12 Best Places to Take Photos in London
London has no shortage of places to photograph. The capital city has many unique areas which are suited to all types of photography. Britain’s capital city is huge and it can sometimes be difficult finding the best places to take photos in London. If you are interested in architectural photography you might want to take photos of the Canary Wharf financial district, whereas nature photographers will be interested in the large parks, and of course, street photographers will fall in love with the bustling streets.
The Canary Wharf Financial District night view
The city has plenty of locations for all types of photography, and this guide to the top 10 Best places to take photos in London will help you find them. This post will show you some of the best places to take photos in London along with useful tips on how and when to photograph the locations.
Greenwich
Greenwich is a great outdoor photoshoot location in London. Greenwich Park’s nature is a beautiful background for many types of photoshoots. The National Maritime Museum is located in Greenwich, this museum has amazing architecture and it is a great place to take photos.
View of Greenwich Park with the Canary Wharf skyline in the Distance
Greenwich is also known for its beautiful riverside views and the famous Cutty Sark ship which sits along the riverside area. The natural scenery of Greenwich Park coupled with the hilltop views of the Canary Wharf skyline in the distance makes it one of the best places to take photos in London.
Tips
Hilltop views here are great but you will need a zoom lens to capture the Canary Wharf skyline in the distance.
The riverside area of Greenwich is another great place to take photos.
The Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark ship are both awesome landmarks to photograph.
Greenwich park usually closes at dusk depending on the time of year so daytime is best for photography here.
Canary Wharf
The Canary Wharf Financial district is a favorite amongst architecture and cityscape photographers and is one of the best places to take pictures in London. The tall modern buildings, ever-evolving skyline, and beautiful river scenes make it the best place for architectural photography in London.
Reuter’s Plaza night view in the Canary Wharf Financial District
The docks and surrounding industrial buildings add further interest for us cityscape photographers. There is so much subject matter to photograph in the Canary Wharf area, end even after multiple visits you will still be able to find some interesting architecture or riverside scenes.
Tips
Some areas of Canary Wharf are private land and do not allow tripods so keep that in mind before visiting.
Walking around Canary Wharf will help you find unique angles and better views to photograph.
Blue hour, sunset, or sunrise are the best times to photograph Canary Wharf.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is that instagramabble moment you might see scrolling down your social media posts. The world-renowned Tower Bridge is one of London’s most beautiful bridges. Photographing the bridge is at the top of many to-do lists for tourists visiting the capital and is often thought of as being one of the best places to take pictures in London.
Tower Bridge night view along the River Thames
The panoramic views of the River Thames from the bridge offers are just as amazing as the bridge itself. The surrounding riverside area of Tower Bridge offers you views of the Tower of London, the Shard, and the HMS Belfast Ship. Overall there are plenty of great photography locations in this area.
Tips
Long-exposure photos work well here to blur out the people and cars and create a cool light trail effect.
Photograph the bridge from the riverside.
Daytime or nighttime are both good to photograph Tower Bridge, but avoid rush hour as it is usually very busy.
Photograph nearby landmarks like the Tower of London.
Little Venice
The Regent’s Canal has many great sights along its waterway, although Little Venice is perhaps the most amazing place for photographers. Little Venice is a scenic area of the canal that is famous for its houseboats and scenic waterway.
View of the Little Venice canal in London
This area of the canal has become a hotspot for photographers and many photo enthusiasts looking to capture a great moment in London. The views of traditional British houseboats amongst a treelined waterway make Little Venice one of the best places to take photos in London.
Tips
You will need to walk around Little Venice to capture the perfect moment as the trees and fences sometimes block the amazing views.
Little Venice is a beautiful place to photograph during the golden hour as the late afternoon sun illuminates the waterway.
Wait for a boat to pass by as they usually go by quite often.
Camden Town
Camden Town is famous for its markets, unique shops, and artistic street culture. All this in a bustling urban area means it is easily one of the best places to take photos in London. The Regent’s Canal also runs through Camden Town. Camden Lock is another great place to take photos, it is a historic Grade II listed lock along the canal.
The KERB Food market in Camden Town
Camden Market is probably the most interesting place in the area especially when you factor in all the amazing food and shops. It has a lot going on and it is an awesome opportunity to capture some Instagram-worthy moments.
Camden Town is very busy and slightly chaotic compared to the rest of the places on this list, but that’s why street photographers have taken a liking to Camden. The chaotic bustling scenes attract many street photographers looking to capture urban life.
Tips
Camden market has a ton of subjects to photograph such as food vendors and buildings.
Visit Camden Lock to get some great photographs of the historic Regent’s Canal.
Camden Town’s streets are excellent places for street photography as there is so much going on.
Daytime is best in this area as the area is more lively during the day.
Piccadilly Circus
Bright lights, huge billboard advertisements, cool architecture, and a unique crowd of people from all over the world means Piccadilly Circus is definitely one of the best places to take photos in London.
View of Piccadilly Circus in London
It can be challenging trying to organize the chaotic cityscape of Piccadilly Circus in your photographs, but it is very rewarding when you manage to capture the photo you set out for. This area might not be for everyone when it comes to photography but I would have no hesitation recommending Piccadilly Circus to travel photographers and street photographers.
Tips
Piccadilly Circus is more beautiful at night as the billboards light up and illuminate the area.
