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London, 2011 to 2014

Four London years in one page: Hampton Court and Buckingham Palace in autumn 2011, the 2012 Olympics up close, a 2013 theatre night, Fashion Weekend 2014.

These are the years London stopped being a day out and started being a habit. An autumn weekend of palaces in 2011, then the summer the Olympics landed on our doorstep, a West End night in the middle of winter, and a February spent watching a catwalk from about four feet away. It's four visits and four completely different cities.

Palaces in the autumn, October 2011

October gave us cold light, short days and almost nobody else in the gardens. We spent one of them at the gates of Buckingham Palace and the rest of the weekend out at Hampton Court.

Inga standing on the red tarmac in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace on a sunny day, the Union Jack flying above the roofline — October 2011, Buckingham Palace with the flag up and the forecourt crowd in session.

Stitched panorama of the long baroque south front of Hampton Court Palace with potted trees along the terrace — October 2011: the baroque front of Hampton Court, stitched from a whole pocketful of frames.

Inga and Dileep standing in front of a round fountain pool in the Great Fountain Garden at Hampton Court Palace — Borrowing a fountain for a portrait in the Great Fountain Garden. The gold gates on the far side approve.

The palace front at Hampton Court under a pink evening sky, with clipped conical yews lining the gravel walk — Closing time light over the gravel walk, yews standing to attention.

Inga standing at the base of a giant cone-clipped yew tree in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, for scale — One of the great yew cones, with Inga for scale. The yews have been winning this size contest since the 1700s.

We liked it enough to come back in August 2015 and do the whole palace properly, wine fountain and all, which is a summer of its own.

Our London 2012 Olympics, August 2012

In August 2012 the Olympics came to our doorstep and we threw ourselves at it: the Olympic Park early in the Games, then a finals weekend of volleyball and basketball.

Dileep in a Union Jack t-shirt on a staircase in the Olympic Park, with the Olympic Stadium, the red Orbit tower and the rings on a pink banner behind — 4 August 2012, flag shirt on, stadium and the Orbit behind. Super Saturday, as it turned out.

Inga with a Team GB lanyard in the Olympic Park, the Olympic Stadium and orange banners soft in the background — Inga in the park with the stadium over her shoulder. The camera queue for this exact shot was Olympic in itself.

Brazilian women's volleyball players in yellow huddling and reaching for the ball courtside at London 2012 — 11 August, the women's volleyball final. Brazil's huddle before the storm.

Brazil's players in yellow celebrating across the court at the London 2012 women's volleyball final, coaches embracing at the side — Match point: Brazil beat the USA for gold and the whole bench piled on.

Japanese volleyball players in navy tracksuits waving flowers with bronze medals around their necks at London 2012 — Japan collecting bronze, flowers up. The medals didn't stop smiling all ceremony.

Brazilian players in yellow jackets showing off gold medals and bouquets after the London 2012 women's volleyball final — Gold for Brazil, phones already out for the podium selfies. Some things are universal.

The flags of the USA, Brazil and Japan hoisted under a red London 2012 banner at the volleyball medal ceremony — Three flags up under the London 2012 banner: Brazil in the middle, USA and Japan either side.

Crowds beneath a pink London 2012 banner and an orange Basketball sign at the arena entrance, a Union Jack draped over one visitor — 12 August, the last day of the Games, following the signs to the basketball.

The scorers' table at the London 2012 basketball, officials with headsets in front of a pink London 2012 branded court — The scorers' bench mid-shift. Everything at these Games came in that same pink, including the paperwork.

Argentina in white and Russia in red contesting a shot under the basket at the London 2012 men's bronze medal basketball game — Argentina against Russia for the men's bronze, our farewell fixture of London 2012.

Singin' in the Rain, February 2013

Dileep in a green coat outside the Palace Theatre at night, under the Singin' in the Rain marquee topped with colourful umbrellas — February 2013 at Cambridge Circus: Singin' in the Rain, with a canopy of umbrellas over the Palace Theatre doing the set design outside.

London Fashion Weekend, February 2014

A year later, almost to the week, we took our seats at London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House, the weekend where the catwalk opens to the rest of us. One camera for the runway, one eye on the front row.

Inga in a black beret and lanyard beside a London Fashion Weekend board at Somerset House, The Catwalk sign in the background — Checked in at Somerset House, lanyard on, The Catwalk signposted behind. February 2014.

Dileep with a lanyard and tote bag in the cobbled courtyard of Somerset House, London Fashion Weekend boards and a sign for the gold and silver tote bag collection around him — Dileep, accredited and armed with the event tote. The signs point to the Gold & Silver Tote Bag Collection; we point to the catwalk.

Inga in a knitted cardigan and blue jeans stepping out of a row of red London telephone boxes in front of black iron railings — En route, a costume change courtesy of the most photographed red boxes in Britain.

A model on the catwalk in a blue and green printed dress with black sleeves and nude heels, a spectator checking her phone at the edge of the runway — First out: blue and green print at walking pace. Front row already multitasking.

A model in a pale pink top with sheer sleeves and dark panels carrying a gold clutch, the photographers' stand visible behind the white catwalk wall — Blush silk and a gold clutch, with the photographers' gantry working overtime behind the wall.

A model in an embellished white short-sleeved jumper and striped pencil skirt walking the white catwalk past a security guard — Embellished knit over stripes. The security detail stays completely unmoved by fashion.

A model in a white pussy-bow blouse and sparkly silver trousers on the catwalk in front of white double doors — A white pussy-bow blouse doing the talking, glitter trousers doing the walking.

A model in a silver v-neck top with a dark green waistband and white trousers with a silver stripe, audience members filming on phones from the front row — Silver on white, and a front row of raised phones. 2014, when everyone had just discovered filming everything.

A model in a monochrome lace top and striped cropped trousers carrying a small blue clutch on the catwalk — Lace, stripes and a cobalt clutch: three patterns, zero hesitation.

A model in a dark sleeveless dress scattered with pink and orange flowers walking past a seated audience — Dark florals for spring. Groundbreaking or not, it earned the phones-up treatment.

A model in sunglasses wearing a red rose print cardigan and mint green trousers, hands in pockets on the catwalk — Roses, mint trousers and indoor sunglasses: catwalk rules are different rules.

A model in a peach floral top and white broderie anglaise skirt with a front split, photographers massed at the end of the runway — Peach florals over broderie anglaise, walking straight into a wall of lenses.

A model in a yellow lace shift dress with a scalloped hem on the catwalk, the venue wifi details printed on the wall beside her — Sunshine yellow lace. The wall behind lists the wifi network LFW2014, password February14: security was more relaxed back then.

Close-up of a model in aviator sunglasses wearing a black and red raglan tee with a large crystal and flower necklace — Sportswear tee, cocktail jewels. The necklace got its own close-up.

A model in sunglasses wearing a turquoise leather jacket over an orange top with grey jogger trousers and black heels on the catwalk — Turquoise leather over orange, joggers with heels. A 2014 forecast that mostly came true.

Close-up of a model in gradient aviator sunglasses, a bright turquoise leather jacket open over an orange shirt — The same look up close, all zips and aviators.

A model in a sleeveless coral dress with a wide black waist belt and white heels, audience members seated along the runway — Closing note: coral, belted, unbothered. We left convinced we understood fashion. It wore off by the Tube.

Fashion Weekend closes this chapter, and the year that followed turned into the busiest London year we've ever had. Carry on into London, summer 2015. If you'd rather start at the beginning, the oldest frames sit in London, 2005 to 2007.