London Photography & Travel Guide: Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, and the Best Photo Spots
London does not seduce you the way Paris does. Paris leans in with a whisper and a glass of wine. London stands there, enormous and unapologetic, and dares you to keep up.
Centuries of history stacked on top of each other, a dozen cultures living in the same square mile, medieval churches casting shadows on glass towers, and enough energy moving through the streets at any hour of the day or night to power the whole of Europe.
I came to London as a child and honestly did not think much of it. Too grey, too crowded, too busy being itself to notice whether I was enjoying myself. Then I came back in 2017 with a camera, and everything changed.
That is the thing about photography: it teaches you to see. When you carry a camera through London, the city stops being a blur of red buses and tourist queues and becomes something else entirely. You start noticing the way the morning light catches the stone face of St. Paul's at 7am. You find yourself stopping in the middle of a Chelsea side street because a doorway has been painted exactly the right shade of blue. You wake up early to walk through Hyde Park before the world arrives, and you stand at the edge of the Serpentine in the mist and understand, for the first time, why Turner spent his whole life painting this city's light.
Millennium Bridge
Twelve visits later, I am still not done with it.
London is extraordinary for photographers because the subjects are inexhaustible — Tower Bridge at blue hour, the Victorian iron roof of Borough Market on a weekday morning, the murals of Shoreditch that change season to season, the hidden staircases in department stores and gallery wings that most people walk right past. But London does not belong only to photographers. It belongs to anyone who loves great food, extraordinary museums, the feeling of a city fully alive in every neighborhood and at every hour. It belongs to history lovers who want to stand in a room where something genuinely changed the world. It belongs to people who want to sit at a pub on a rainy evening with a proper pint and a pie and feel, just for a moment, like a local.
The food alone will rewrite what you think you know about British cooking. The museums — free, all of them — are among the finest on earth. The parks, which cover nearly a fifth of central London, are the city's best-kept secret. And the neighborhoods, from the Moroccan spice stalls of Brixton to the Georgian crescents of Notting Hill to the City's glass-and-steel skyline, feel less like parts of one city and more like a collection of great cities that happen to share a river.
The Royal Guard in Hyde Park
Go in the spring if you can. The light in April and May is soft and warm, the parks are in full color, and the city is doing its best to charm you. Go in December if you want something different — the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Carnaby Street turn the whole of central London into something that looks like it was designed specifically to be photographed.
However you go, go hungry and go curious. London will do the rest.
In this guide, I will walk you through the best photography locations, my favorite hotels, the restaurants I keep coming back to, and the hidden spots that most visitors never find. Whether you are traveling with a camera or just your phone, whether this is your first visit or your tenth, there is always something new in London.
Best Time To Visit
For photography and comfort, spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are golden. Expect moody skies, soft lighting, and manageable crowds. Winter offers dreamy fog and festive lights, especially around Christmas. Summer brings long golden hours but also the biggest crowds.
Notable events for photographers:
Notting Hill Carnival (August) — color, culture, and extraordinary energy
Chelsea Flower Show (May) — floral artistry, world-class gardens, and perfect portrait backdrops
Christmas in London (late Nov–Dec) — twinkling lights from Oxford Street to Kew Gardens
Where to Stay?
London is a city of neighborhoods, and where you stay shapes everything about how you experience it. For photographers, the three strongest bases are Knightsbridge/Chelsea (closest to Hyde Park and the Royal Parks), the South Bank/Bankside area (walking distance to Tower Bridge, Borough Market, and the Tate Modern), and Shoreditch (for the East End, street art, and Brick Lane). For those who want the most central position, Covent Garden or Bloomsbury puts you in the middle of everything.
South Bank / Westminster — For Classic London Views Right in the heart of historic London, near Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, and the Thames. Incredibly photogenic, walkable, and well-connected. Best for first-time visitors, photographers chasing skyline shots, and couples. Nearby stations: Waterloo, Westminster.
Shoreditch / East London — For Creative Vibes and Street Photography, London's edgy, artsy side. Vibrant street art, independent cafes, fashion-forward crowds, and some of the city's best food markets. A magnet for photographers interested in urban texture and visual storytelling. Nearby stations: Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street.
Covent Garden / Soho / Bloomsbury — For Central Convenience Within walking distance of the West End theaters, museums, shops, and restaurants. Day or night, you are close to everything. Nearby stations: Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road.
The Doorman at the Mandarin (Gregory and Robert)
Luxury Hotel Options
Let’s dive into some recommendations -if you like a more upscale hotel, here are a few recommendations:
The Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge
The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel 75 Sloane Street, Chelsea | Forbes Five-Star | Michelin Two Key | 2025 Europe 100 Luxury Hotels
This is my favorite hotel in London, and I have stayed here enough times to say that with conviction. The Cadogan sits on the curve of Sloane Street between Chelsea and Knightsbridge — five minutes from Sloane Square, ten from Harrods, fifteen from Hyde Park. The position is exceptional, but the building is the real story.
