by James Balston | Jun 4, 2014 | Architecture, Bars, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Cityscape, Hotels, Restaurants, Spas, Travel
Thanks to overbooking on the part of a certain budget airline, I nearly didn’t make it to Amsterdam, to shoot the wonderful new Waldorf Astoria. Getting there involved a dash from Gatwick to City airport to catch another flight instead. Once there, I had my... 
by James Balston | Apr 23, 2014 | Architecture, Cityscape, Contemporary, Gardens, Landscapes, Leisure, London, Parks, Travel
One of my biggest disappointments of recent years, is not having attended any events at London 2012. For a few weeks that summer, it was as if all else was on hold. The build up had been so long and intense, with all the usual rows and cynicism that are part of our... 
by James Balston | Dec 23, 2013 | Architecture, Cityscape, Travel
Two thousand years ago, a solitary star guided travellers through the desert. Today in the middle east, you’d be hard pressed to see that star among all the twinkling lights of the rapidly growing cities of the region. While in Dubai recently, shooting an... 
by James Balston | Sep 23, 2013 | Antiques, Blog, Homes, Travel
A couple of hours drive from Paris, the Normandy town of Sées, huddles around the twin spires of its ancient cathedral. I was there to shoot an extraordinary house for the Times. The house is a bit of an enigma. While some of it is as old as the nearby cathedral, some... 
by James Balston | Aug 26, 2013 | Architecture, Blog, Contemporary, Travel
Which Architect’s signature style would you recognise, if seeing a random building for the first time? Zaha Hadid’s swooping futurism might be easy enough, as might Frank Gehry’s explosive shape making. The long established Meccano-esque coloured... 
by James Balston | Aug 17, 2013 | Blog, Travel
Off to a wedding today, and I think it might rain. I shouldn’t complain about the weather though, it’s been a marvellous summer for a change. Our annual holiday in Bavaria was no exception with back to back cloudless days and thirty degrees plus. One of...