Favourite Spots in London?

[Maxapple88]

Hi, I've moved to London a couple of months ago and am basically still randomly wandering about. Does anyone have favourite spots to shoot, especially now that spring and summer are coming up?

I quite enjoyed the galleries and museums, in most they're against taking pictures quite strictly though.

Please share your spots.

Cheers,
Max

 

[peterm1]

Wander down to the Inns of Court. More or less between Bloomsbury and the Thames embankment. There are 4 Inns (for this purpose, think of them as areas containing buildings where Barristers have their offices - or chambers as they like to call them) and its interesting to photograph the old buildings, gas lit lanterns in the court yards and Barristers in wigs and gowns going about their business. Rather like stepping back into Dickens's time. There is also a nice park there in the inner temple/ middle temple area (notionally for Barristers only but I have not been challenged on the couple of times I have been there) as well as the area known as Lincoln Inn fields further up. Then its an even more nice walk back along the embankment with lots of photo ops along the way. Also a must for any "Rumpole of the Baily" fan. You can research it and get a map on the internet. Best of all while in the Inns of court - you will be almost guaranteed to be about the only tourist / photographer (if I can call you that) there. Its one of London's little secrets.

I found a good way to find other locations was to attend one of the many walking tours. Just hop on the appropriate tube, get off at the right station arriving in time for the tour's departure, pay your 20 quid or whatever and off you go with a guide. It gave me a chance to check out some personally interesting parts of the old Jewish east end (not that much of THAT is left these days after Hitler had his way with it and bombed it into brickdust) but the thought occurs that its not a bad way to reconnoiter unexplored areas for the purpose of photography. Although I would advise coming back at another time on your own or with a like minded soul for photos, if like me you like to take your time setting the shots up and exploring angles.

 

[maggieo]

I love Southwark. Lots of life there, especially around Borough Market and along the river.

There are some shots from London in this set.

More in my Flickr Sets.

 

[northpole]

Two or three Saturdays back, myself and a couple of friends walked along the Thames from Victoria along past Tate Modern and London Eye eventually crossing over past the Tower of London.

All sounds very twee but for candid portraits/ architecture it's an amazing experience. I couldn't believe the numbers of people out and about in the sun. We came back to Victoria via Downing Street and St James' Park which in itself was jam packed full of birds (of the winged variety!).

The neat thing about that route was that you could trip out of it at any point if the weather turned bad/ tired/ bored but we persevered from about 12 - 5 pm.

Peter

 

[john neal]

It probably sounds a cliche, but Speakers Corner would be good in spring sumlight on a Sunday. Also look out for any of the street markets - Paetticoat Lane, Camden, etc - good for people shots.

Greenwich park is good for lots of different shots, and i would have said Cutty Sark, but I don't think there is much to see after the fire last year.

Would also second the walk posted by northpole.

 

[Jonathan R]

Depends what you want to achieve. Personally I would abandon the centre to the tourists and concentrate either on the suburbs where people live and where cultural variety is so evident, or on the little corners everywhere where work is done outside of offices. There's a fascinating study to be done of the businesses run in the spaces under railway bridges, or left cut off by flyovers (actually I think someone did a book that partly covered the latter, but not the former). You could seek out the graffiti artists, or the boxing clubs, or the pizza couriers, or the taxi drivers, or the bus depots, or religious dignitaries... London life has endless layers and quirky corners. But if you look for places famous for once having known life, all you'll find is grimy stains.

 

[Jonathan R]

By the way, you seem to do very nicely 'just wandering about' - some great shots in your Flickr collection. I especially liked 'Insider', but there were many others on quite different lines that caught my eye. I would encourage you to keep on wandering about, look out for emerging themes in your work, and pursue them when they appear.

 

[peterm1]

I just had a further thought. Places like markets and festivals always produce a lot of people, movement and activity, all good for photography. You might wish to try some of London's famous markets like Bermondsey, Portobello, Covent Gardens. Big list of them, here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_markets

Also isn't there a big multicultural festival / parade every year in Notting Hill?

 

[Bobfrance]

The Sausage & Mash Cafe in Islington is work a look. Not much to shoot but the food is ace. 😀

Once fully fuelled you could check out Brick Lane and Camden for the markets (although I'm not sure about Camden since the fire). If you like shooting characters you can't go wrong in these locations.

I thid the Thames walk too.

I do think one of the best things about London is wandering with your camera. There's always something of interest wherever you go.

