting sun is partially obscured by the tall central spire of the Wat Arun temple. The temple is silhouetted in black against the bright dusk sky. Travel & architectural photography. — Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand

In this collection I've put together a series of images where I've tried to showcase the architecture of the ancient, and classical worlds. And, as in the case of the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Suleyman Mosque in Istanbul, the relationship that arises as the old is incorporated, or often, engulfed by new buildings.

The tall white stone building is adorned with symmetrical arches, and on the ground floor each arch features a statue. The building is the central focus of the green boulevard. Travel & architecture photography. — Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Rome, Italy

The interior of the Oculus Plaza entrance to the World Trade Center Mall, is shown with symmetric white columns vaulted inwards towards a glass roof. The scene conveys a sense of grand scale, is bright and airy. — Oculus Plaza, New York City, USA

The four white minarets and domes of the grand mosque are seen reflected in a pool in the foreground. The pool, and the building composition highlights the symmetry of the architecture and scene in the early morning soft light. — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

A modern opera house with Arabian architectural influences, wrapped in white polished stone sits in a courtyard of white stone. Flowers and green grass surround and provide the foreground. The opera house's entrance features 5 tall arches. — Royal Opera House, Muscat, Oman

In the foreground, the wide courtyard features geometric patterns inlaid in stone. The Palace buildings are expansive featuring a white dome inlaid with gold in the centre. In the centre is a large arch entrance way. — Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, UAE

A large bronze sculpture featuring a winged person, holding a sceptre and riding a chariot with four horses sits atop the ornate stone, classical architecture of the course of appeals building. The building is imposing, dominating the scene as seen across from the bridge. — Corte Suprema di Cassazione, Rome, Italy

The building, sits atop a grassy, sculpted hill, in front of a large ornate, square pond. The building is in the classical style, featuring four main support columns, with white stone sculptures in the eaves, connected by white doric columns. The sky is clouded, but the scene is lit by soft sunshine. — Gloriette Schönbrunn, Vienna, Austria

Symmetry. I find the simplicity of repeating elements in a design incredibly pleasing to look at, the effect draws your gaze into a clear point of focus. In these photos I've tried to strip back distracting elements, and focus on highlighting the building's themselves.

The Statue of Liberty stands tall on its podium surrounded by a bright blue sky. — Statue of Liberty, New York, USA

One of the main structures of the Manhattan bridge can be seen standing tall, framed by the red-bricked buildings of Brooklyn against a bright blue sky. — Manhattan by Dumbo, New York City, USA

A tall glass and copper-clad beehive-like structure stands tall against a bright clouded sky. the High-rise buildings on either side curl inwards around "The Vessel" further exaggerating its height and scale. Travel & architecture photography. — The Vessel, New York City, USA

The Brooklyn bridge spans the calm water of the east river. a lone woman sits on the banks looking across to the island of Manhattan in quite contemplation. — Alone on the Hudson, New York City, USA

A bronze statue of a young girl looks up to the New York stock exchange building on Wall Street in a pose of fearlessness defiance as the scale of the building looms over her. — The Fearless Girl, Wall Street, NYC, USA

View of Manhattan from the top of the Statue of Liberty, a point of the statue's crown points directly to the skyscrapers of lower Manhattan across the Hudson on a clear winters day. — Crowning the City, Statue of Liberty, NYC, USA

Two people stand in front of the glass viewing platform, built from the old steel of the overhead railway line in Manhattan's Chelsea. The view stretches along the tall buildings lining 10th avenue. — Pausing to Reflect, Chelsea, NYC, USA

The scene is framed by the water reeds along the river banks in the reddish hues of autumn. in the distance, across the mouth of the Hudson River a helicopter flies seeming to float on the tip the Statue of Liberty. — Flight of the Hudson, New York City, USA

Looking south across the midtown expanse of Manhattan from the tops of the buildings, the metropolis stretches forth into the horizon. The scene is littered with the points of tall buildings as though it were the needles of a porcupine. The sky is bright with the white of the clouds, while the city below is engulfed in the dark gloom of winter. — Manhattan's Vast Reach, New York City, USA

New York City. Not many places can claim to be synonomous with the term urban metropolis, but NYC certainly can. The sheer scale of the city, in all dimensions, is truly vast. And these images reflect that.