Oscar Wilde was once arrested here. The hotel was built by the Cadogan family in the late 19th century, and its reimagination by Belmond preserved that history in every detail: the sparkling mosaic floors, the oak bars, the lead mirrors and chandeliers, a hand-lathed wooden staircase that has been here since Victoria's time, and a crystal-encrusted peacock named Oscar in the lobby. The private garden behind the hotel is a rarity in central London and one of the most peaceful spaces in Chelsea.
The restaurant Willet's earned a Michelin Key designation. The concierge team is quietly brilliant, the kind of staff who anticipate what you need before you ask. The afternoon tea is among the most refined in Chelsea. For photographers, the position for Hyde Park, the Royal Parks circuit, and the Knightsbridge neighborhood is excellent. Wake up early, and you can be at the Serpentine in morning mist before the city has started its day.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London 66 Knightsbridge | 2025 Global 100 Luxury Hotels
The Mandarin Oriental occupies one of the most dramatic positions of any hotel in London: directly on Knightsbridge, facing Hyde Park, with one of the most exuberantly Victorian facades in the city. The interiors were redesigned by Joyce Wang in a reimagination that preserved the heritage and replaced everything that had grown tired. The result is a hotel that feels simultaneously 1889 and entirely contemporary.
The rooms facing the park are among the finest in London. The spa has a 25-meter pool surrounded by lights that reflect off the water and ceiling like a night sky. The dining is the headline: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal holds two Michelin stars, with a menu built from historical British recipes researched in the British Library archives. Every dish carries a date from culinary history. The Meat Fruit, a chicken liver mousse sculpted and glazed to look exactly like a mandarin orange, is one of the most famous dishes in London. The doormen Gregory and Robert out front are exactly what you hope a Knightsbridge hotel doorman will be.
Shangri-La at The Shard 31 St Thomas Street, London Bridge | Floors 34–52 of Renzo Piano's glass pyramid
For photographers who want to sleep inside London's most dramatic view, the Shangri-La is the only answer. The hotel occupies floors 34 through 52 of The Shard, with rooms and suites facing Tower Bridge, the City, and the Thames in every direction. The Sky Pool at 182 meters above the city is the highest swimming pool in Western Europe. Floating in it on a clear day is one of the most vertiginous and memorable experiences in London.
For photography, the morning room views are extraordinary — Tower Bridge below, the Thames curving toward the City, the Docklands beyond. Book the rooms facing Tower Bridge, and you have the best Tower Bridge view of any hotel in the city.
The Corinthia London Whitehall Place, near Embankment
Housed in a converted Victorian government building near the Embankment, minutes from the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, and the Thames Path, the Corinthia is one of the grandest hotel interiors in central London. The lobby, with its crystal chandeliers and Italian marble floors, is a photography subject in itself. The Espa Life spa covers four floors and is among the finest in the city. The Northall restaurant focuses on exceptional British produce and seasonal cooking.
For photographers, the Embankment position gives you rapid access to the Thames, the South Bank, the Houses of Parliament, and the West End in every direction.
The Berkeley, Knightsbridge Wilton Place, Knightsbridge
A smaller, more intimate property in Knightsbridge with a rooftop pool, the celebrated Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea (the menu changes seasonally around current fashion collections — the cakes are made to look like Chanel shoes and Burberry bags), and the remarkable Cédric Grolet pastry shop on the ground floor. Grolet's original Paris location has queues longer than an hour for a single croissant; the Berkeley outpost is more accessible but equally extraordinary. Come for a morning pastry before heading out with your camera.
Four Seasons London at Park Lane Hamilton Place, Park Lane
A Forbes Five-Star on Park Lane with Hyde Park within easy walking distance, exceptional service, and reliable luxury that makes it a consistent choice for photographers who want to be close to the Royal Parks circuit without the more intimate boutique experience of the Cadogan or Berkeley.
The View from the rooms in the Shangri-La in the Shard
Mid-Level Hotels
All of these hotels are in excellent locations and have excellent prices.
The Hoxton, Holborn — Design-forward with excellent position near the City, Covent Garden, and Shoreditch. The rooftop bar has one of the better views in this price range. A great home base for photographers covering both East and West London.
citizenM London Bankside — Directly on the South Bank, steps from the Tate Modern and Borough Market. Compact, stylish rooms and extraordinary value for the location. If Tower Bridge, Borough Market, and the South Bank are your priorities, this is the most efficient base in London.
The Waldorf Hilton — Edwardian grande dame on the Aldwych, beautifully restored, with excellent central position for the West End, the South Bank, and Covent Garden.
Getting Around the City
London's public transport is among the best in the world. The Tube (Underground), buses, and the Elizabeth line (Crossrail) make getting anywhere fast and efficient. Use a contactless bank card or Apple/Google Pay directly on the barriers — no need to buy an Oyster card anymore.
