41 dramatic photos of London from Otto Berkeley

Behind the lens

The photographer: 'I fell in love with photography about three years ago, after a friend moved overseas and I promised I’d help her avoid feeling homesick by taking photos of London on my phone. I studied literature and have always been passionate about film and television, which I think have influenced my style of photography because I tend to gravitate towards dramatic lighting and a sense of visual narrative.'


The setup: 'The majority of my images were taken with a Nikon D3200, a Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 G If-ED lens, a set of Cokin ND filters for long exposure shots, a Hama tripod, and a wired cable release. My post-processing usually incorporates Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Nik Colour Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro.'

The work: 'I’m drawn to geometric patterns and a symmetrical composition, but anything with a sense of drama usually grabs my attention. It’s not unusual for me to be out in London in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn, when I find I get the most atmospheric lighting, and it’s also when the magnificence of the architecture and the history of these locations can speak to you. I’ve managed to capture busy landmark locations entirely empty. It can be surreal to be standing at Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus when there’s barely a soul in sight.

'I plan some shoots in advance, taking into consideration the weather, cloud cover and wind speed, but some of my favourite images are the ones I never intended to capture until I was standing in front of them.' 

Love these photos? Find more from Otto on Flickr, Facebook and 500px.