Empire State, New York

One of the most difficult decisions of my recent trip to New York was choosing between the viewing platforms of the Rockefeller Centre and the Empire State Building – in the end, I decided no cityscape of New York was complete without the iconic Empire State, and headed up to the Top of the Rock.

The completely open top viewing platform of the “Top of the Rock’ was closed due to extremely high winds (even through the mostly-enclosed lower levels, you felt in danger of being blown away by particularly strong gusts), but by wedging the camera lens into the gaps between the barriers on the lower levels, it was possible to get clear shots obscured by the plexiglass shields.  And yes, this did involved having to go right to the edge – far to close for my comfort, but these are the thing we do to get pictures!

(See more pictures from New York on Journey Photographic)

Luskentyre dunes, Isle of Harris, Scotland

Luskentyre beach, on the west side of the Isle of Harris, is considered one of the best beaches in the UK, and for good reason – it was truly spectacular. That said, it was the high, grassy sand dunes at the northern end of the beach, looking out to the hills of Taransay and North Harris, that really caught my attention.

(See more pictures from the Outer Hebrides on Journey Photographic)

Looking Down (VII) (the view from a plane), USA

Aerial photography on a scheduled commercial flight must be one of the most frustrating photographic pursuits.  You have no control over the subject, the time of day, or the perspective, shooting though tiny panes of thick, dirty plastic at a target that is constantly moving underneath you… when you think about it, getting any decent pictures at all is an indication of just how amazing our planet really is, when viewed from 30,000ft.

(See more aerial pictures from 30,000ft on Journey Photographic here)

Back Alley Business, Central, Hong Kong

Wandering through the back streets of the Central district, Hong Kong, we came across these folks doing business out of a compact, one-person-deep shopfront, packed to overflowing with supplies.

(See more pictures from Hong Kong on Journey Photographic here)

Great Court, British Museum

Peering over the edge, this couple provided a subtle hint of colour against the pale architecture of the British Museum’s Queen Elizabeth II Great Court.  The Great Court is an interesting combination of modern and traditional architecture, further emphasised by the slightly odd combination of uses of the Great Court itself, with historical sculptures dotted among the cafe servery and benches, shop displays, and pedestrian traffic moving between the various exhibition halls.

(See more pictures from London on Journey Photographic here)

Lamppost, Central Park, New York

Here’s another picture from one of New York’s parks – this time of the stark winter trees and winding paths of Central Park.  Though you can see the Manhattan skyline peeking through the bare branches, with the lamppost in the foreground the scene reminds me of Narnia – an impression probably helped by the freezing weather!

(See more pictures from New York on Journey Photographic here)

Reflection, High Line Park, New York, USA

The High Line is a 2.3 km raised public park built along an old section of the New York Central Railroad, running along the lower west side of Manhattan; the buildings running either side of the park are fascinating a mix of old and new architecture, many covered in some form of public art.  The day I visited was bitterly cold, though brilliantly sunny, and the park was full of people strolling down the path, admiring the elevated view to the windows and rooftops of New York.

(See more pictures from New York on Journey Photographic here)

Macro (I), Somewhere Over the South West Deserts of USA

The common definition of the word ‘macro’ is ‘large scale’, but in the world of photography, its taken on the opposite meaning – extreme close ups of very small things.  It seemed a suitable title for this picture – it may be a large-scale aerial photo, taken from ~ 30,000ft up in the air (about as large-scale as I can manage), but at the same time, it reminds me of a close-up of a rock, piece of wood, or some exotic living organism.  Two meanings for the price of one!

(See more aerial photography on Journey Photographic here)

Stones of Callanish, Isle of Lewis

The Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis rival the better-known Stonehenge for sheer impressiveness, and definitely have them beaten when it comes to the remote beauty of their location, high in the stunning Outer Hebrides.

(See more pictures from the Outer Hebrides on Journey Photographic here)

St James’s Park, London

This picture of the lake in St James’s Park, central London, was taken early on a freezing, foggy morning while waiting to check into my hotel after flying in from Australia.  Looking back at the pictures I took that morning, all of them seem to have a slightly strange, dreamlike feeling – rather suitable for pictures taken under the influence of jet lag!

(See more pictures from London on Journey Photographic here)