Bird’s Eye London, the first title from Graffeg photographic imprint Bird Eye Books, showcases stunning aerial images by photographer, Paul Campbell.

More than 150 photographs give the viewer a totally fresh perspective on some of London’s most famous landmarks, as well as giving us an insight into corners of the capital that are hidden from the usual street level view – such as the Rooftop Secrets section.

The book is separated into chapters that document the city’s iconic attractions and architectural landmarks.

For example, Royal London features not only Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court, but the Royal Chelsea Hospital and the Tower of London. A City within the City captures Smithfield Meat Market, the Bank of England and Exchange Square, while other chapters feature landmarks such as Charing Cross station, The Oval, Tooting Bec Lido, and the famous Thames barges – some 10,000 people live on London’s
waterways.

Other subjects to receive this spectacular aerial treatment include parks, national museums and galleries, cathedrals and places of worship, the bridges spanning the busy waters of the Thames, railway stations, elite sporting venues, and the striking modern designs of The Shard and other more recent additions that constantly alter the London skyline, such as The Pinnacle, now the tallest building in the City of London.

“I have always been mesmerised by the landscapes as a passenger flying into London from the east which takes you over the capital and finally on to Heathrow,” says Paul Campbell. “The book for me was a labour of love, and I felt privileged to see so much of the capital from this angle – a view most people only see fleetingly, if at all. It was a fascinating process, as everything that is familiar from the ground takes on a new persona from the air.”

The book took five years to shoot, and during the course of those years, Campbell frequently had to deal with air sickness, which is something akin to sea sickness. The fumes from the plane were another factor to contend with.
Campbell also chose to use a helicopter for his photo shoots, rather than use a drone. He points out that drones have a height limit of 400 feet, and The Shard stands at 900 feet! Also, despite technological advances, a drone cannot yet compete with a top-of-the-range camera manned by a top-of-the-range photographer.