Views from up top: the Shard with the 14mm

So yesterday I took my family to the Shard, London’s tallest building, to visit the new viewing platform that has opened (called “the view from the Shard”): http://wp.me/p2wMAg-nK

The views are spectacular but it is a difficult location for photography. I could have cried when I saw that the “open air platform” on floor 72 has no roof, but still has glass sides. Ultimately, that means that photos are ruined by reflections. It’s all very well to say “use a polariser” but that doesn’t always work depending on the angle of reflection and that was very much the case here.

So, by all means visit, it is fun, the views (to the naked eye) are wonderful, the staff were really friendly. But don’t expect any decent photos!

rattymouse wrote:

Excellent shots. Looks like a fantastic lens.

In this day and age, there is NO WAY any building is going to allow the general public access to a height like that without glass or a cage in front of you. Not going to happen.

Depends where you are. Obviously they don't want people stepping off, but sometimes there is open air and the cage is wide enough to get a lens through.

I've shot from the tallest building in Bangkok (Bayoke Tower) which allows open air viewing from the top. The Eiffel tower is pretty good as well. There, you can even lean out a bit and shoot downward.

rattymouse wrote:

Excellent shots. Looks like a fantastic lens.

In this day and age, there is NO WAY any building is going to allow the general public access to a height like that without glass or a cage in front of you. Not going to happen.

Thank you, I'm very happy with the results thus far.Sure - but there are choices when these kind of venues are constructed(especially given the viewing platform here is multifloor).

I visited the (admittedly much shorter) London Monument recently and it has a wire cage around the viewing platform, which you can keep out of shot if you press the lens to it (UV filter anyone...). No need to build the whole thing like that but a few panels covering key views would be nice... It almost felt like that was the plan with floor 72 of the shard, given its description as "open air", but they wimped out at the last minute.

Having had a fail with my polariser, I ended up trying to use my hand to block reflections. As you can see it isn't perfect! I wished I had taken a large hood from an old lens - that may be the best strategy for clear shots.

Love the shots. It's a shame with the glass. Too much protection nowadays. But then I would not like if somebody who decides to jump would land on my back.

Joachim
http://www.littlebigtravelingcamera.com

rattymouse wrote:

bigpigbig wrote:

rattymouse wrote:

Excellent shots. Looks like a fantastic lens.

In this day and age, there is NO WAY any building is going to allow the general public access to a height like that without glass or a cage in front of you. Not going to happen.

Depends where you are. Obviously they don't want people stepping off, but sometimes there is open air and the cage is wide enough to get a lens through.

I've shot from the tallest building in Bangkok (Bayoke Tower) which allows open air viewing from the top. The Eiffel tower is pretty good as well. There, you can even lean out a bit and shoot downward.

A lens hole I can see. I was thinking totally open access where a disturbed person could do a pretty enormous amount of damage to themselves or others.

I might make it to Paris later this year so perhaps I'll get a chance to see what you are talking about in person.

Damn!

I just went looking for those photos and can't find them anywhere. Grrrrr.

I did find some shots from the Empire State Building that were open air as well. Though they were from 2003, so things might be different now.

Joachim Gerstl wrote:

Love the shots. It's a shame with the glass. Too much protection nowadays. But then I would not like if somebody who decides to jump would land on my back.

Joachim
http://www.littlebigtravelingcamera.com

Cheers Joachim

I wouldn't bee keen to be hit by "jumpers" either!

A couple of panels with wire grilles  or bars in place of glass would be great though

rattymouse wrote:

A lens hole I can see. I was thinking totally open access where a disturbed person could do a pretty enormous amount of damage to themselves or others.

I might make it to Paris later this year so perhaps I'll get a chance to see what you are talking about in person.

The 'cages' at the top of the Eiffel Tower were like this in 1988…

They haven't changed much judging from recent pictures I've seen on the net.
If you are lucky enough to get to Paris then don't miss the chance to go up the Montparnasse Tower  for great views of the Eiffel Tower and Paris.

Empire State Building still has a cage that allows you to stick through the lens. I got some nice shots with the poor performing Sony 16 mm NEX lens.

Ray Sachs wrote:

Great shots. If you hadn't mentioned the reflections I wouldn't have noticed them. These kinds of shots (except fFor the one of the hanging workmen, which is wonderful) are not about composition or art. But they're chock full of information and detail that's a blast to look at. Fascinating in much the same way as a map or aerial photo bBut at a scale and angle that's much more relatable. Nothing to apologize for here at all!.

-Ray
-------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20889767@N05/collections/72157626204295198/

Cheers Ray. The reflections aren't too bad in the shots here, but they did frustrate my attempts to do anything other than 1/3 or less sky for variety



Hi, thanks for sharing - great shots!

I agree, photographers are often neglected when these platforms are build...

BUT - three years ago I visited the "At the Top" platform at the Burj Khalifa (Dubai). They actually provided some kind of 'view slit' (about 1 m in height,  ) so shooting is possible without any obstacles:



Cheers

Martin

mmbn wrote:



Hi, thanks for sharing - great shots!

I agree, photographers are often neglected when these platforms are build...

BUT - three years ago I visited the "At the Top" platform at the Burj Khalifa (Dubai). They actually provided some kind of 'view slit' (about 1 m in height, ) so shooting is possible without any obstacles:



Cheers

Martin

Thank you and nice shots yourself. I just wish someone had thought of that when they built the shard viewing platform!

howardfuhrman wrote:

These photos look great.

Cheers Howard

I was there a couple of months ago with the 14mm lens. Got very similar shots to you. No window cleaners though when I was there.

The reflections were a pain, but the grease marks from people's heads didn't help either.