Aerial view of central London at sunset, showing the River Thames winding through the city, with iconic buildings like The Shard and Tower Bridge visible under a dramatic, cloud-filled sky.Seeing London’s futuristic side. | Ben Moore

London, one of the great metropolises of the world, has been around since the days of Ancient Rome and continues to change, expand, and shift.

Great photographers have based themselves there, meaning it has been caught on film countless times from many different perspectives.

So when faced with a brief in 2025 to capture the city as it is now, it is a challenge to bring something new.

“I’m trying to share my vision of London. I’ve always loved the look of a cool, urban, cyber-futuristic world, and at times I catch glimpses of that in London,” photographer Ben Moore tells PetaPixel.

“I’m a huge fan of styles like Cyberpunk and Gotham City, and sometimes London gives me that same vibe. That’s the vision I want to capture and portray, because it reflects what I’m drawn to. I want people to see that London can look just as striking and cool when viewed from my perspective.”

Aerial view of London featuring the Gherkin building with its distinctive glass and steel design, surrounded by other modern skyscrapers at sunset.

Aerial view of a densely built city with modern skyscrapers, older buildings, busy streets, and lights starting to illuminate as dusk sets in. The cityscape showcases a mix of architectural styles and urban infrastructure.

Aerial view of a circular garden maze surrounded by dense trees, with winding paths leading to a central open area containing benches, greenery, and a patterned design.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London at dusk, with bright car light trails creating dynamic lines on the street and a cloudy sky overhead.

Moore has just finished his project, a photo book titled Above & Across London. As the name suggests, Moore found high-up vantage spots.

“There were definitely some restrictions, especially with the drone shots,” he explains. “We had to be mindful of local regulations and safety guidelines, so certain areas were off-limits or required special permissions. It meant planning ahead and sometimes adjusting our original ideas, but in the end those limitations pushed us to be more creative with how we captured the scenes.”

Aerial view of London’s Tower Bridge spanning the River Thames, with modern city buildings and the Shard skyscraper rising through the fog in the background.

Aerial view of modern skyscrapers in a city, with some buildings partially obscured by thick fog, creating a dramatic urban scene.

Aerial view of a large football stadium with a green pitch, red and white seats, and an arched roof structure. Surrounding the stadium are parking lots, roads, and nearby buildings.

Aerial view of a large city intersection with two red double-decker buses at the center, surrounded by historic buildings and empty streets.

Moore, who is based in London, says he is drawn to its “moody, urban, and darker side” and set out to capture the angles and atmospheres that often go unnoticed. “It’s not always the version of London people imagine first,” he admits.

“The hardest part was definitely translating what I pictured in my head into something that actually worked on screen, Moore says.

“There were ideas that felt so clear in my head, but once I started creating, it became a challenge to capture the angle that I wanted or the view was off limits. Finding that balance, staying true to the vision while also adapting along the way, was the most difficult, but also the most satisfying when it finally worked out.”

Aerial view of the Gherkin, a distinctive glass skyscraper with a spiral pattern, surrounded by other tall buildings in London’s city center.

Aerial view of London’s Tower Bridge over the River Thames, with boats passing underneath, surrounded by city buildings and a hazy sunset sky in the background.

Nighttime cityscape featuring The Shard skyscraper in London, illuminated and reflecting in the Thames River, surrounded by various city lights and buildings under a dark sky.

The photos in the book span from 2016 to 2024, charting Moore’s career capturing the city. He used Nikon bodies, including the D800, D810, Z7, and Z8. As well as the DJI Mavic Pro, Mavic Pro Platinum, and the Mini 3 Pro.

“As a photographer, you always have to be ready to catch those shifts, whether it’s fog rolling in, snowfall, or the glow of sunrise and sunset. Living in close proximity to London gives me the chance to experience and capture all of that and it’s all here in this book.”

A person wearing a backpack and holding a camera walks on a dark, sandy beach toward the ocean, with waves rolling in under a cloudy sky.Photographer Ben Moore.

Aerial view of London covered in fog at sunrise, with The Shard skyscraper and Tower Bridge emerging above the clouds; "Above & Across London" is written at the top of the image.

“The best thing about photographing London is the variety, it feels like every corner has a different personality,” Moore says when asked what the best and worst things are about documenting the UK capital.

“You can go from historic architecture to modern skylines to urban streets, and they all have such a uniqueness to them.

“The worst thing is probably how restricted the views are and how restricted the access to the buildings is. A lot of London is hidden from the general public because of membership or status, so you don’t always get the shot you had in mind. But in a way, those challenges also make it feel worthwhile when you get a great shot in the end; it adds to its value.”

Above & Across London is published by Trope. It can be purchased here.

Image credits: Photographs by Ben Moore / Above & Across London / Trope