Black taxis (Hackney carriages) are excellent for longer distances and you can hail them anywhere. The FreeNow and Gett apps work well for pre-booking London black cabs, which I love riding in. Uber and Bolt both operate. Santander Cycles are available citywide for short trips and are excellent around the Royal Parks.
One of my favorite sunset locations
How many days in London?
To do London justice with your camera and still have time for scones, plan for four to five days minimum. That gives you space to explore different neighborhoods, catch the city in varying light, and squeeze in a photo walk or two. Greenwich and Richmond are both within 30 minutes and worth a half-day each. A full week is even better.
Restaurants, Cafes, & Bakeries
London's restaurant scene underwent one of the most remarkable transformations of any city in Europe over the past twenty years. The city that once had a reputation for terrible food now has more Michelin-starred restaurants than almost anywhere outside Paris and Tokyo. But London's greatest strength is not the top tier alone — it is the extraordinary breadth. The best markets, the most interesting street food, and some of the finest casual cooking in Europe sit alongside world-class fine dining, often within a short walk of each other.
At LaLee in the Cadogan Hotel
Compared to Paris, Rome, and other European culinary destinations, the London food scene hasn’t always had a stellar reputation. However, over the last decade, the city has seen a dramatic shift from unremarkable restaurants to a huge selection of delicious options.
You will definitely not leave London hungry! In fact, there are more than 60 Michelin Star restaurants in the city. However, you do not need to go to expensive restaurants to eat well. There are literally so many great, wonderful, inexpensive restaurants as well. From my short list below, the ones I would highly recommend are Ottolengi, Zuma, and the River Cafe.
Ottolenghi and NOPI
Multiple locations for Ottolenghi; NOPI at 21–22 Warwick Street, Soho
Yotam Ottolenghi's influence on how London eats is difficult to overstate. His delis, scattered across Islington, Notting Hill, and Belgravia, started a vegetable revolution in British cooking that has been running for two decades. The food is rooted in Israeli, Palestinian, and Mediterranean traditions — bold flavors, unexpected combinations, dishes that taste like nothing else in the city.
NOPI is his first full-service restaurant, in Soho: whitewashed brick walls, brass pendant lighting, and a menu that moves between the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Asia with genuine authority. Signature dishes include courgette and manouri fritters, blood orange and burrata, and a Valdeón cheesecake that has been on the menu since opening. Everything is designed for sharing. It is exactly as good as the reputation suggests.per pricing.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge
Two Michelin stars, and one of the most technically inventive restaurants in England. Every dish on the menu is drawn from historical British culinary research — each carries a date tied to a specific period of British cooking history, sourced by food historians from the British Library archives. The Meat Fruit dates to 1500: a mandarin-orange-shaped shell of perfectly glazed chicken liver parfait. The Tipsy Cake, from 1810, arrives in a cast-iron skillet with a spit-roasted pineapple alongside. The cooking is precise without being cold, theatrical without being gimmicky.
Reserve several weeks ahead. Request a window table overlooking the kitchen and the Hyde Park treetops.
Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, Hammersmith
The River Café invented modern Italian cooking in London — it is where Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and a generation of British chefs trained. Ruth Rogers and the late Rose Gray built a restaurant around Italian simplicity and exceptional British ingredients, and it has been one of the best Italian restaurants in Europe since 1987. The wood-fired oven is the heart of everything: bread, pasta, fish, and meat all pass through it.
Book the outdoor terrace in summer. The views of the Thames from Hammersmith are underrated and the setting is one of the most relaxed of any serious restaurant in London.
5 Raphael Street, Knightsbridge
The standard-bearer for Japanese robatayaki in London since 2002, and still unmatched for its combination of precision cooking and energy. The bar fills with an international crowd by 7pm; the robata grill produces some of the finest skewered proteins in the city. The sushi counter is excellent. The sake and shochu list is one of the most comprehensive in London.
8 Seymour Street, Marylebone
Giorgio Locatelli's Michelin-starred Marylebone institution has been delivering some of the finest Italian cooking in London for over twenty years. The pasta, made fresh daily, is the reason to go. The risottos, the Sicilian desserts, and the ossobuco are all extraordinary. The room is warm, candlelit, and exactly right for a long evening.
Upper pricing. Reserve well ahead for dinner.
Carlos Place, Mayfair
One of our favorites in London for good reason. A Mayfair institution that manages to feel both formal and genuinely comfortable at the same time. The room is a deep hunting-lodge green, the service is exactly right, and the cooking centers on exceptional British produce and classic technique. The beef Wellington is as good as any in the city.
8 Hanway Place, Fitzrovia
Modern Cantonese cooking in a dramatic subterranean space near Tottenham Court Road. Dim sum at lunch is one of the finest midday meals in London — the har gow, the roast duck puff, and the char siu bao are exceptional. Come for dinner and the room transforms into something darker and more theatrical. A Michelin-starred restaurant that has remained one of London's most consistent at this level for over twenty years.