The Washington monument stands tall and alone across the smooth waters of the lake. The trees lining the edge of the lake are wreathed in autumnal tones. — The Washington Monument, Washington DC, USA

The US Capitol building features prominently, while the expanse of Washington DC stretches all around it. The scene is bathed in the warm glow of the low winter sun. — The Capitol Building, Washington DC, USA

the Lincoln memorial is the focus of the scene, far in the distance with the green grass and calm water of the reflecting pool in the foreground. The scene is lit by the bright warm glow as the sun has just set below the distant horizon. — The Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, USA

The US flag dances in the wind in the foreground, while its flagpoles frame a long view down the Mall towards the US Capitol. The sky is filled with soft purple and pink hues from an already setting winter sun. — A Star-Spangled View, Washington DC, USA

The stone pillared entrance of the Jefferson Memorial building dominates the scene. Gently light by the low winter sunshine, the Statue of Jefferson can be seen in the centre. — The Jefferson Memorial, Washington DC, USA

The Washington monument is bathed in the warm sunset glow as seen between two great stone columns of the Jefferson Memorial. A lone scooter rider whizzes between the frame on the courtyard below. The scene is light and the gentle blue, pink and purple hues in the sky set a serene scene. — Between Stone and Sky, Washington DC, USA

A hooded man quietly sits on the polished stone bench beneath the Washington monument. The scene is ringed by the flags fluttering strongly in the wind as the horizon glows reddy-orange with the setting sun. The scene conveys a sense of intimacy with the isolation in the scene. — All is Fleeting, Washington DC, USA

The brilliant white stone of the Washington monument is reflected in the clear waters of the reflecting pool, mirroring the clear blue sky above. A lone mallard gently drifts across in the foreground. — Fowl Reflections, Washington DC, USA

Brilliant bright shafts of sunlight burst through the columns across the grand hall where a lone figure stands silhouetted, gazing at the tall black sculpture of Thomas Jefferson. — In Light of History, Washington DC, USA

Bronze statues of Korean War Soldiers are marching across the landscape. A bright flare of a sunstar is framed by the intersection of the lead soldier and the low wall in the background as the far trees are bathed in the glow of the winter setting sun. The scene conveys the sombre mood as must have been during the war. — The Last March, Washington DC, USA

The US Capitol building sits atop the hill in brilliant white of the bright sun. The scene is reflected in the expansive pool, while the autumnal colours of the tall trees flank the scene. — The US Capitol Building, Washington DC, USA

Washington DC, by contrast has a sense of scale that feels more intimidate, despite the scenic expanses being broader. Instead, each building is given the space to breathe, and in doing so feels more connected to the urban scape as a result.

The Burj Khalifa pierces the sky above, surrounded by the bright buildings of the Dubai Mall. — Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE

One of the main support towers of the Brooklyn bridge stands tall and imposing ahead, illuminated in white against the darkness all around. The Cables spread forth and all around the scene, drawing you into the immensity of the stone ahead. — Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, USA

The Bright lights of Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway draw your gaze towards the clock tower of Philadelphia City Hall in the far distance. Gentle lights illuminate the buildings all around, as the talk dark silhouette of Rocky Balboa celebrates atop the steps of the Philidephia Museum of Art. — Rocky Balboa, Philadelphia, USA

The shadow of mount Vesuvius looms over the Neapolitan city lights below. A wreath of low cloud sits atop the city, wrapping the base of the volcano in the far distance. — Shrouded by Vesuvius, Naples, Italy

The temple of Wat Arun is aglow with amber light across from the Chao Phrya River. The temple's tall central spire, and four smaller spires on each corner dominate the scene against the darkness of the night sky. The lights from the banks of the river and temple are reflected in the river's waters. — Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand

St Stephen's Basilica can be seen aglow across the mighty Danube River. The scene is framed by the tall trees that line the high hill where Buda Castle rests. The river is decorated by the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and a Danube party barge, their colours of green, blue and amber reflecting of the water. The sky is coloured with the dark blue of early twilight. — Twilight on the Danube, Budapest, Hungary

Across from the Doha bay lies the illuminated Al Corniche skyline. Tall buildings all aglow in a myriad of colours, blue, gold, purple, red and orange. The glow of the city casts an aura that reaches up into the night sky. — Al Corniche, Doha, Qatar

A thin sliver of a crescent moon, glows and ominous red as it slowly descends in the horizon. In the foreground, the myriad lights of a vast metropolis expands as far as can be seen, its light contrasting starkly against the night sky. — The Red Crescent, Ankara, Turkey

The distant sky is ablaze with fire, softened only slightly by encroachment of the dark clouds. In the foreground, the city begins to immunise, the trails of activity leaving streaks of light through the narrow avenues. — Ablaze of Twilight, Ankara, Turkey

The silhouette of a lone figure stands before the brightly illuminated buildings of Lower Manhattan. Bright lights of the piers along the Hudson River cast their cool white lights onto the water below. — Taking in the View, New York City, USA

The Lower Manhattan skyline is framed by the cables and a single tower of the Brooklyn Bridge. The scene is lit by the glow of artificial lights, which casts a warm aura into the dark skies above, while the streaks of light from the bridge traffic races by on the platform below. — Metropolis Abridged, New York City, USA

The sculpted concrete colonnades of the Little Park Pier rises from the gloomy water of the Hudson River. The Pier's lights cast bright stars into the scene, as the brightly lit towers of Lower Manhattan rise forth in the far distance. — Pier into the Night, New York City, USA

When the sun sets, cities take on a whole different kind of atmosphere. The hustle and the bustle of the daytime changes rhythm, and is instead shown by the myriad of lights, trailing across the scene. I enjoy using long exposures wherever I can to convey that constant motion to city life.

