What are the best photographic locations in London

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Hi there, intrested to know what are the best hidden gems in London to photograph!
Want to take some friends to special places in london and not the obvious ones - tower bridge etc.

Thanks very much :thankyou::thumbs:
 
Might be worth having a browse around in flickr to see what photos you like and hopefully some will have enought detail/gps tags so you can figure out where to go.
 
How about the markets? Spitalfields, Borough, Columbia Road, etc. Lots of lovely colour and characters swanning about, even when the weather's crap :thumbs:
 
I like Southbank, plenty to see around there. Spitalfields/Brick Lane etc is also a great spot. Maybe try Hampstead Heath if you want somewhere green with a view of London.....
 
The southbank for me - always something going on. We tend to get off at charring cross, cross the footbridge and walk down to borough market.

You've the book market, the graffitti and skaters, tunnels and buskers, sometimes something going on outside the tv studios, the globe plus tourists, oh lots and lots of stuff.

Then there's Southwark cathedral, borough market, the thames, OXO gallery for inspiration.
 
To be honest, it's probably a toss-up between my glorious visage and St Paul's cathedral, but as stated in this thread - on the South bank there's always something going on, and it's almost as pictureskew as me. Walking along the SB will enable you to enjoy and shoot some of the most striking deco buildings this side of the Atlantic, meanwhile Butler's Wharf is particularly fine, and it's worth just taking a couple of hours wandering all about there - Vauxhall to London Bridge should sort you out.

Also, of the markets Spitalfields should yield some good shots, but generally any will.

Going out east on the DLR will get you into Canary Wharf and Canada Waters territory, which are good for "futuristic" urban shots, while I find that around King's Cross and its environs there's a lot to be had for industrial decay.
 
As said, the City\Square Mile\Spitalfields areas are good (I have some threads on here somewhere covering these places.)

I'd also recommend the Barbican and Smithfields areas - lots of stuff around there.

If you are visiting during weekdays, just be aware there can be lots of security staff telling you to stop snapping as some of the areas mentioned above are private estates.
 
Camden Market is always good, but also down into little venice is something I stumbled across by chance. Some really nice photos to be had there too.
 
hampton court
richmond park
bunhill fields cemetery
greenwich
hanger lane gyratory system...:D
 
Nifkin said:
How about the markets? Spitalfields, Borough, Columbia Road, etc. Lots of lovely colour and characters swanning about, even when the weather's crap :thumbs:
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Don't forget Broadway market on a Saturday, some nice food stalls there and a few interesting characters. Columbia Road is great though, then Brick Lane into Spittalfields and the City. A walk I do regularly!
 
Byker28i said:
Bit hard with a tripod:D London eye would be the same ;)



Note: Canary wharf and London eye are a little touchy on photographers
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Looks like this thread is long dead - but I'll ask anyway :D

What sort of problems have people had with photographing the London Eye - as I've been there a couple of times recently with tripod etc and nothing has been said?
I've read all about the Canary Wharf restrictions mind you!!
 
Regents Park, Brick Lane, Hampton Court, Kew Gardens, Oxford Street/Carnaby Street just to suggest a few. Varieties of older buildings in London look wonderful.

EDIT ➝ Oops only read the original post & a few answers without noting the date & the last post as I'm on la iPhone atm! Sorry.
 
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Get on a bus.. get off and double-back when you see something interesting.
 
Soho and Covent Garden are good for street photography. Bloomsbury is also nice for street photography as there are a number of old fashioned looking streets, especially around the British Museum. And speaking of the British Museum, just behind it is one of the most unknown yet incredibly iconic art deco buildings in London - Senate House, which not only inspired George Orwell's description of the headquarters of the Ministry of Truth in Nineteen Eighty-Four, but also served as the location for it in the film adaptation.


Ministry of Truth by onona, on Flickr
 
James Thomas 75 said:
What sort of problems have people had with photographing the London Eye - as I've been there a couple of times recently with tripod etc and nothing has been said?
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Yeah I also thought that was odd, as I've been on the London Eye twice, had my camera both times and didn't have any issues. In fact, most people who go on the Eye are probably tourists so almost everyone has a camera. The entire Southbank stretch is great for photography although you invariably end up with other photographers in your shots.
 
The London eye does not allow tripods, that is all. You see a stack of them as you get on.
 
Dale_d3100 said:
The London eye does not allow tripods, that is all. You see a stack of them as you get on.
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onona said:
Oooooh, I didn't know that. I wonder what their reasoning for that is? :/
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When people are on the London Eye, they have views on all sides and they tend to wander around the capsule to look out in different directions. I think it's common courtesy not to obstruct them by sticking a tripod in the way.
 
london is a big place
i suggest a 'theme'
and a rover bus pass
check out wembly stadium and little britain if it is still there
cheers
geof
 
You could start at Covent garden, watch the street performances at the big church end, then walk back passed Covent garden Tube Station to Long Acre and on that corner ask where Neil's Yards entrance is? its diagonally in front and at your left. ...your friends will go wow! then go out the other side of the yard to Shelton Street, then Earlham or Mercer Street to The Crown cross roads nearby, (star shaped junction on the map) which is a great place to sit and people watch from the middle islands steps if the suns out.
Then move down Mercer Street from the Crown, cross Shaftesbury Road into mercer street again and you'll walk straight on into a The Phoenix Garden, its very quiet here, hidden away from tourists, there is a gate at each end and we're welcome to wander through, sit and enjoy it... head south west from the garden will take you through China Town and onto Leicester Square or Trafalgar Square. :thumbs:

wish I was going now I've said all that...
 
I would suggest Whitechapel/Shoreditch, very different to central London, some great contrasts and cultures.
 
StewartR said:
When people are on the London Eye, they have views on all sides and they tend to wander around the capsule to look out in different directions. I think it's common courtesy not to obstruct them by sticking a tripod in the way.
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From personal experience, It's usually more an issue with security jumping on you if you have a tripod anywhere near the Eye, rather than on board.
 
If weather starts playing around go the museum route, British Museum and Natural History and Tate Gallery (check the balcony on the cafe floor) are great for pictures. And go to

london2012.com/festival

And check what is going on the day, lots of interesting stuff happening this summer.
 
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