30 North Audley Street, Mayfair
Contemporary Japanese robata cuisine in an elegant Mayfair setting. The robata-grilled meats and fish are the focus, with a menu that rewards sharing and a sake list that complements the food beautifully. A more refined experience than Zuma with a similar culinary philosophy.
Borough Market
8 Southwark Street, London Bridge | Open Tuesday–Saturday
More than a food destination — one of the finest photography subjects in London on a weekday morning before 10am. Come hungry. The wild mushroom toast at Brindisa is one of the finest market breakfasts in London. The cheese at Neal's Yard Dairy, the charcuterie, the fresh bread — leave time to graze. Dating back to the 13th century, this is London's oldest food market and one of its most essential experiences.
📷 Pro Tip: Come Thursday or Friday before 10am for the best photography conditions. A 35–50mm prime is the right lens — mobile, unobtrusive, and wide enough for environmental shots. Focus on the traders' hands, the stacked produce, and the light falling through the Victorian iron-and-glass roof in shafts.
Blandford Street, Marylebone
A lovely Italian restaurant in one of London's most charming streets. Warm, unpretentious, and consistently good. A perfect neighborhood dinner option for anyone staying in the Marylebone or Mayfair area.
Multiple locations
London's best sourdough pizza, full stop. The slow-fermented dough, the simple toppings, and the wood-fired ovens produce something genuinely excellent at a fraction of what you would pay anywhere else in central London. The Brixton Market original is the one to go to if you can.
Afternoon Tea: Where to Go
If you spend time in London and skip afternoon tea, you have made a mistake. The tradition is entirely genuine and entirely worth an afternoon. My recommendations, in order of preference:
Claridge's, Mayfair — the gold standard. Book several weeks ahead.
The Dorchester — impeccable setting, exceptional finger sandwiches.
The Connaught — the most refined and least theatrical of the grand hotel teas.
The Berkeley Prêt-à-Portea — fashion-themed cakes, the most playful and seasonal option.
The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental — serious service, beautiful room.
At The LaLee in the Cadogan
Cafés and Bakeries
Monmouth Coffee Company — Exceptional coffee, Borough Market and Covent Garden locations. One of the finest in London.
Arome Coffee in Covent Garden — Fantastic. Do not miss the Honey Butter Toast.
Pophams — One of the best bakeries in London. The pastries are extraordinary.
Fortitude Bakehouse — Excellent bread and coffee in Bloomsbury.
The Roasting Party on Pavillon Street, Chelsea — A gem for specialty coffee in Knightsbridge.
Cédric Grolet at The Berkeley — One of the world's finest pastry chefs. The croissants and fruit tarts are worth planning your morning around.
At The Roasting Party
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show (Only in May)
If you want to see and photograph something truly special, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show is simply amazing. The RHS is a charity whose mission is "to inspire a passion for gardening and growing plants, promote the value of gardens, demonstrate how gardening is good for us, and explain the vital role that plants play."
The show usually takes place at the end of May, and you have to buy tickets in advance. The flower show rivals the tulips at Keukenhof in the Netherlands. You will be able to visit the incredible gardens with so many varieties of flowers and plants that it will make your head spin. There are something like 800 different types of Roses.
One of the RHS Hosts
“The world’s greatest flower show”
Photography Gear & Advice
Bring a weather-sealed mirrorless camera like the Canon EOS R5, Nikon Z7 II, or Sony A7R V. London weather is unpredictable.
Recommended lenses:
16–35mm: For wide cityscapes, architecture, and interiors
24–70mm: The versatile walk-around lens
70–200mm: For compressing iconic scenes or portraits from a distance
Accessories:
Lightweight travel tripod
Circular polarizer for glass and water
ND filter for long exposures
A rain cover or a plastic bag for sudden drizzles
Drone: Not recommended in central London—heavily restricted.
Best Photo Spots in London
These are my favorite locations for photography in London. You can download my Google Map here
Hyde Park
Hyde Park is the "Central Park" of London. It is the largest of the four Royal Parks that run from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace. When I am in London, I try to visit the park every day. This is why I always stay in Knightsbridge so that I can easily access the park.
Here are some of the fun things you can do in Hyde Park:
Take a walk or bike ride through the park.
Rent a rowboat on the Serpentine Lake.
Visit the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.
Listen to speakers at Speakers' Corner.
Attend a concert or festival.
Have a picnic.
If you want to do something different, you can visit its Speakers Corner. This is an open space for public speaking, debates, and demonstrations in London. It is located on the northeast edge of Hyde Park near the Marble Arch and Oxford Street. The general public gathers here to express their views and opinions on anything. It can be very interesting and entertaining.
