Photography in London

Google search photography in London and you won’t be surprised to find the same generic images illustrating most of London’s captivating attractions such as the London Eye, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, the Shard, St Pauls Cathedral, Buckingham Palace etc.

One of the biggest frustrations I came up against in London during my visit was that of hundreds of photographers competing with one another to shoot the same subjects.

In addition, there wasn’t much space to compete with regards to trading my work online because most of the ideas I had implemented had already been used repeatedly, thus making the internet side of things i.e. sales frustrating and very competitive.

Now, don’t get me wrong, all of these tourist attractions are incredible to photograph day and night, but, there’s more to London than this, in fact, a lot more.

London, commonly known as the ‘square mile’ covers an area of 1.80 square miles, or approximately 716.90 acres which makes London the largest city in the United Kingdom.

Therefore, there’s plenty of room to expand your photography skills and etiquette which will set you apart from the rest.

Below I’ve highlighted some of the more unusual and not-so-photographed subjects and locations in London that may appeal to you more than the same generic capital subjects we all love to shoot. So, let us begin.

Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir commonly known as the Neasden Temple is a genuine Hindi temple located in Neasden London that’s located approximately 8.0 miles outside of the capital.

Swaminarayan Mandir was constructed using traditional methods and materials and looks very much like an authentic Hindi temple of worship, moreover, it is Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple.

The main structure is twenty-one meters tall and sixty meters long and its exterior is made of Bulgarian limestone, while the interior is made of Italian and Indian marble.

While Photography is legally permitted on the public streets outside of the Mandir, please be advised that the Mandir is a religious temple for which permission will be required from the owners to photograph in the Mandir grounds. Moreover, photography is strictly prohibited inside the Hindi temple.

It’s also worth noting the grounds surrounding the Swaminarayan Mandir are mostly private, therefore, take a short lens for this project and leave the tripod at home. Drone photographers may also require a permit or permission from the landowner.

There are many images on Google illustrating the Swaminarayan Mandir, however, after close inspection and reverse image searching, I found most of these images illustrated a similar temple, while others were fake.

University of East London

The Docklands University of East London is striking in appearance and elegant thus making it an attractive subject to photograph from an architectural point of view, especially in black and white.

One of the most striking features I loved about the UEL is the oval-shaped campuses painted white, green, blue and yellow, and the student villages. The campuses and village make for an interesting photography project, especially long exposure or minimalism.

Located in the London Borough of Newham the UEL can be found at the Docklands at this grid reference 51°30’26.8″N 0°03’54.1″E.

The UEL is steps away from a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station and the Elizabeth Line links nearby Custom House to central London in 15 minutes.

While the Docklands University of East London is a public building, you may need permission to photograph on-site, therefore it’s best to contact the campus owner beforehand.

Furthermore, please remember that the campuses are home to students, therefore take extra care not to include students in your photography working or bustling about in their private apartments unless you have permission.

I didn’t find much in the way of professional or amateur photography illustrating this specific university, however; I have seen several incredible black-and-white images of the main university that have won national photography awards, therefore, it is worth a shot in my opinion.

There’s much to photograph at the Docklands such as passing or anchored boats, sculptures, arcitecture etc, and London’s famous cable cars can be seen from the docklands too.

U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy (American Embassy) can be found at 33 Nine Elms Lane, Nine Elms, London SW11 7US.

The American Embassy features a multi-layer facade that reflects the London sky, creating an envelope whose tonality shifts with the weather and time of day. 

From a photographer’s perspective, the U.S. Embassy makes for an interesting and unusual subject to photograph because of the multi-layer facade which looks like something from a sci-fi movie.

The Embassy building, designed by Philadelphia-based architecture firm KieranTimberlake, is a translucent crystalline cube that gives form to core democratic values of transparency, openness, and equality.

Its unique facade affords generous natural light throughout the interior and takes advantage of the site’s striking views.

The high-performance facade uses laminated glazing with an outer envelope of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene. The envelope prevents excessive solar gain and mitigates glare while uniformly distributing daylight throughout the building. This reduces the energy required to cool and light the building.

Photography is permitted on the exterior of the building, however, on certain days it may be restricted due to security reasons.

Battersea Power Station

If like me, you enjoy a mixture of modern and brutal architecture photography then Battersea Power Station may be up your street, however, you will need a permit for commercial photography and permission from the land owners to shoot on-site.

Battersea Power Station was built in the early 1900s and provided power for a fifth of the capital supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognisable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

With operating costs increasing, however, and output falling with age, Battersea A closed in 1975, and Battersea B was decommissioned in 1983.

Battersea Power Station is one of the world’s largest brick buildings and is notable for its original, art deco interior fittings and decor

From a photographer’s point of view, Battersea Power Station offers a unique blend of artistic, modern, sleek and brutal architecture that’s been decorating people’s homes and businesses for some years.

However, as mentioned commercial photographers will need permission and a permit to shoot on-site.

I found Battersea Power Station quite unique and very interesting from a photography point of view and there’s so much to cover on-site too. Therefore, if you’re thinking of visiting I suggest an all-day visit starting early in the morning and finishing late in the evening. I also recommend taking a tripod with short and long lenses.

Press images and filming enquiries should be made to the Battersea Power Station Press Office via email pressoffice@bpsdc.co.uk or telephone 0207 062 1870. There may be some public areas at Battersea Power Station where photography is temporarily not permitted, at these locations clear
signage will be visible.

Google is home to thousands of images of Battersea Power Station, most of which were taken from outside the station rather than on-site.

Therefore, if you’re looking at something different that will set you apart from the rest, please look at obtaining permission and a permit from the site owners. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

London Cranes

While London is home to some of the most photographed and world-famous landmarks, it’s also home to over 450 cranes dotted throughout the capital.

During my visit to London, I found the cranes to be rather annoying because they blotted the landscape often ruining long exposures and architectural photography shots, that was though until I decided to take a step back and incorporate them into my own artwork which I’ll publish at a later date on my blog news site.

While somewhat annoying, cranes do make a rather interesting subject to photograph, in addition, the more the merrier.

Cranes appear threatening or majestic, shiny beasts or rusting hulks, hence why I now love them so much.

Cranes represent the urban and the skilful and they come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes. Furthermore, cranes give some shape to a grey and lifeless sky (which is often common in London).

Most of London’s cranes can be found in White City, Paddington, West End, Kings Cross, Midtown, The City, Southbank, Stratford and the Docklands.

Conclusion

London is home to hundreds of world-famous landmarks that are frequented by thousands of photographic tourists from around the world every day.

While London is indeed a very interesting and historic city to visit and photograph, from a photographic sales point of view, competition is fierce when it comes to trading prints and frames illustrating the capital’s many wonders, because there are so many images for sale online illustrating the same generic subjects.

Therefore, by broadening your scope a little more you’ll soon find your artwork set apart from the same old generic subjects we all love to shoot and look at.

Looking for new, interesting and unusual subjects to shoot opens you up to a new audience that other photographers have yet to discover and take advantage of.

Your speciality is what you know and your style is the choices you make to create your unique artwork. Enjoy what you do, shoot what you love, and your speciality and style will emerge.

Thank you for reading.