The overwhelming architecture of the London Docklands outshines the people and makes them seem tiny and even nonexistent. Despite the thousands of people moving and working between the glass buildings, the spaces look empty and there is a sense of solitude and desolation.

A spacey suburb

In the Docklands, an area of Eastern London, companies of incalculable economical value are based. The glass buildings are reflected on the waters of Thames, giving an impression of the future and science fiction. Until the 50’s, the port facilities of London and the famous shipyards, with thousands of workers and whistling barges, would coexist.

Since the early days, the Docklands were a symbol of British power, that's why the Germans were fiercely bombing it for 57 days, in the beginning of World War II. During the premiership of Thatcher the shipyards were replaced with glass skyscrapers, which the Irish Republican Army blew up twice.

The golden boys working in the area behave discreetly, they speak in low volumes, wear clothes of the same dark colors and constantly write on laptop computers. They look like small, stylish, genius and well-tuned existences. The relations among them seem configured, with sympathies and antipathies already clarified, and with their pockets full of money and their souls full of emotional indolence.

A heaven for photographers

The Docklands area is suitable for successful photographing, as long as the photographer has at least one powerful high definition wide lens and a polarizing filter that cuts off reflections. With the use of a tripod, daily crystal clear and fascinating night shots can be taken, given that the atmosphere is clear, a phenomenon not so usual in London.

The more frequent hazy days offer an atmospheric black and white photographing, with a concomitant use of suitable filters and image editing techniques to increase contrast. The metal and glass Canary Wharf skyscraper that is built on one narrow strip of land in the middle of the Thames cannot be excluded from the photographing process. Reaching a height of two hundred meters, it is the tallest building in Britain.

The return to London from the Docklands is by the Light Train, which in actuality is a light train as it is called on elevated tracks. The ticket inspectors are typical young Englishmen, who wear earrings and sing old pop hits. In the near distance from the Docklands the scenery changes dramatically, since after the high metallic buildings, the low humble houses appear. Noisy people of all races in the world, wearing fancy clothes, enter the train.

A unique city

Countless people have been love struck by London, amongst them many photographers. In this amazing city, it can be raining one moment as if there was a cataclysm and after a few minutes the sun will be shining again. One can see totally powerful glass and metal banks with ambitious and introverted employees on one hand, and low uniform houses with poorer and more extroverted people on the other hand.
TEXT-PHOTOS: GEORGE ZAFEIROPOULOS
SOURCE: www.greecewithin.com

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