📷 Pro Tip: The Serpentine at 6am in spring or autumn, with the mist rising off the water and the light coming from the east, is one of the finest landscape subjects in London. A 24–70mm captures the lake with the far bank trees as a natural frame. The Long Water in Kensington Gardens, looking south toward the bridge, gives a stronger mirror reflection than the main Serpentine. The Kensington Palace facade photographs best at golden hour when the warm light hits the orange-brick front directly. Speakers' Corner on the northeast edge of Hyde Park, near Marble Arch, is one of the world's great street photography subjects on Sunday mornings when orators are active.
Science Museum
Award-winning exhibitions, iconic objects from the first Apple computer to Apollo 10, and some of the finest interior architectural photography in London. The main gallery, with its tiered iron walkways and Victorian engineering, is extraordinary on its own.
📷 Pro Tip: The upper-level walkways give you elevated sightlines along the length of the main gallery — shoot along the iron railing with a 24–50mm for a strong architectural leading-line image. Free entry. Come on a weekday to avoid school groups.
The British Museum
One of the best museums in the world, housing the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, the Lewis Chessmen, and an almost incomprehensible density of human history across its 70 galleries.
📷 Pro Tip: The Great Court, with its spectacular glass-and-steel roof designed by Norman Foster, is one of the finest architectural photography subjects in London. Shoot from the upper level of the circular reading room looking outward toward the soaring geometric roof. Best light comes in the morning. Free entry; no photography restrictions in the public galleries.
Best time: Weekday morning for the Great Court. Free entry.
Natural History Museum
The exterior Gothic terracotta facade alone justifies the visit — one of the most photographically extraordinary Victorian buildings in London. Inside, the Hintze Hall, with Dippy the diplodocus skeleton (now a blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling), is an extraordinary interior photography subject.
📷 Pro Tip: The escalator in the Earth Galleries takes you through a giant rotating globe — photograph it from the bottom with a wide angle as you ride up. The main Hintze Hall photographs best from the upper balcony level, looking down on the whale skeleton suspended in the space below. Free entry.
Best time: Weekday morning before school groups arrive.
Always look for reflections
Do you want to see a Dinosaur? Well, they have one. It is home to 80 million plant, animal, fossil, rock, and mineral specimens. It is located in South Kensington, and it is also a world-class research institution full of wonders. Don't miss it!!
The Escalator in the Natual History Museum is amazing
Street Photography
I love walking around the city and taking candid shots of people. London is one of the best places for Street Photography in the world. One of my favorite spots is Portobello Road in Notting Hill.
Portobello Road Market on Saturday morning is one of the great photography subjects in London: antique stalls stretching for blocks, vendor portraits, colorful facades, and the compressed energy of a street fully alive with commerce and community. The surrounding Notting Hill neighborhood, with its candy-colored Georgian townhouses on Lansdowne Road and Elgin Crescent, provides some of the finest residential architectural photography in London.
📷 Pro Tip: Arrive by 9am at the Notting Hill Gate end of Portobello Road and work south. The antique section and the best light are at the northern end; by 11am the tourist density makes candid photography significantly harder. Take the Tube to Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove. For the pastel house facades, the best light hits Lansdowne Road and Elgin Crescent in late afternoon from the west.
Best time: Saturday 9–11am for the market. Late afternoon for the residential facades.
St Clement Danes Central Church of the Royal Air Force
St Clement Danes is the Central Church of the Royal Air Force. It is a shrine to all those who have died in service in the Royal Air Force. It is probably not on the normal list of locations to visit in London, but I think it is well worth it. This small church is usually empty.
Taken with a 14mm Lens
Somerset House Strand
The 18th-century neoclassical palace between the Strand and the river, housing galleries, a courtyard, and one of London's most elegant spiral staircases. The courtyard is formal, symmetrical, and transforms seasonally — skating in winter, open-air cinema in summer.
📷 Pro Tip: The spiral staircase on the right side of the building as you enter from the Strand is an outstanding architectural subject — shoot from the ground floor looking up through the circular void with a 16mm. The courtyard shoots beautifully from the elevated river terrace on the south side, looking back into the formal space.
Tate Modern
The Tate Modern, housed in the former Bankside Power Station, has a free viewing terrace on the third floor of the main building with a direct view south across the Thames toward St. Paul's Cathedral. It is one of the finest free elevated views in London and often overlooked.
The Tate Britain at Millbank houses three extraordinary spiral staircases worth photographing specifically. If you love the work of David Hockney, J.M.W. Turner, or Mark Rothko, the permanent collection is essential.
📷 Pro Tip: The Tate Modern's third-floor terrace: go at golden hour when the setting sun catches the St. Paul's dome from the west. For the Tate Britain staircases, shoot from the base of each one looking upward with a 16–24mm — three different staircase geometries, three different compositions.
