Breathe

Today was a really great day. My plans were to go out to Westminster and St. Paul's, hopefully to get inside to take photos. Unfortunately, upon further research, it costs 12 pounds to get into each, and no photos/filming were allowed. I can, however, go for worship for free, as far as I can tell. I'm definitely taking advantage of that.
I decided to go back to St. Paul's/Millennium Bridge anyway to be sure to cover them from every angle; I was lucky - the weather was AMAZING today. As I started shooting, I realized why yesterday's experience had been so different: I had to hold my breath while in the museum. The lighting was really low there, so I had to use a slower shutter speed, about 1/10 or 1/5; shaking was a huge issue, so I had to learn to hold my breath for extended periods of time before finally getting a clear shot. Today was great - I could breathe freely, knowing that there was enough light to have a faster shutter speed.
This one is perhaps my favorite shot of the day; the sky was so incredibly blue, and the clouds stood out in sharp contrast. These are the front columns of St. Paul's.

I also played a lot with opposites/paradoxes, as you'll see in the next few shots.

Another one of my favorite styles of shooting involves the exact science of lining everything up (I don't do it very much because I either don't have the time or I don't have the patience.) I've never really been one to stop and think specifically about composition before I take the shot, but the more that I shoot, I'm seeing myself waiting for that one last cloud to pass by before catching a clear, perfectly aligned composition.

Another thing I'm having fun with is the exposure of the sky; by extremely underexposing the sky, you make it look so stormy, but the sun will always be perfectly exposed.

And finally, a unique look at the Millennium Bridge from the sandy shore of the Thames.

As I was walking back, I noticed some people on the beach underneath the Millennium. The staircase is hidden to the common passerby, and after missing it the first time, I doubled back; after finding it, I climbed down. I had the unquenchable desire to dip my hand in the River Thames, so I immediately went to the water's edge, carefully dodging the waves and bending down to touch the cool water. I walked back up the shore to find a sandy area to sit; and that's all I did: I sat. It was amazing. I took in everything around me, from the gentle water's sound to the light traffic noise. Maybe, finally, it was beginning to sink in that I'm not at home; I'm not in Florida; I'm not even in the US (Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" doesn't apply anymore). So strange...
After my quiet time on the shore, I headed back towards the staircase to find the first step covered in water. Note to self: the Thames has tides too.
It was a gorgeous day, and I'm sure that there's more where that came from. =)
Tomorrow's plans? I'm not sure yet. It's always an adventure.