Best photography spots in London. London is a city that has a little bit of everything. From hidden local spots to world-renowned iconic sights, there is an endless amount of photography opportunities to choose from.
Exploring the city yourself can be a massive task to tackle especially if you’re trying not to miss some of the best shots the city has to offer. This guide goes over the best photography spots in London and helps you pick out some of the coolest places in the city to practice your art. Check out these places to stay at a discounted rate!
THE GEAR
The gear we recommend is a good camera and the holy trinity. A wide-angle lens. 14-24mm or something similar. A 24-70mm or something similar and, of course, a 70-200mm or something similar.
If you do not have these particular lenses, do not worry; something similar will be just fine. It would be best if you also had a tripod.
Best Photography Spots in London
1. Big Ben
This clock tower is one of the must-see pieces of architecture in the city which is convenient because it can be photographed from lots of different locations in the city. Try scouting out photo opportunities from the various streets, bridges, or even the river.
2. The London Eye
The London Eye is a ginormous Ferris wheel in the city that offers a fun time and stunning views. Head up on the ride to capture great bird’s eye views of London or capture the Ferris wheel from a distance.
3. St. Paul’s Cathedral
St. Paul’s Cathedral is a beautiful sight of the city with its domed top and intricate architecture. Circle around the area to find the perfect photograph for you. Popular choices include from Millenium Bridge or from the all-glass office buildings.
4. Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is the home of the Queen and while not all of it is accessible to the public, there are plenty of notable scenes around the palace. Look for the gold gates outside the residence and stay for the changing of the guards and capture some of the country’s oldest traditions.
5. St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
This hotel is a few minutes walk from St. Paul’s Station and it has an incredibly designed interior that will leave you in awe. The staircase is what is photographed most often and is a colorful and busy floral print that looks gorgeous against the bright red and gold wallpaper.
6. Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge offers stunning shots from any angle. Stand up on the bridge for some cool motion shots or get a good distance away and capture the bridge with other sculptures, people, and cars in the picture.
7. Houses of Parliament
This line of houses along the river is one of the most popular places in the city to photograph. The Houses of Parliament can be photographed from many different perspectives and look great at sunset as the light disappears behind the building.
8. Abbey Road
This famous road was the backdrop for one of the Beatles’ albums and is now visited by fans from all over the world in order to recreate the cover. This set of white paint blocks will bring a special light to your photo.
9. Notting Hill and Portobello Road
Notting Hill has cute boutiques and colorful houses lining its streets. This rainbow row of houses look beautiful in any picture, just be mindful as these are people’s actual homes!
Best Photography Spots in London
10. The Churchill Arms
One of many famous and well-decorated pubs in the country, The Churchill Arms will be easy to find sitting on a street corner. This decked out pub has flowers and British flags covering the entire building and makes for a festive set of photos.
11. Canary Wharf
The best place to photograph Canary Wharf is from across the water on the Isle of Dogs. This is a great place to photograph the towering skyscrapers across the basin and the buildings look magnificent reflected in the water.
12. London Double Decker Buses
Double-decker buses are commonly seen around the city, ferrying tourists and city travelers alike. These moving icons can be spotted driving all over the city and there are lots of different ways to frame them in a shot.
13. Kews Garden
This is a botanical garden that not only has diverse plants but also beautifully intricate architecture. There is an indoor rainforest, winding white staircase, and plenty of art galleries and installations to explore.
14. Telephone Booths
London telephone booths are iconic and these red staples of London are recognizable by all and, luckily, found in many different locations around the city. This gives photographers a great opportunity to experiment with diverse and interesting backgrounds and perspectives.
15. Platform 9 ¾
Located at King’s Cross Train Station, this platform was made popular by the Harry Potter series. While the actual platform doesn’t pick up any travelers and you can’t walk through the wall and board the Hogwarts Express, there’s a fun plague and a trolley disappearing into the wall to capture.
16. The British Museum
The British Museum houses a permanent collection of over two million years of human culture and history. The building has massive columns around the outside and a beautiful interior that has a stunning glass roof in the Great Court.
17. City of London
London isn’t just cobblestone streets and reminders of Old England. It’s a modern city with impressive architecture that creates beautiful skylines. You’ll want to get up somewhere high yourself to get a good shot of everything.
18. The Shard
The Shard is a stunning architectural skyscraper in the city. Not only is it magnificent to photograph from a distance, taking the ride all the way up to the top of the building allows you a great view of the city.
19. The Tube
London’s underground fills a daily need for commuters and travelers. There’s plenty going on here on a daily basis from capturing the ordinary to coming across something remarkable.
20. The Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum has stunning architecture and interesting exhibits to browse in between. Go to the main hall first to admire the arches that travel along with the ceiling and the intricate details in the walls. A nice plus is that this is a free museum!
21. London Pubs
There is not a lack of pubs when it comes to life in London. These places boast of good food, great company, and fun times. Hit up well-known pubs around the city or go exploring on your own to find a hidden gem.
22. Shoreditch
Shoreditch is a good neighborhood to go to if you’re looking for some bright and colorful works of art by local artists. This area is known for its many graffiti walls and is located at the East End of the city.
23. Leadenhall Market
This closed market is actually a handful of streets that all converge in one place. There are plenty of entrances to the market and the best spot to photograph here would be at the very center. Try to visit on a weekend since most of the crowd comes from weekday workers.
24. Royal Courts of Justice
The Royal Courts of Justice are one of the largest courts in all of Europe and, surprisingly, offer photographs a calm and secluded place to photograph. This is a place that most people wouldn’t think to stop but its Victorian Gothic Style buildings offer some of the coolest pictures.
25. Hyde Park
Originally created as a private hunting ground by Henry VII, Hyde Park is now a public park that is open to visitors from all around. There are endless fountains, flowers, and interesting buildings throughout the park to photograph.
These are the Best Photography Spots in London
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