Blue Hour just after Sunset
Tate Britain Milbank
If you enjoy art by David Hockney or Mark Rothko, then you will love visiting the Tate Collection. There are also 3 Spiral Staircases to photograph in the Gallery.
Heals Department Store
On Tottenham Court Road, Heal's furniture store contains one of the most beautiful staircases in London: the Curved Oak Staircase, designed in 1916 in an Art Deco-inspired style. The sweeping oak banister, the circular void looking down through the floors, and the warm natural wood tones make it a genuinely exceptional interior photography subject.
📷 Pro Tip: Shoot from above, pointing straight down through the void with a 16–24mm — the circular staircase creates a Hitchcock vertigo effect. From below, a 24–35mm captures the full sweep of the ascending curve. Photography is permitted in the store. Come on a weekday when it is quieter.
King's Cross/St Pancras Connecting Tunnel
The underground tunnel connecting King's Cross and St. Pancras International stations is one of the most unexpected photography subjects in London. The curved corridor, with its ceiling panels and the constant flow of travelers, creates a graphic, compressed architectural subject that most photographers walk through on autopilot.
📷 Pro Tip: Shoot from one end of the tunnel toward the other with a 24–35mm. A slow shutter speed (1/15 to 1/4 second) turns the passing travelers into motion blur against the static walls — a strong long-exposure street image. Off-peak for controlled compositions; peak hours add energy that either works or overwhelms. The Platypod is useful for stabilization without a full tripod.
Lloyd's Building
The Lloyd's Building (Richard Rogers, 1986) has all its services on the exterior — ducts, lifts, electrical cables — giving it the "Inside-Out Building" nickname and making it London's most photographically unusual piece of High-Tech architecture. The Gherkin (Foster + Partners, 2003) at 30 St Mary Axe is the more elegant of the two, its diagonal steel grid tapering as it rises above the medieval streets around it.
📷 Pro Tip: Both are in the City of London and best photographed from street level on weekday mornings or on weekends when the streets are quiet. The Lloyd's Building at dusk, when its exterior pipes and ducts are illuminated from below, is an extraordinary abstract architectural photograph. A 24–50mm from across Lime Street gives you the full elevation. The Gherkin photographs best from directly below, shooting straight up with a 16mm to capture the spiraling geometric grid against the sky.
Best time: Weekday morning for empty streets. Dusk for the Lloyd's illumination.
The Gherkin
This is one of the most recognizable modern buildings in London. Londoners have a lot of opinions on the design of this building.
Leadenhall Market
A Victorian covered market in the heart of the City of London, its ornate painted ironwork and arched ceiling creating one of the most photogenic interiors in the city. Filming location for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films, though it looks better without the props.
📷 Pro Tip: Come on a Saturday or early Sunday when the City is quiet and the market is nearly empty. The ceiling is the photograph — a 16–24mm pointing straight up through the painted ironwork captures the full geometry. The colored panels and symmetrical arches photograph well from the market's central intersection point.
Best time: Saturday or Sunday morning for empty streets and clean compositions.
Millennium Bridge
This bridge leads towards Saint Paul's Cathedral and was dubbed the "Wobbly Bridge" when it first opened. It had to be shut down for 2 years to fix the wobbling. It is now safe, and I crossed it many times on the way to Borough Market or Saint Paul's Cathedral.
Tower Bridge Tower NOT LONDON BRIDGE
The capital’s most famous bridge crosses the Thames near the Tower of London. Many visitors incorrectly think it is called London Bridge, which is in an entirely different location. Tower Bridge was built between 1886 and 1894 and is one of the defining landmarks of London.
At Sunset
Did you know it lifts up in the middle when large vessels pass underneath (you can check out lift times on its website), and it gained a glass floor on the high walkways in 2014, allowing visitors to look straight down to the road and river 42 below?
A 6 Second Long Exposure
St. Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's, with its world-famous dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline. They do not allow Photography or Video inside the church but you should definitely go inside and visit.
One New Change
1 New Change is located right across from Saint Pauls. If you go up to the roof, there is a bar called Madison's that has a perfect view of the church.
Buckingham Palace & Saint James Park
The home of the King of England and the most visited location in London for good reason. The Changing of the Guard ceremony — when it runs — is one of the world's most photographed rituals. St. James's Park directly in front of the Palace, a 57-acre formal park with a lake, pelicans, and direct sightlines to the Palace and the London Eye, is a genuine joy to walk through on any morning.
📷 Pro Tip: For the Palace itself, the best photography is from the Mall — the wide ceremonial avenue leading toward the Victoria Memorial, with the Palace at the far end. At golden hour from the east, the warm light falls on the east-facing Palace facade. For the Changing of the Guard, position yourself early near the Palace gates and use a 70–200mm to isolate individual guards in the crowd. St. James's Park photographs best at sunrise when the lake is still and the bridge reflections are mirror-sharp.
Best time: Sunrise for St. James's Park. Morning for the Changing of the Guard.
