Tower of London Poppies by Night

Yv

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Yvonne, pronounced Eve...
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I doubt anyone can have missed the the news items about The Blood Swept Lands & Seas of Red poppy installation at the Tower of London. I wanted to see it but with the recent warnings about just how busy it has been, didn't think it was going to happen. However, sitting here on a Saturday evening, eldest daughter visiting for the weekend and we thought why not, lets go now! So at 11pm we headed into town. There were a few people around, several photographers with cameras and tripods just like me, yet it was amazing. You cannot believe the amount of space 888,246 poppies can fill and every one of them represents a service personnel life lost in WWI. Words really do fail me, so I will just share the picture and allow you to imagine it yourself. This is about half of them.

 
Yvonne, That is beautiful and it does bring home what remembrance is all about.
 
Yvonne, That is beautiful and it does bring home what remembrance is all about.

:agree: Certainly and evocative image, well composed I do like the inclusion of the shard in shot.(y)
 
Great image and composition and it's really nice to see a different approach
 
i think your colour balance is a bit off ,,,that grass outside the castle looks a bit ,,,,, well red !
























:D nice pic Yvonne ,,,,ive still got a week left to get up that thar londinium town
 
Really well done Yv! It starts to put in to perspective just how many people gave their lives for us to be here today.
 
That's a great image Yvonne and very moving. I wonder what will happen to all those poppies when the exhibit closes. Does anyone know?
 
Yvonne, That is beautiful and it does bring home what remembrance is all about.

Seen alot of these shots, but the night shot certainly brings it out alot more!

:agree: Certainly and evocative image, well composed I do like the inclusion of the shard in shot.(y)

Great image and composition and it's really nice to see a different approach

wow,what a shot

i think your colour balance is a bit off ,,,that grass outside the castle looks a bit ,,,,, well red !


:D nice pic Yvonne ,,,,ive still got a week left to get up that thar londinium town

Great image, excellent photography
James

One to be proud of - I love the composition and congrats on taking an atmospheric night shot

Really well done Yv! It starts to put in to perspective just how many people gave their lives for us to be here today.

That's a great image Yvonne and very moving. I wonder what will happen to all those poppies when the exhibit closes. Does anyone know?

Thanks everyone, it was truly moving and because there were no crowds, just being able to sit there for a while, looking at them and thinking.... .

Nick, all the poppies have been bought by someone, you could go on line and buy one [all now sold though you can still make a donation ] and after the 11th, they will be removed and each poppy with be posted out to the person that bought it.
 
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Beautiful. Just got back from Normandy and even after visiting and reading about so much bloodshed it's hard to comprehend numbers. This goes a way towards visualising the loss and makes me feel incredibly humble and lucky. My great grandad's amongst them too. Thanks for sharing.
 
Beautiful. Just got back from Normandy and even after visiting and reading about so much bloodshed it's hard to comprehend numbers. This goes a way towards visualising the loss and makes me feel incredibly humble and lucky. My great grandad's amongst them too. Thanks for sharing.

Great shot and one of the most effective I've seen, I wish I'd bought one of the poppies now.

THankyou both

Superb Yv first night shot I've seen. :D

Bryn, I did do a quick image search and came up with nothing more than a few blurry phone pics [admittedly it was a very quick search], but I am sure there are plenty out there, must have been at least 10 photographers with tripods etc, so those photos are somewhere ;)
 
very nice Yv off down to london next frdiay for the weekend and I'm going to hit london late one night probably friday night without wife or kids and one thing i wanted to see is this but i like whole different perspective of these on a nighttime
 
WOW, that amazing. Bet youre glad you went now. Very nice image. Good stuff!!

very nice Yv off down to london next frdiay for the weekend and I'm going to hit london late one night probably friday night without wife or kids and one thing i wanted to see is this but i like whole different perspective of these on a nighttime

Very glad I went and so worth it. (y)

if anyone wants to know more about the whole thing, info here >> http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/?_ga=1.3830132.535909153.1414872347
 
A great image, I was there in the crowds on Sat afternoon and into early evening and yes it was busy but not that bad as every one was good natured.

I too was glad to of been there to see the numbers of poppies.
 
A great image, I was there in the crowds on Sat afternoon and into early evening and yes it was busy but not that bad as every one was good natured.

I too was glad to of been there to see the numbers of poppies.

Thanks Mark, I am hearing the same thing from friends, that even when it's busy, it is so atmospheric and friendly which is fantastic.
 
great shot yv,was shooting difficult? i was there in the week & they had put green netting on the railings so you couldnt see the poppies.

I didn't see any green netting, had to get the camera higher than the railings, and I took several because I had only taken my small lightweigh CF tripod which isn't designed to be totally stable at full height in a strong breeze with a D700/24-70 f2.8 combo sat atop, but other than those equipment issues, it was easy enough. Couldn't get much of the side on view due to the railings plus barriers, tripod simply doesn't extend high enough to get over both of them.
 
