What London is Known For

Big Ben from the London Eye

ISO: 200, Aperture: 4.5, Shutter Speed: 1/30

When I think of London, I always picture the beautiful Big Ben and the famous London Eye, two icons and must-sees in this spectacular city that happen to only be a stones throw away from one another. Naturally, my family had to experience both on our trip to London (and fufill another bucket list dream).

Big Ben (pictured above), is not even the real name of that tall clock in the London skyline. Only the bell in the clock tower that rings every hour is nicknamed Big Ben. The tower that holds this bell is called the Elizabeth Tower, and the rest of the building is the House of Parliament. Somehow the clock face and the tower that holds it became popularly known as Big Ben. Really the bell that is actually named that can't even be seen from the outside, only heard. So you're hearing Ben, but you're seeing Elizabeth.

If you ever get the chance to visit London, you need to see it from the London Eye. I suggested to my parents that we should ride it at sunset simply to see the city from above under a colorful sky, but I really wanted to go at that time for better lighting in my pictures (you know, at golden hour, or the time right before a sunset or after a sunrise). And I'm happy I did so because that's what created the dramatic lighting of the scene in the image above. Whatever the reason, I think the evening, around sunset, is the best time to enjoy the London Eye. No annoying shadows or blinding sun distracting from the view, and you get to see the lights of the city while there's still enough natural lighting to take in the whole picture.