Tower Bridge by perkster24

The last time I tried to photograph Tower Bridge from this location the security guards who patrol the private waterfront outside the Tower Hotel made me put my tripod away. I was expecting more of the same this time round but at 1:45 a.m. in the morning there was nobody to be seen! Built between 1886-1894 the bridge takes its name from the Tower of London which sits close by. Increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would have cut off access for tall-masted ships to the port facilities in the Pool of London. Today you couldn't really imagine London without this iconic structure but back in the early 20th century professional commentators were critical of its aesthetics. "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure", wrote H. H. Statham, while Frank Brangwyn stated that "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river". How wrong were they! The statue in the foreground is called 'Girl with a Dolphin' and was created by artist David Wynne in 1973. Like many of his sculptures, this one is noted for its depiction of movement, giving the illusion of the figures flying unsupported. In the background sits one of the latest additions to the London skyline the 309m high Shard, now the tallest building in the European Union. 7 exp hdr with pp in acr, photomatix, photoshop and Topaz clarity/de-noise. Nikon D700 & 24-70 at 24mm, ISO 800, f10 & 1/15 - 4 sec via 500px http://j.mp/VAne1T