J Pixs Loc: NH

Great site for for help & info. I will be traveling to London & am lookig for some suggestions for best places to visit besdes the obvious big tourist sites that would offer great photo opps. Also any lens advice & light weight tripod or would a monopod be better? Thanks for any help.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

My first advice is and will always be, take care, just as I would as a visitor to the US and places I do not know, do NOT go out in London at night with expensive gear on show, ok the main streets like Oxford etc will be find, but stay in the main areas.

You MUST visit the Victoria and Albert, Science and other museums if you have time, Picadilly circus with a wide angle lens and tripod at night.

Don't bring massive lenses, up to 200 will be enough, I would rather carry a tripod for night time on Oxford street.

Some great shots are often missed, like shooting MONO in the underground.

moggey Loc: Salisbury, United Kigdom

Hi J Pixs

Tower bridge is a must, Canary Wharf/Docklands, the underground can produce some stunning shots, there is an over railway at Docklands, ive seen some great shots of this, but I would agree dont take out to much gear, this time of year is ideal, it gets dark early so there are still lots of people about and stick to the main streets, I would take a 10-24 and a 200 to cover most shots.

Cheers

GrahamS Loc: Hertfordshire, U.K

http://photo.tutsplus.com/articles/inspiration/shooting-london-photography-examples-tips/

and if you intend to use a tripod in central London:
http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1647922/met-police-issues-london-photography-guide-lists-photographers-police-officers-rights

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

If you're coming soon be one of the first to get pics (if the weather's good) from the new viewing gallery at the top of Europe's tallest building, The Shard. It opens on Feb 1st .... and no doubt the views will be stunning, morning, noon or night !

Details here .... http://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/

J Pixs Loc: NH

Thanks so much, great ideas just what I was looking for. I will be going tbe 1st part of April for just 4 days & want to get the most out of it then on to Budapest for a trip on the Danube so all suggestions are welcome. Never thought of the underground which is why I love this site.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You should ride on the London Eye, but make reservations ahead of time. We went in Feb aqnd made reservations. When we got there, there were no lines at all and very few people. It was February, though. You might want to take a tour of the HMS Belfast, which could have been the shooting location for that Tower Bridge shot posted here.

Basically, there is too much to see in London. :D

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

Not "too much" to see in London, just "not enough time" for many visitors from the US, Jerry - 4 days won't give JPix a lot of time. And by the way, I think that photo of Tower Bridge you refer to was taken from the embankment and closer to the bridge - and here's a couple of piccies that definitely were taken from the stern of HMS Belfast last summer !!

Tower Bridge from HMS Belfast 1


Tower Bridge from HMS Belfast 2

fergal

Kings Cross and St Pancras - modern and historical architecture, people and the London Transport Police with their sniffer dogs - enjoy

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

There is tons to see. Wet weather gear and good walking shoes. Use fast lenes with nothing longer than 200. Happy shooting. Now since I said Wet weather gear it will probably be sunny.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As I wrote that, I realized that it was like flipping a coin - could have been from either angle.

As for the Belfast, I wonder how long it took crewmembers to know their way around the ship. It's like a maze in there.

This instant trans-Atlantic communication continues to amaze me. Back in the 1970's I had to make a call to England - going through the international operator. It was 24 hrs before the call went through.

farmerjim Loc: Rugby, England

Some great advice and interesting points so far.
There are a number of cultural differences and the following points should be remembered;/....................

1. The best way to stop a double-decker bus is to jump out into the middle of the road and wave your arms at it.

2. When entering a bus or underground train it is customary to shake hands with all the other passengers.

3.The houses of ill repute in London are marked with a blue lamp.

4. To test the famous echo in the dome of St. Pauls Cathedral or the other one in the British Museum Reading Room visitors should shout at the top of their voice .

5.London taxi drivers do not expect a tip and would be offended if you offered one.

6.When a pub says it is a "free house" it means you do not have to pay for the beer.

7. Remember when using the underground to stand on both sides of the escalator in rush hour.

8.If hiring a car, remember that the number of yellow lines along a road indicates the number of hours you can park there for free

9. There are no police-women in London, but many of the more obliging prostitutes demonstrate their willingness to 'dress up' and 'role play' by wearing police-style uniforms and walking the streets.

10.London bus drivers can be a surley bunch but will always smile and perk up if you always pay them with a twenty pound note.

Gramps Loc: Republic of Tejas--Tomball, TX

Our first trip was almost my last anywhere. After grabbing the attached shot I forgot the first thing all North Americans tend to forget, our Brit brothers all drive on the wrong side of the road. After I grabbed Big Ben, I stepped down to a chorus of horns, and "Bloody, Yank, get the hell out of the way". Think it comes from Lucas electronics causing a lot of driving in the dark and drinking warm beer. Have a great time!
P.S. Suggest you don't take farmerjim's rules too seriuosly. My Brit aquaintences all came with a sinister sense of humor!...

Gramps Loc: Republic of Tejas--Tomball, TX

Supply Magic Jack's for all yr Brit aquaintences with a local phone number. It's as if they are calling from next door and free.

steve_icbinb Loc: nr. Rochester, UK

a few thoughts:

visit this this website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
see the links for: Oyster card for visitors (prepaid discounted travel on underground/Docklands light railway etc), Emirates Cable Car (another way to see some of London from above), and, right at the bottom of the page, Getting around London - RIVER. i say this because you can hop on & off the river ferries at will, and there are interesting photo opps to be had from there (Tower Bridge from beneath etc). subject to time you have available, you could visit Greenwich Village (via the river or u/ground) and the Maritime museum, the newly restored Cutty Sark,

http://www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> http://www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark/.

You could also consider an upriver trip to

http://www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace/

If the weather is really miserable, museums may be the way to go: the British Museum is great (free!) for all sorts of interests, ancient Eygpt (real mummies), Roman pottery & artifacts, and of course, the Elgin Marbles (as stolen from Greece....)

whoa! forgot: Kew Gardens (best by train). Botanical specimens from around the world..

http://www.kew.org/

please don't worry about crime in London: yes, hanging around some areas at night with a smart camera can be risky, wear a zippered jacket & wear the camera inside.

this sounds dreadful i know, but beware of scruffy, smelly people (mostly from eastern europe*) trying to engage you or distract you - if you travel alone, you will be approached (i speak from experience...) ignore them & move away. If you have someone with you, then they can watchout while you take pics.

(*There are far more decent people in Europe, East or otherwise, who are perfectly decent citizens and good folks: i know because i've met them! i've also met the 'bad' sort i described above all over Europe too - just they leave me alone as i'm usually in motorcyle clothing..)

hope you have a great time & get some great shots

:thumbup:

addendum: just found this ANSEL ADAMS @ the Maritime Museum!

http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/events/ansel-adams" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/events/ansel-adams

best get up there myself ;)