You will need to try different angles and be creative with how you frame your shot as the area is very busy.
Use long exposures to blur out the crowds of people.
Richmond
Richmond has plenty of unique photo opportunities and is vastly different from the other places on this list. Be prepared to travel between sites when you visit Richmond as the sites are further apart and the area is more rural. You can still use public transport in this area but it might take you longer to get around as it is not as urban as the above-mentioned places. Regardless of this, Richmond presents some pretty amazing locations and it is definitely one of the best places to take photos in London.
Scenic sunset view of Richmond Park in London
Richmond is home to Kew Gardens Hampton Court Palace, Richmond Park, Richmond-Upon-Thames, and Hampton Court Palace. Richmond and its amazing sites are some of the best places to take photos in London and should not be missed if you are a photographer looking to capture some awesome photos in the capital.
Tips
Richmond-Upon-Thames is an amazing riverside area for cityscape photography.
Kew Gardens is a must for nature photographers.
Hampton Court Palace is an awesome place for travel photographers.
Richmond is better to photograph in the daytime as more places are open.
Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station is a former coal-fired power station that is now a Grade II listed building. The Battersea Power Station area has recently been renovated and the power station now hosts a new shopping mall. Along with the modernization the Battersea Power Station area has received a renovation. Modern architecture has been constructed at a rapid pace in this area, and the area now has a modern industrial theme. This means Battersea Power Station and its surrounding area is a great place for architecture and cityscape photography in London.
Night view of the Battersea Power Station along the River Thames
Visiting the Battersea Power Station during the blue hour is my favorite time to photograph the area. Although visiting during the day is also a great time as more places are open and the area is more lively. The Power Station would also make an awesome background for fashion photography, portrait photography, or some Instagram-worthy shots.
Tips
Photograph Battersea Power Station from the other side of the River Thames.
Walk around the Battersea Power Station area to create different angles.
Photographing Battersea Power Station is great at most times of the day as it is not such a busy area.
Westminster
Westminster is packed with iconic British landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey. These landmarks are the typical postcard photographs of Britain, but they are timeless classics. Westminster’s streets are also very picturesque, providing great backgrounds for fashion or portrait photography.
View of the Westminster Palace also known as the Houses of Parliament taken from the Victoria Tower Gardens
The Westminster area is perfect for those looking to photograph some historic British architecture and Westminster is undoubtedly one of the best places to take pictures in London.
Tips
The Victoria Tower Gardens is a beautiful scenic location where you can see the Westminster Palace.
Try to avoid busy times of day as the area is very touristy which might affect your photography.
Photograph the houses of Parliament from the riverside.
Taking photos of Big Ben and the houses of Parliament at night or early evening is the best time.
Chinatown
Chinatown’s bright lights and bustling city scenes make it one of the best places to take photos in London. Gerrard Street is Chinatown’s main street and it is packed with people from all over the world. It has many traditional Chinese restaurants and the red Chinese lanterns light up the sky during the Chinese New Year.
View of Gerrard Street Chinatown during the Chinese New Year
Tips
A great time to photograph Chinatown is Chinese New Year, as there are usually festivals taking place.
At Nighttime the bright lights illuminate the streets of Chinatown, making it a good time to photograph.
King’s Cross
King’s Cross is another interesting area for photography. It offers a lot of places to photograph in a convenient city center location. The trains and architecture of King’s Cross Station, the Regent’s Canal, Coaldrops Yard, and St Pancras International all make great subject matter.
King’s Cross Light Tunnel
King’s Cross is best suited to cityscape and architecture photography as there are many iconic buildings. Although the area is bustling with commuters and there is always something going on, meaning that it is also an excellent place for street photography.
Tips
The Regent’s Canal and Coal Drops Yard areas are great spots for a fashion shoot or architectural photography.
The areas behind Kings Cross station or across the roads are less busy which makes them easier to photograph.
The Kings Cross Light Tunnel is a cool place to take photos.
Both day and night photography work well in this area.
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a very popular tourist area in central London. The area is known for its street performers, boutique shops, traditional British Telephone boxes, and famous Apple Market. With so much going on, the area presents plenty of photo opportunities.
The Apple Market in Covent Garden
It is a busy area though, so organizing the chaos can sometimes be difficult. Although the area is touristy and busy, these elements actually make Covent Garden one of the best places to take photos in London for street photographers and travel photographers.
Tips
Take pictures at the famous Apple Market.
There are many street performers in this area.
British telephone boxes are great places to take pictures.
Daytime in this area is best as the market is open and the area is lively
The City of London Financial District
The city of London Financial District is underrated in terms of photography. This area is at the top of my list of best places to take photos in London. The City of London is home to some of the most amazing architecture in London and this is definitely a hot spot for architectural photographers.
Skyscrapers and buildings in the City of London Financial District
The Gherkin, Bank of England, Royal Exchange, 122 Leadenhall (Cheesegrater), 20 Fenchurch Street, Leadenhall Market, and the world Renowned St Pauls Cathedral are just a few of the amazing buildings here. All these iconic landmark buildings packed together in one area mean that the City of London financial district is one of the best places to take photos in London.
Tips
Photograph amazing riverside views of the City of London skyline.
The Bank of England and Royal Exchange buildings are beautiful buildings for architectural photography.
Use a wide-angle lens in this area if possible.
Night and day are both great times to photograph the City of London.