The Best Photography Hotspots of London

London, the Crown Jewell of England and the United Kingdom. A Capital City steeped in rich fame and history, an iconic centre piece full of attractions and events galore.

In this blog I will be sharing a number of great photography locations found within the City. Each location offers something different from one another, whether that be the environment, mood or general atmosphere and style, London has it all for you to enjoy and explore.

Southbank & Southwark

Depending on where you’re coming from to visit London, especially if you live South of London and Traveling by Train, it’s likely your first port of call will be London Waterloo Station.

Stepping outside the Station and heading for the River Thames, these areas south of the River stretch from just past Westminster Bridge all the way along to Tower Bridge and beyond, and they are full of great spots and opportunities for Photography.

Starting with looking over to Westminster, this famed area of London which hosts Parliament and Big Ben can be seen in all its glory. Instead of taking a standard shot from Riverside level or on Westminster Bridge, look for unique perspectives. For example, from under or behind the Bridge there are numerous framing opportunities to be found. While you’re here, just next door the London Eye also offers fantastic shots, a London Icon wheeling its way round.

Further east along the River, Tate Modern can be located. Not just a fantastic gallery of Art, this famed building also hosts and generates an abundance of abstract and striking photo opportunities. Using the incoming light which forms dramatic contrasts and shadows, these factors can be used to your advantage. I find shooting Black & White photography here is great. Furthermore, entry to the Tate Modern is free, winner winner.

Just outside is Millennium Bridge, looking straight across to St Paul’s. This bridge offers a great balance of direction and leading lines towards the Cathedral. Walk far enough past London Bridge and Borough Market and you’ll come to Tower Bridge. If you actually walk past the Bridge on the same side, just a few steps more along the cobbles and to the left you’ll find a much lesser known viewpoint of Tower Bridge. It offers a great view with the City in the background, and less of the crowds. Talking of Bridges, Blackfriars Bridge is worth a mention too, under here especially after a rainy day, all sorts of reflections and views can be found.

City of London

Moving across north of the River we come to an area known as The City of London. This district is known for its famed historic architecture and financial affairs. Smart, slick and ready for business is the style here. This district covers areas such as Bank, Barbican and St Paul’s Cathedral. Bank offers opportunities for architectural and detailed story shots, all hussle and a bussle with financial workers going about their day.

Barbican is a maze, however I mean this is in a good way. With sets of architecture each way you look, this unique area offers photogenic opportunities galore. With so much to explore, I honestly suggest just walking which way comes and getting lost within this beautiful yet chaotic maze. The contrasts each building and piece of architecture creates provides such great photo opportunities all year round. Once again, using the light and the shadows, these two factors will be your best friends.

Whichever direction you look at St Paul’s Cathedral from, there is a great photo to be found. However, one of my favourite spots in this area is the One New Change shopping Centre. Within the venue, you will find opportunities for abstract and reflective shots galore. Even on darker rainy days, this venue offers incredible lighting and reflective surfaces from every angle possible. There are so many unique perspectives and compositions to choose from, the combination of light and reflections can truly leave you spending hours here wanting to find and shoot more.

Chinatown, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus

These three iconic London spots sit next to each other just north of Trafalgar Square. The main reason why I find this area to be worth visiting is because there is always something going on. And that’s just for the Photography… the Food is a different topic altogether and also a huge plus.

Chinatown is full of colour and enthusiasm, a place that stands out from the crowd. The lanterns, the arches, the atmosphere, take your time with a leisurely walk exploring through here. Pick out a story or two from the crowd, detailed shots here are easy to come by.

Within Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus there are always acts playing or some kind of events going on. My favourite spot here is in front of the giant neon signs and video displays on the corner, almost like a mini Times Square. Line your act up right, and you’ve got yourself a subject with a beautifully lit and intriguing background.

Soho

Although also interesting to visit during the Day, once the night falls Soho is the place to be for night photography lovers. At night Soho becomes filled with neon lights and reflections, and all sorts of interesting characters come out to play. Cinematic scenes aplenty, such a vast array of storytelling and emotions can be captured here. If shooting here at night, I’d recommend using a Lens with the lowest aperture possible, something with a f1.4 or even f1.8 would be ideal.

Obviously quieter on Weekday evenings, just be wary of who you are and where you are shooting as with any kind of area with Bars, the later the evening goes on, the drunker people get. Lately when visiting Soho I’ve noticed an increased Security presence at certain locations favourable for photography telling people to move on. Whether someone overstepped the mark at some stage, who knows, but that would be my guess. Just keep your wits about you and you’ll be more than fine.

Canary Wharf

Heading east along north of the River and reachable by the London Underground by either the Jubilee or newly built Elizabeth Line, Canary Wharf is another favourite area of mine. All modern and slick, this new style of striking architecture really comes into play. Starting with the outlying buildings and skyscrapers themselves, Canary Wharf is a dream for those interested in architectural photography.

Heading inside, and there’s a lot to see(!), firstly I’d suggest heading for a tunnel called the Adams Plaza Bridge. Located just outside the entrance/exit to the Elizabeth Line station, this colourful and wacky tunnel allows you to get creative and let your ideas and photography intuitions flow.

On the other side of Canary Wharf, and inside the Jubilee Line station, here lies a fantastic location outlining a degree of architecture and light. The beautiful open pane windows above allows light to flow through onto the escalators and the Station below. The contrasts of light and shadows this provides is amazing to see.

Of course, London is such a huge area with so much to see, any location within the City is worth photographing, it’s just about the perspectives and opportunities you see. This is why more often than not when I visit London, unless I want to go somewhere out of the way, instead of taking the Underground I’ll walk. By walking you see so much more, and this is where you’ll find these hidden photography spots and come across new places to shoot. In a City like London, photographic opportunities are endless.