BAKER STREET METRO
Opened in 1863, Baker Street is one of the oldest metro stations in the world, and one of the most visually extraordinary. The Victorian arched ceilings on platforms 5 and 6 of the Circle and Hammersmith & City Line are decorated with Sherlock Holmes silhouettes in the original glazed terracotta. Almost no visitor ever sees them because they are on the wrong platform.
📷 Pro Tip: Take the Circle or Hammersmith & City line to Baker Street and use platforms 5 or 6. I shot this with a Platypod at ISO 100 — the low light demands stabilization and the brick vault ceiling rewards a slow shutter speed. A 16–24mm captures the full arch; position yourself near the center of the platform for the curving perspective of the roof. Come off-peak for fewer people. Photography of London Underground stations is allowed for personal use without a tripod; a Platypod or beanbag gives you stability without technically violating TfL rules.
I used a Platypod to Take the Photo at ISO 100
Burlington Arcade
Opened in 1819, Burlington Arcade is one of the oldest and most elegant covered shopping streets in the world. It was commissioned by Lord George Cavendish, the younger brother of the 5th Duke of Devonshire, and has retained much of its original charm and architecture.
Burlington Arcade is renowned for its high-end boutiques and specialty shops. It houses prestigious brands offering luxury goods such as jewelry, watches, leather goods, and bespoke clothing. Some of the notable retailers include the world-famous perfumery, Penhaligon's, and the iconic British brand, Crockett & Jones
The Royal Arcade
Opened in 1879, The Royal Arcade is one of the oldest and most elegant shopping arcades in London. It was originally named "The Arcade" but was later renamed "The Royal Arcade" after it became a favored destination of Queen Victoria.
The Shard
The Shard also has a hotel on the 33rd floor called the Shangri-La. The hotel has one of the best views of Tower Bridge. It seems half of Londoners hate it, and the other half love it.
It is full of restaurants, offices, and residents. Western Europe's tallest building and London's one and only 95-storey skyscraper, so it's certainly not to be missed. There are bars and restaurants all the way up and a public visiting area called the View from The Shard.
Big Ben Westminster
Big Ben is probably the world's most famous clock.
Big Ben at Sunset
The iconic silhouette is instantly recognizable and is one of the most Instagrammed landmarks in London.
A 20 second long exposure
Big Ben isn’t actually the official name of the famous landmark. That’s right – this famous London landmark isn’t officially named Big Ben. For hundreds of years, it used to be called, simply, the Clock Tower. But in 2012, the landmark was renamed the Elizabeth Tower to commemorate the former Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. So what people actually refer to when they say “Big Ben” is the bell inside the tower.
Light Trails on Westminster Bridge
There is one great location across the river that gives you a very cool framing for the clock. Right across from the London City Marriot Hotel located on Westminster Bridge, there is a staircase that leads down to the river. From there, you will find this location coming out of the Subway (Tube).
This is the Exit of the Metro at Big Ben
There is also a wall in honor of those who passed away from Covid.
Houses of Parliament
The House of Parliament is on Big Ben's left. I love this location at Sunset.
Westminster Abbey
A royal church with over 1,000 years of history. It is the church that is the site of most of the coronations and other ceremonies of national significance like the Royal Weddings. One interesting fact is that it has the oldest door in the world.
London Eye South Bank
The London Eye at 135 meters is the world's largest cantilevered observation wheel, offering views of 55 of London's most famous landmarks. The South Bank promenade stretching from the London Eye east toward Tower Bridge — passing the Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, Borough Market, and Shakespeare's Globe — is one of the great urban walking routes in Europe.
📷 Pro Tip: Photograph the Eye itself from the Victoria Embankment on the north bank, shooting south across the Thames. At blue hour with the Eye illuminated, a 35–50mm captures the full wheel reflected in the river below. For the view from inside the Eye, go at sunset for the best light on the city.
Best time: Blue hour for the exterior. Sunset for the view from inside.
Shoreditch
If there is one place in London that represents the city's contemporary creative energy, it is Shoreditch. The walls of Brick Lane, Rivington Street, and the surrounding alleys are London's most continuously updated outdoor gallery — Banksy, Stik, Ben Eine, and dozens of major artists have worked here, and the murals change constantly.
I highly recommend the Shoreditch Graffiti Tour with London With a Local — I took it with guide Colin and it is excellent for contextualizing what you are seeing and getting into locations you would otherwise miss.
Tupac
📷 Pro Tip: Come early morning on a weekday for the cleanest light and fewest people. Large-scale murals on Brick Lane photograph best with a wide angle from across the street. Look also for the smaller stencil work and paste-ups in the adjacent alleys — the detail rewards a 35–50mm. The art changes; check current street art news before you visit.
Best time: Early morning weekday.
