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Big Ben Crowned the UK's Most Photographed Building!

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Big Ben Crowned the UK's Most Photographed Building!

Big Ben has been named the UK's most photographed building, with 3.2 million Instagram posts under #bigben, according to a study by Singulart. London dominated the top three spots, with Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace taking second and third, and seven of the top ten buildings located in the capital. Architecture photographer Grégory Herpe also shared tips on how to avoid typical postcard shots by finding new angles and incorporating surrounding elements.

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Michael Thompson

Desk writer

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Der Big Ben Clock Tower thront über der City of London

It turns out people just can't stop snapping pics of Big Ben. The iconic clock tower has just been crowned the most photographed building in the UK—and with its £79.7 million, years-in-the-making makeover finally completed earlier this year, it's not hard to see why it's such a hit.

How Was This Ranking Calculated?

The data comes from a fascinating study by art and design gallery Singulart. They selected Britain's 40 most popular pieces of architecture, then cross-referenced each one with its relevant Instagram hashtags—no questionnaires, no judges, just pure "shutter votes" from social media. The study was designed to help us understand how modern people look at and appreciate the architecture around them.

London Sweeps the Podium

London took the top three spots outright. Tower Bridge (a bridge counts as a building, right?) and Buckingham Palace claimed second and third place respectively, cementing the capital's status as the UK's most photogenic city. As if Londoners didn't already have enough to be smug about.
The numbers are even more convincing: Big Ben racked up 3.2 million posts under #bigben, while Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge followed with 2.6 million and 1.3 million posts respectively. What's more, seven of the top ten spots went to London structures.The Shard, St Paul's Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey also made the list. London is basically treating this ranking as its own personal photo album.

Want a Stunning Shot? Stop Just Looking Up and Pressing the Shutter

If you're feeling left out for not being one of the 3.2 million people with a photo of the giant clock on their phone, don't worry. Architecture photographer Grégory Herpe shared his exclusive tips with Singulart on how to take a truly standout building shot.
He said: "Most photographers simply stand in front of a building and raise the camera upwards. You need to vary the effects."
"This is true no matter what your subject is. Look around you and look for another angle, try to get on a roof on the other side of the street, or shift your position completely by incorporating one or more elements into your composition that will reinforce your image."
"It's not just a matter of standing at the bottom of a building, looking up and taking a picture. I have to look for my point of view and make these lines and volumes the actors of my image."
You heard it from Grégory! To avoid the textbook postcard picture, you've got to get on a roof. Give us a leg up.

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