Photography

As you probably know, Great Britain has a rich past that the people are very proud of. It should be no surprise then, that there are museums and galleries everywhere, showcasing and preserving a rich past for future generations.

The architecture Great Britain showcases is an amazing display of history, and a testament  to the the builders and designers of these magnificent pieces of history that still stand to this day.

People are interesting to watch no matter where you are. This is doubly true in England, especially in London. No matter where you go to people watch, what you look for is people who stand out, people who are not just going about an everyday life. In London, the definition of everyday life is blurred, as in a city this diverse, there is a much more loose definition of “normal.”

Even when you get out into the country, people are still incredibly interesting. Artists, and others spend time out in the relaxing British countryside to get away from it all, resulting in more interesting people to observe. 

Phone booths are visible everywhere around London, although their numbers have been in sharp decline with the advent of mobile phones. All was not lost however, as for the Olympics, local artists were asked to make life-size phone booth art. This amazing and sometimes bizarre art can be seen on the streets of London, showing that they prize all their history, even if it is less then 100 years old.

The goal of a business is to make money, and you can’t make money if you don’t communicate with your customers. Also, humor is always good to interject into your signs. In all seriousness Y pay more?

Sometimes a simple, to-the-point sign and company name does the job. Take “EAT.” Simple, to the point, and makes you hungry.

Or even better for communication, state what your buisnes does. “Just Loos,” for instance leaves no question about their business.

The British admire tradition and heritage as is shown by the statues of history makers which are scattered everywhere.

Even small towns like Chertsey have statues dedicated to pieces of their history. As is seen in the first photo, which depicts the wife of a wrongly convicted man. He was set to be executed at the ringing of the dawn bell, but because his wife grabbed the clapper of the bell and held on, the bell never rang. She stayed there until a runner brought a pardon several hours later.

Sculptures of various kinds are all over London, each having a different message. Some like the woodcarving on top, are to add an interesting decoration to an otherwise bland building, and of course, to guard the alarm system.

Some are not sculptures at all. The man in the second image is in fact a street performer in a rather unique getup.

The third image is an interesting and large piece of biodegradable art. This large fountain is made almost entirely of cork. Cork will degrade with time, and eventually fall apart, soaking anyone present.

The fourth image is a piece from the Tate Modern, called the Condensation Cube. This interesting piece looks static from a distance. When you observe it closely you notice the condensation/evaporation cycle produces a truly dynamic, yet subtle work of art.

And finally, almost any child of the nineties will recognize this instantly. Back then, this was a popular model to teach basic anatomy. This version is a full faithful replica, albeit several times larger.

Water is an integral part of life in the UK, and has been since the days of the Anglo-Saxons. Settlements, and then cities grew up on the banks of the rivers that are strewn about England.

The serenity of a river is one of my favorite things about them, even river congested with traffic will have a measure of calm to the water.

Sometimes, a design becomes so well known, that you begin to see it everywhere. Case in point, the classic underground logo. Seeing this shape triggers memory of England.