The Can of Ham

Black and white photo of 70 St Mary Axe (also known as the Can of Ham)

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Photo details

Location: 70 St Mary Axe, London

Camera: Nikon Z7

Lens: Z 24-70 f/4

The story behind the Can of Ham

This building, informally known as the Can of Ham, is one of the newer additions to the City. Its oval shape is unusual but it’s not that tall, so it’s obscured by the surrounding buildings (including the much more famous 30 St Mary Axe, AKA the Gherkin). That means it’s a building you don’t really notice unless you’re looking straight down Houndsditch or Bevis Marks, and that’s a shame.

The temptation with this one is to stand right in front and shoot straight up. If you do that, you end up with a wall of reflective glass that blends right into the sky, losing what makes the architecture interesting. I much prefer this angle. The shot down Bevis Marks with the Heron Tower in the background is also interesting and there’s good scope for abstracts of the metal ribs down the sides.