The Isle of Dogs.

Last weekend Jane and I had a couple of days in London. From our room near Greenwich it was just a couple of minutes walk to the Thames Path which more or less follows the riverbank. All very ordinary really. But across the water rose the massive tower blocks of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. It was about as far removed from Wild Wales as you can imagine. For a country bumpkin like myself these monsters reaching for the sky were impossible to ignore. The architecture of Canary Wharf is extraordinary from a distance. However I also spent a couple of hours amongst the tower blocks and I don’t think I have ever experienced a landscape so de-humanising. No soul at all. And no dogs.

I just had my little Olympus OM5 with me and a standard zoom, so photography-wise the trip was somewhat limited. Nevertheless I’m pleased with what I achieved, so enjoy the pictures!

Emerging from Greenwich village onto the riverbank I was knocked out by this panorama
I love the cool blue tones of this pre-sunrise image, which contrast so strongly with the yellow lights on the pier footway.
Virtually every vestige of the industrial Thames around here has been removed, so this jetty is a rare reminder of the not-too-distant past.

Not what you might think. This is one of a series of artworks on the Greenwich peninsula. The artist Richard Wilson bought the sand-dredger “Arco Trent” and installed a slice of it on a sandbank in the Thames.

Extraordinary architecture……..

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Published by Jeremy Moore

Recently described as "Wales' leading environmental photographer"; based near Aberystwyth, and specialising in Welsh landscape and wildlife. He has published the Wild Wales / Cymru Wyllt range of postcards since 1987. His most recent book was "Wales at Waters Edge" (with Jon Gower) published in May 2012. The National Library of Wales has a large number of his prints in its Collection. His exhibition "Bird/land" was shown at Aberystwyth Arts Centre from June until August 2016. It originally received support from the Arts Council of Wales.

6 thoughts on “The Isle of Dogs.”

  1. I particularly love the night time view Jerry. I love to visit the river at night and see the colours the lights make in the water. It wasn’t until I went to New York that I understand there could be beauty in skyscrapers – though I still prefer the natural world.

    Reply

    1. It’s a particular kind of beauty, I find. There’s an element of awe involved, but I feel its probably only skin deep. And there’s some novelty value in it for me.

      Reply

  2. Went to London a couple of weekends ago to look after grandson for a few days. Sitting, looking out of seventh floor window at the massed rooftops of Islington, was amused to see a flock of green parakeets flying by. Don’t get many of those in Ceredigion, do we?

    George

    Reply

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