Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2024
Neuron - Armed with my digital camera this year I tried to experiment more and take shots that gave the feeling of being there rather than just straight shots of the installations themselves. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 ISO 1000.
Canary Wharf is home the UK’s largest free outdoor public art collection and every winter in January this gets a further boost with the Winter Lights installations. For ten days numerous temporary pieces of light-themed art are on display after dark for the public to enjoy (also free of charge). In recent years Canary Wharf has been trying to attract more tourists to the area to help service the shops and restaurants and this is part of that effort. There are also a few permanent installations that can be enjoyed year-round, including the well-known Adams Plaza Bridge.
Bit.Fall - A popular permanent installation that generates random words from news articles as fleeting droplets of water, I think I actually needed to use a slower shutter speed here to capture the words better. 1/500s 35mm F1.4 ISO 800.
Shine Your Colours - Another permanent installation that allows visitors to create colour silhouettes. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 ISO 640.
When I went last year I shot a roll of Cinestill 800T on my Nikon F100, but this year I decided to go with my digital camera to give myself a bit more creative freedom. I’d have the chance to experiment, playing around with ideas and looking at the back of the camera to see if they worked. It provided a completely different shooting experience but one I thoroughly enjoyed. As much as I enjoy shooting film it is good every now and again to enjoy the instant feedback of digital and use it to its full advantage.
On the Wave of Light - Simple installations like these are perfect for people taking fun photos of their friends and family. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 ISO 1600.
The Peace Poem - This installation is all about the message. 1/30s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
This year’s Winter Lights seemed to be smaller in scale than the previous year, with less installations. However, the organisation was a lot better. Previously people wondered around in a rather scattershot way which could make some areas really crowded. This year everything is organised in a one-way loop to keep people moving and to avoid any queuing which was the case for Anima, the most popular installation last year. If you haven’t visited this year yet then you don’t have much time left, it finishes on Sunday (27th). If you can make it to London or are already there then I do highly recommend you go. It’s a fun way to spend an evening and its absolutely free. So, without further ado, please enjoy the images in this blog.
The Clew - A permanent installation that really shines at night, another popular location for Instagrammers. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 ISO 800.
Sign - Even just looking at its warm orange glow was enough to feel a bit warmer on a cold winter’s night. The area around this installation was one of the busiest of the loop. 1/125s 35mm F1.4 ISO 640.
Les Oiseaux - My favourite as I found it to be the most beautiful. The design and lighting gives it a painterly feel. 1/800s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Marbles - Initially I was a bit stumped by how I could photograph this in an interesting way, but once I realised it was all about the movement I dropped my shutter speeds to produce this. 1/3s 35mm F4.0 ISO 64.
Capitivated by Colour - The most well know of the permanent installations on Adams Plaza Bridge. I experimented with slow shutter speeds to freeze a stationary subject while having the people walking past whizz by in a blur. 1/2s 35mm F1.4 ISO 80.
Vessels - Another installation that worked well with a slow shutter speed to give an amazing techno vibe. 1/2s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Biophilia - Interesting to look at in person but difficult to photograph in an interesting way. 1/80s 35mm F1.4 ISO 200.
In-Between - Cubes within cubes created amazing never-ending shapes. 1/80s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Submergence - In place of last year’s most popular installation Anima, Submergence is a more scaled up version with plenty of space to avoid people having to queue to go through. Lights dangle from above, flashing and shimmering in a set pattern to sound. 1/200s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Submergence - Intentional camera movement (ICM) is something I rarely try and but created a cool effect inside Submergence. 1/20s 35mm F3.2 ISO 64.
Kinetic Perspective - Rotating rings of light also worked well for a slow shutter speed. 1s 35mm F5.6 ISO 64.
Geist - Disco ball meets Tron in this sparkling installation. 1/80s 35mm F1.4 ISO 100.
Idle Time - The final installation which is projected onto the canvas of a building under construction. Shooting it proved to be challenging as the pulsating LED lights meant a slow shutter speed was required to capture the entire scene. Shorter shutter speeds only captured part of the figures. 1/5s 35mm F7.1 ISO 64.
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