Beautifully balanced composition and brought to even more life by the red 'waterfall' of poppies pouring out of the ramparts.

Very evocative and that's what every ace picture should be.
 
That's an "Excellent" shot Yvonne and such a good idea to get on down there to photograph it at night.(y)

George.
 
Lovely shot - best time to go. We were there on Wednesday and it was completely rammed, 6 or 7 people deep taking pigeon steps
 
Stunning picture Yvonne, Must go some time-----when its quiet??
Geoff

Beautifully balanced composition and brought to even more life by the red 'waterfall' of poppies pouring out of the ramparts.

Very evocative and that's what every ace picture should be.

That's an "Excellent" shot Yvonne and such a good idea to get on down there to photograph it at night.(y)

George.

Lovely shot - best time to go. We were there on Wednesday and it was completely rammed, 6 or 7 people deep taking pigeon steps

Thanks again guys, appreciated. Geoff, might be a bit quieter this week anyway because half term is generally over, but early morning or late evening will be even quieter if you can make it.
 
Thanks very much, that's a great shot.

I've been wanting to get up there and see/photograph the scene but the reports of the crowds in the day time are putting me off a bit.
Looks like a night shot is a good alternative.
 
Thanks again guys, appreciated. Geoff, might be a bit quieter this week anyway because half term is generally over, but early morning or late evening will be even quieter if you can make it.

As I've said, it is a truly beautiful picture

And it is absolutely heaving there today, I nipped out at lunch and the queues to just get out of Tower Hill tube station and through the park and across the road are unbelievable. Best time to get there is before 8.30am I think
 
am thinking of going in for dawn tomorrow morning (getting there for 6 / 6.30), does anyone know if it's floodlit at that time? Would really prefer it not to be...
 
Thanks very much, that's a great shot.

I've been wanting to get up there and see/photograph the scene but the reports of the crowds in the day time are putting me off a bit.
Looks like a night shot is a good alternative.

Thanks and yes, a great time to go. ;)

As I've said, it is a truly beautiful picture

And it is absolutely heaving there today, I nipped out at lunch and the queues to just get out of Tower Hill tube station and through the park and across the road are unbelievable. Best time to get there is before 8.30am I think

Thanks Kelly, glad you love it. :D

am thinking of going in for dawn tomorrow morning (getting there for 6 / 6.30), does anyone know if it's floodlit at that time? Would really prefer it not to be...

To be honest, I have no idea. I guess they may turn the lights off at some point through the night if only to save on the leccy bill, but really don't know the answer.
 
Gorgeous Yv...as are the others.
I've not managed to make it down there...nor will I before they begin to dismantle :(
I did manage to secure a poppy before sellout though, so happy with that!
 
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Gorgeous Yv...as are the others.
I've not managed to make it down there...nor will I before they begin to dismantle :(
I did manage to secure a poppy before sellout though, so happy with that!

Thankyou Ruth. Such a shame you can't get down there, it is beautiful but will look forward to a photo of your poppy when it arrives (y)
 
So at 11pm we headed into town. There were a few people around, several photographers with cameras and tripods just like me, yet it was amazing.

Hi Yvonne, really like the picture. Just discussing this with my wife, I'm wondering was the moat path in the park open or did you have to shoot this from up on the main footpath near the road??

David
 
Hi Yvonne, really like the picture. Just discussing this with my wife, I'm wondering was the moat path in the park open or did you have to shoot this from up on the main footpath near the road??

David

Hi David, The moat path was open, you are only separate from the moat itself by railings, which I think is the case during the day and is normal anyway. The only part that seems to be closed at night is the cobbled road down alongside the Thames, as I would love to have got them where they fountain over the road actually into the tower proper, but you simply can't get there at night.

ETA In fact give me 2 mins, I have a photo that shows it better and will give you a clearer idea of where we were

Here you go - basically you can anywhere from the towers gates [middle of frame in background], to along the path by the railing you can see bottom right, all the way back out onto Tower Hill. Not actually in the moat, but close enough to get a proper and appreciative view.

Tower of London Poppies by Yvonne White - WhiteGoldImages, on Flickr
 
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I'm going to have to remember to take my camera Tuesday. I've only taken my compact with me to work. Really do still love this. Just need to find a frame that will do it justice. So pleased that you've passed the £200 mark in donations to the Poppy Appeal for it
 
I'm going to have to remember to take my camera Tuesday. I've only taken my compact with me to work. Really do still love this. Just need to find a frame that will do it justice. So pleased that you've passed the £200 mark in donations to the Poppy Appeal for it

Thanks Kelly, so proud to have raised so much for the charities from a few small prints. Had lots of help from friends on social media of course, like you, they have been awesome. (y)
 
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