Bob.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I'd head out to an airport, and also to somewhere odd such a Croydon or Lakeside, and somewhere with tacky and chic side by side: Soho. That just my first three ideas.

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

I like very mutch the East End, Southwark and Fleet Street.
Ciao.

 

[kully]

Be careful in [/i]those[/i] bits of Soho, I got harangued and spat at by a couple of 'ladies' working there for taking a photo/light reading in her general direction, I stopped arguing when they called a very large man from a doorway...

These are good suggestions, I barely know London even though I only live 30mins by train from the centre.

 

[Dfin]

Brixton market used to be good, try Crystal Palace Park or Sydenham Wells Park, the Horniman Gardens and museum,Dulwich Park, all tucked away in south London.SWMBO used to work in a pub in east Dulwich,(great pint o` guinness) trouble is I can`t remember its name, one to many pints me thinks!!

 

[Andrew Sowerby]

A day trip to Brighton is always fun. The seafront and pier are well-photographed but I still like it down there. The North Lanes are fun and Hove has more of a "people actually like here" feeling. You can also walk (or take a city bus) east along the coast to Rottingdean, which is a nice village.

As for London, I don't really have anything to add. Camden market is entertaining if you want to see young folks dressed wackily, but I don't know how extensive the fire damage is. Of course, there are plenty of great parks in London. Hampstead Heath might be worth the trip.

 

[zuikologist]

Two or three Saturdays back, myself and a couple of friends walked along the Thames from Victoria along past Tate Modern and London Eye eventually crossing over past the Tower of London.

All sounds very twee but for candid portraits/ architecture it's an amazing experience. I couldn't believe the numbers of people out and about in the sun. We came back to Victoria via Downing Street and St James' Park which in itself was jam packed full of birds (of the winged variety!).

The neat thing about that route was that you could trip out of it at any point if the weather turned bad/ tired/ bored but we persevered from about 12 - 5 pm.

Peter

I can recommend this area too. The light off the river in good weather is excellent.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Try these:

Hyde Park when the Royal Horse Artillery do their 21 gun salute for the Queen's birthday etc. Last time I went there were fewer than fifty people to see this spectacle. The London Tourist Board will have dates and times.

The Barbican for the architecture, cityscapes, office workers and so on.

The new St Pancras International rail station.

The wall around the Olympics site.

Foreign tourists doing goofy stuff wherever foreign tourists gather. Maybe photograph them posing for photos at Horseguards Parade.

The central courtyard at the British Museum.

The foot tunnel between Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs.

Savoy Hotel, hopefully with a Rolls-Royce outside and a minimum wage person sweeping the street.

Window displays at Selfridges etc.

 

[Maxapple88]

Great advice everyone, thanks a lot. As mentioned earlier, wandering is probably not such a bad idea all together. I'm just looking for general places to wander in.

Oh an by the way, I've just come back from Greenwich market and found a stall with lots of old and interesting photo stuff. Can anyone recommend markets for rummaging through boxes of old lenses and cameras? Apparently theres some rare jewels to be found sometimes.

 

[zuikologist]

Great advice everyone, thanks a lot. As mentioned earlier, wandering is probably not such a bad idea all together. I'm just looking for general places to wander in.

Oh an by the way, I've just come back from Greenwich market and found a stall with lots of old and interesting photo stuff. Can anyone recommend markets for rummaging through boxes of old lenses and cameras? Apparently theres some rare jewels to be found sometimes.

Now you'll have to tell about the stall in Greenwich!

Gray's in Victoria is great for looking at Nikon stuff - just don't buy anything.

many charity shops have one or two items - mainly p&s or plastic stuff, but you might find the odd interesing thing.

 

[Silva Lining]

More intersting stuff :

Pelicans in St James Park
London Eye from Horseguards Parade
Barbican Centre for interesting 'architecture'
Hampton Court Palace (40 mins in train from Waterloo )

Views and vistas
Alexandra Palace
Greenwich Park
Parliement Hill
Richmond Hill (A bit further out but famous view and story from King Henry VII's mount)
From the Cupola of St Pauls Cathedral

Also take a tourist boat from Embankment to Greenwich - for a different view on the city.

You can also, with the right tides walk along the foreshore from Embankment to Tate Modern - A very different view and fell to London from there.

 

[robster180]

i'll second Brick Lane and suggest Leadenhall market and Smithfield market, but for a taste of something real, try Ridley Road market - the one that inspired the Soap opera Eastenders