When most of the crowds had dispersed by a late afternoon in winter, I wandered through the centre of Oxford enjoying watching the sunlight trail its fingertips over some of the buildings, gilding their already warmly coloured limestone walls. At such times, I often find myself stalking the Radcliffe Camera building, which seems particularly effective at catching the sun and draping it over one side or the other.
In this particular composition, the Radcliffe was lit dramatically from the west and, from the angle I chose, is glimpsed teasingly beyond the shaded building that is the corner of Brasenose College. Visible beyond is the part of the white, Catte Street side of All Souls College, cut off by the high boundary wall of Exeter College on the left. Not only is the Radcliffe a signature of Oxford, but so also are the ever-present bicycles. Here they form a guard of honour leading up to this hub of academic life.