The gradual setting sun illuminates the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya river in soft golden light. The sky behind the myriad of tall buildings and riverside jetties has a gradual hue of soft pink ascending into a pale blue. — Chao Phraya for Now, Bangkok, Thailand

The tall central minaret of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque reaches high into the cloud spattered sky. The stone of the mosque complex fills the scene with the warm reddish brown of its sandstone, while the greenery of the complex's gardens lines the paved path leading to the central minaret. Shafts of light peer through the white clouds over the domed prayer hall. — Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat, Oman

The scene is dominated by the presence of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. the symmetry of its four tall minarets on each corner, and myriad of different shaped domes are presented in brilliant white, complimented by the warmth of the golden accents. Palms line the stepped garden leading towards the multi-arched main entrance. — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

A scattering of scooters and cars stream across the wide expansive road into the distance. The scene is flanked on one end by the concrete pillars and platform of the skytrain, and on the other side by the concrete and glass buildings of the metropolis. The road directs your view down towards the buildings in the far distance. — Bangkok in Motion, Bangkok, Thailand

A long figure walks along a white stone path into a courtyard of stone. Palm trees and a uniformed two-story arched balcony flanks the interior perimeter of the courtyard. In the distance the modernity of the surrounding city marks the boundary between the ground and the bright overcast sky above. — Qasr al Hosn, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The dark stone of Wat Arun temple stands tall against the pink sky as a gently glowing orange orb of the sun intersects one of the pillars of the temple. A single, long-tail boat flies across the river in the foreground, a silhouette against the gold light reflected off its surface. — Templum Solis, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract stone shapes across from the flat waters of the stone-lined pond adorn this vast courtyard. In the distance the scene is flanked by the tall glass-clad buildings reaching up the pierce the bright white clouded skies above. — Downtown, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Invoking a ship at sea, the three tall pillars of the Marina Bay Sands rises across from the Marina waters against a bright blue sky. — Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

A large red, clay tile roofed gate in the traditional Chinese architectural style looms overhead. The bright sun-star peeks out from the top of the roof, while the tall concrete and glass structures of Chinatown enclose the scene. — Chinatown Gate, Bangkok, Thailand

The scene presents itself from atop a tall earthen hill looking down into the bay of Sur below. A still cable-stayed bridge crosses the river, and the traditional Arabic white-plastered buildings lined the crescent shaped bay as small ships navigate its mouth. In the distance, the scene extends into the Arabian Sea and is lit my soft light as the sun struggles to pierce the clouds — The Bay of Sur, Sur, Oman

Asia offers an incredibly rich tapestry of hyper-modernity and tradition. This is clearly reflected in the urban environments where so many people live, work, and play.

The obelisk at the centre of St Peter's square in the Vatican City stands tall ahead. The scene is lit by the bright light of the spring high sun, casting shallow shadows into the square. In the foreground, the statues of Jesus and the Apostles can be seen facing the square. — Basilica di San Pietro, Rome, Italy

Low evening sunshine gently illuminates the large central dome of the Palace of Montjuïc as the whole complex sits atop the hill. The road lines of the wide avenue Reina Maria Cristina draw your gaze towards the palace and four stone columns at the base of the hill. On either side of the avenue, the city's busses pass on by. — Montjuïc Palace, Barcelona, Spain

The historic square of Krakow lies in shadow cast by the surrounding buildings. A small group of revellers from the night before traverse the scene as the golden light of dawn gently illuminates the 16th century covered market, building built in renaissance style. Standing centrally in the square is a large bronze statue of famed Polish poet and author Adam Mickiewicz. Flanked on all four sides of the pedal stool column are smaller bronze statues. — By Dawn's Light, Revellers Delight, Krakow, Poland

looking down the span of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge ahead, it is filled with the throngs of people milling across, enjoying the celebratory atmosphere of the Hungarian National Day. The scene is illuminated by the summer twilight sky, a pale, light blue. And the playful colours of the part barges on the Danube. — Hungarian National Day, Budapest, Hungary

Echoes of the Roman Circus Maximus are laid bare on the landscape. Where once the race course lay, green grass now extends across from the lone remaining structure in the foreground. A raised dirt pathway extends from one end to another, and a lone figure walks along its length. The sky is filled with the ominous contrast of an encroaching storm. — Circo Massimo, Rome, Italy

Europe's richness of culture and history is laid more apparent. So many of the wondrous structures were built centuries before, and yet feel as natural and at home in the metropolises that have arisen.

Celebrations Dark Skies Landscapes Motion Portraits Urbanscapes

Urbanscaes offer a lot of freedom and flexibility when it comes to capturing an image. it's something that I've admired for some time as the diversity of styles and techniques for capturing the urban essence offers many interesing pathways to explore.

Urbanscapes

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