Shoreditch- Hope
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is the heartbeat of Shoreditch’s street art scene. As you stroll down the lane, you’ll spot massive murals, colorful paste-ups, and quirky stencils. Keep an eye out for work by iconic artists like Banksy, Stik, and Ben Eine—their pieces are woven into Shoreditch’s DNA.
Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel
A 300-meter tunnel beneath Waterloo Station, begun in 2008 and now London's largest legal mural wall. The murals change continuously. I have been several times and the walls are different every visit. Essential for street art photographers.
📷 Pro Tip: The tunnel is artificially lit throughout — consistent, even light that eliminates the exposure challenges of outdoor mural photography. A 24–50mm handles both full-wall compositions and closer detail work. Come in the evening for the best ambient light balance.
Best time: Any time. Evening for atmosphere.
Knightsbridge/Harrods at Night
Harrods at night, illuminated in its thousands of exterior lights, is one of London's most distinctive photographs. The department store on the Brompton Road, owned by the State of Qatar since 2010, is one of the largest and most recognizable in the world — and at night it becomes something genuinely extraordinary to photograph.
📷 Pro Tip: Photograph from directly across Brompton Road at blue hour, when the last color remains in the sky behind the building and the exterior illumination is at its most dramatic. A 24–50mm captures the full facade. The nearby Burlington Arcade and Royal Arcade are equally compelling interior photography subjects during the day.
Best time: Blue hour.
Harrods
The Queen’s House in Greenwich
Twenty minutes from central London (London Bridge to Maze Hill by train), Greenwich offers two of the finest interior photography subjects in England.
The Queen's House, designed by Inigo Jones and completed in 1635, contains the Tulip Staircase: the first geometric self-supporting spiral staircase in Britain, wrapping upward through the house in a continuous iron spiral of golden tulip patterns.
The Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College — described as "the Sistine Chapel of Britain" — is a Baroque ceiling fresco by James Thornhill covering 40,000 square feet, completed in 1726.
📷 Pro Tip: The Tulip Staircase: shoot from below, straight up through the spiral with a 16–24mm. A Platypod against the floor lets you shoot at ISO 100 with a long exposure. The Painted Hall: position yourself at the center of the hall and shoot upward at the ceiling — expose for the warm, detailed paintwork. A wide angle and high ISO handle the low ambient light.
Best time: Weekday morning for both locations.
The Blue Stairwell
The Painted Hall in Old Royal Naval College
The beautiful Painted Hall is an incredible room in the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, England. It is just 20 minutes from London by train.
Reflections
Festivals & Events in London
London Fashion Week (February and September) — Street portrait opportunities outside the shows
Notting Hill Carnival (August bank holiday weekend) — The largest street festival in Europe; extraordinary color and energy
Chelsea Flower Show (late May) — See dedicated section above
Bonfire Night (November 5) — Fireworks over the Thames
Christmas at Kew (November–January) — Dazzling light installations through the Royal Botanic Gardens
Christmas Lights (late November–January) — Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, and Regent Street all have extraordinary displays
The Annabel Hotel
Final Thoughts
London keeps revealing itself. I have been back more than a dozen times as a photographer, and I still find things I have not seen before. That is not a cliché — it is just how this city works. The scale is too large, the neighborhoods too distinct, the light too variable, for a single visit to cover it.
What brings me back, beyond the photography, is the feeling that London is genuinely alive at every hour. The Serpentine in mist at 6 am. Borough Market is filling up at 8. The City of London at noon, suits moving between glass towers and medieval churches in the same block. On Saturday morning, the whole street on Portobello Road was compressed with color. Shoreditch in the evening, the murals changing month to month. And Tower Bridge at blue hour, when the Thames goes silver-dark, and the Gothic towers rise above it illuminated, and the city you thought you understood shows you another face.
Keep coming back. Come in all weather. Come in December when the Christmas lights turn Carnaby Street and Oxford Street into something extraordinary. Come in May for the Chelsea Flower Show. Come in the fog, when London becomes the city that Turner and Dickens wrote about. The grey days are often the best photography days.
London is the natural hub for exploring the rest of Britain and a short hop to the best of Europe. Here is where I would go next.
My Photography & Travel Guide to Edinburgh, Scotland Two hours north by direct train from King's Cross. Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat at sunrise, and the most dramatic urban landscape in Britain.
My Photography & Travel Guide to Paris, France Two hours and fifteen minutes from St. Pancras on the Eurostar. The Eiffel Tower at blue hour, the Marais at dawn, Montmartre before the crowds, and the side streets that most photographers never find.
My Photography & Travel Guide to Amsterdam An easy Eurostar connection via Brussels. Canal reflections at dawn, the Jordaan neighborhood, and the light on Dutch Golden Age architecture.
Best Photography Locations in the World My complete curated bucket list with links to every destination guide.
And if you’re interested in joining one of my photography workshops, click on the link. You can also follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or subscribe to my newsletter for more travel photography tips.
Let London surprise you.
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