London!

thonsu

Hello, fellow dgrinners.

For the first time in ever, I'll be heading out of the country (USA) by visiting London in a month. I imagine there will be plenty of neat stuff to point my camera at, but does anyone have any special places they'd like to recommend?

I like shooting landscapes, but there won't be much of that in the middle of one of the biggest cities on Earth, so I'm just looking to shoot anything interesting (as determined by you).

Many thanks!

-Tom

pathfinder

There are a wealth of subjects in London. Castles, Palaces, Museums, Galleries, Theaters, etc. A trip to Greenwich by a water bourn taxi up the Thames is fun, and quite scenic.

What neighborhood will you be residing in? Lots of things can easily be within walking distance in London, and I know we have lots of folks who can make great suggestions for subjects, if they have a better idea where you will be, while in London.

The London Eye, right at sunset, will offer quite a bit of landscape opportunities, as well.

thonsu

pathfinder wrote: »

There are a wealth of subjects in London. Castles, Palaces, Museums, Galleries, Theaters, etc. A trip to Greenwich by a water bourn taxi up the Thames is fun, and quite scenic.

What neighborhood will you be residing in? LOts of things can easily be within walking distance in London, and I know we have lots of folks who can make great suggestions for subjects, if they have a better idea where you will be, while in London.

The London Eye, right at sunset, will offer quite a bit of landscape opportunities, as well.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I will be staying with my brother, who lives in a building called The Oxygen. All I know is that it's close to the Thames.

EDIT: This seems to be it: http://goo.gl/maps/ZqsRI

Gretchen

Lucky
Lucky you! The great thing about London is that it is a very walk-able city. Get a good map, set your route and you'll see a lot of fantastic sites! (also I find Frommer's guides the best travel guides and they always have good walking maps to follow). The Underground is very simple to use and is the best way to get to and from if the walk is just a bit too far. I would suggest making your way to the Tower of London, if you get there when the gates open (9am) you miss the crowds and the tour goes very fast. It is a good starting point to learn the history of London,then I hop on one of the water taxis (they are all good) to Westminster - London Eye, walk to Westminster Abbey, #10 Downing, back towards Buckingham Palace over to Trafalger Square and the theater district. Do the London Eye if you have a couple hours to burn, great views. (get the pre-board tickets if you can, more expensive but you don't have to wait.) On my last visit there we stayed in Camden, we did not see it all, lots of great people watching, there is a canal and market with tons of shopping-great photo ops. St Paul's cathedral = incredible. I have walked the step up to the dome, and there is another level of stairs that you can go outside and see the entire city. I agree the taxi ride up the Thames to Greenwich is worth the trip, you have to stand on the Eastern and Western Hemisphere! I would recommend Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms, this is where he and his advisers hunkered down during the war, incredible. Venture out and don't be afraid to duck down a side street, you might be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy your trip! I hope you get a chance to visit the surrounding areas as well.

DonRicklin

"Lucky you" is right. Haven't been there since '66 and circa '74! SO much to see, for sure!


Don

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pathfinder

Don't miss The British Museum or the National Gallery either.

There is a lovely walk on the south bank of the Thames from London County Hall at the Eye, on down past the Globe Theatre. Lots to see, easy to walk, and quite a bit for street shooters, as well.

thonsu

Awesome ideas. Thanks, guys! I'm going to make a list.

divamum

You'll be to the east of Docklands Docklands, but London's excellent public transport makes it easy to get around. It is, however, expensive these days (get an Oyster card for the tube!), so be prepared for sticker shock. Even though public transport is great, it is also a GREAT city for walking - most areas are quite safe by day (and many pretty safe even after dark) and a resident (eg, the brother) can easily tell you which areas to avoid. Definitely recommend putting on some comfortable shoes and venturing out on foot! Also, if you have a travel card, you can usually mix walking with short hops on the bus (this is more complex since public transport privatised, but I suspect there's some kind of day/week card which will let you ride all of them - google around for info).

Are you wanting to hit up the usual sights, eg Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey etc? Plenty of options for picture-taking there. The London Eye offers amazing views, Parliament/the Abbey some of the city's iconic architecture, Tower of London one of the most enjoyable afternoons you can spend doing something "touristy" (one of my favorite visits in the city). St Paul's cathedral is as beautiful as you think it will be.

You can probably find some great walks online (or in published books) which will give you routes for the main sights, and that can be a GREAT way to see things and really soak it all in. Always have a rain jacket or umbrella (no matter how clear the skies look when you leave home!

Parks, parks, parks. Hyde Park and St James' Park in the middle of the modern city (as opposed to The City, which refers to the OLD city of London, which is now east of what is the main city centre). Regent's Park/Primrose Hill to the north is lovely, and actually walkable from the city center (eg Regents Park tube station) if you don't mind a bit of a yomp (I once walked from Charing Cross station to Regent's Park during rush hour because I couldn't bear the thought of the crowds on the tube; it took about 90 minutes, if I recall).

Greenwich Conservatory/Maritime museum complex is another beautiful afternoon, and offers some lovely photo opps.

And if you have time during your trip for a day out of the city, HIGHLY recommend Hampton Court - easily accessible by train and not far outside of London. Another of my favorite places.

Richmond to the west is another beautiful outdoor area, and also accessible by Tube (it's one of the outlying stops on the underground system).

That should keep you busy for a while!!

divamum

Here are some resources for walks:

http://www.walklondon.org.uk/

This one takes in some main sights http://www.londondrum.com/planner/sightseeing-circle-walk.php

This is a page of some guided walks available http://www.walks.com/London_Walks_Home/Sundays_Walks/default.aspx

paulbrock

good views can be had from the top of London's tallest building, the Shard.

thonsu

Thanks for all the help, everyone! My trip was fantastic.

Considering I'm also a time-lapse and video person, I came back with 268GB worth of photos and videos. I'll share some pics when I finish them, but I'm still not even done sorting!