Going to London, any advice?

[cabrosh]

Business is taking my husband to London, and since most of the cost is already covered, I'm tagging along. I'm planning to take a 7D, a G9, a 17-55 lens, a 70-300 lens, lots of CF cards, a laptop for downloading, blank DVDs, a camera rain jacket, extra battery, battery charger, photographer's vest, camera bag, adapter plug and polarizing lenses. Both the battery charger and laptop are supposed to work on UK current. I'm don't think I'll take a Speedlite or tripod; luggage space is very limited, and many places don't allow either one. Am I forgetting anything?

I plan to see touristy stuff - museums, gardens, historic buildings - with an emphasis on free/cheap and "photography allowed". We are going on the London Eye, although it looks like the air is too hazy for good photos. I plan to get up and take daybreak shots, but the time difference will be a killer.

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[subscuck]

Am I forgetting anything?

Money. Lots of it. Very expensive city in a very expensive country. I took my son in '09 and we loved it. It's a great city with a lot of history and well worth seeing. I'm envious, I would love to go back. There are free museums and such, and mass transit is phenomenal all over western europe. Have fun and post pics when you get back.

 

[vtf]

Heard there's a big parade or something coming up. Has to do with a wedding I think. Keep your eyes open.

 

[Stryker]

4 and 6 stop ND filters and a blower wont add too much weight

 

[kundalini]

I had been living in London for a couple of years and my mother finally came to visit. We took one of the city tour busses (the open top kind) and it was actually pretty good. I saw parts of London that I hadn't been to. You can find them easily at Hyde Park.

Go to Soho at night for an eye opener. Tate Modern is a nice gallery. Make sure you get at least one Full English Breakfast.

 

[Texas Aggie]

Go to Soho at night for an eye opener.

There's a soho over there too? interesting.

 

[Forkie]

Go to Soho at night for an eye opener.

There's a soho over there too? interesting.

LOL, we had it first!! Don't worry about where you are or are not allowed to take photos, you can take photos everywhere. Most museums don't allow tripods and some other don't allow flash, but in most places you'll be fine - best of all, all the museums are free!

It can get hazy on the London Eye at this time of year, but I took this in November and it turned out fine:

Waterloo by Forkie, on Flickr

If you go down to South Bank, particularly at the weekend, there are a lot of street performers which are fun to shoot, also in Covent Garden which is famous for it's street shows (and it's beautiful market).

Also, you MUST get to Camden Town for some photos. There are all manner of sub-cultures there - Goths, Punks, Ravers, and everything in between to shoot!

I love this city so I could go on all day, but I'll stop now - I'm getting carried away!

 

[enzodm]

A couple of markets can be interesting too (Portobello and Camden Town at least -EDIT I missed the previous suggestion on it, of course I agree).
As a side suggestion, museums are free, but there is the possibility to give some money. Since the free museum idea is beautiful but expensive, leave some change there as a support for culture .
I miss fron London since... 6 years now, before I was there once or twice a year. I should come again.

 

[Trever1t]

Don't forget a rain coat!

 

[digital flower]

Leave your sunglasses at home

 

[Forkie]

We have 20 degrees Celsius and bright sunshine today I'll have you know!!

 

[JamesB]

Depending on exactly when you're over here, Kew Gardens can be absolutely gorgeous, but it's not free. Like someone else has mentioned, the museums and art galleries are virtually all free, and you can take photos in the museums at least (I don't know about the galleries, that's never really been my thing)

Spitalfields Market (near Liverpool Street station) is bright and colourful on a Sunday, and worth a visit

There are some nice views and photos to be had along Regent's Canal if you walk up it from Camden Markets to the Zoo


The only other thing i'd say is that, having only just started getting into photography myself, i've had a lot less hassle wandering around London than I was expecting from some of things i'd read, even when I was putting a tripod up.

 

[Robin Usagani]

bring an umbrella or rain coat? LOL

 

[cabrosh]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. I will put a blower in. No ND filters - I upgraded in December and am going to have to replace a lot of stuff. (Shocked at what a good 77mm filter costs!) I've got a general idea of what to expect for weather, since we lived there for a couple years in the late '70's. As I recall April could be chilly, but wasn't all that rainy. Will watch for the parade. We're going to be there early in the month, am hoping to miss the wedding chaos. Loved the shot of the Eye - what PP did you do? Good idea on the bus, too. I'm getting an Oyster Card, assume it's good on those. And we're so lucky, the firm put us in a hotel near Covent Garden, right in the middle of everything. Kew Gardens is on the if-we-have-time list, will try to work in a market or two. I thought maybe Hampton Court Palace instead of the Tower? H.C.P.'s attitude seems to be "photograph anything that's not on loan, and feel free to use a flash", while the Tower has a lot off limits. And I do want to see Regent's Park, especially Queen Mary's Garden. Maybe a visit to Camden Market, then a walk down the canal. Do people at Camden Market get upset about being photographed? Soho was pretty kinky 30 years ago, can't imagine what it's like now. Should I be tipping any street performer I photograph, and if so how much? Only seems fair.

 

[Forkie]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. I will put a blower in. No ND filters - I upgraded in December and am going to have to replace a lot of stuff. (Shocked at what a good 77mm filter costs!) I've got a general idea of what to expect for weather, since we lived there for a couple years in the late '70's. As I recall April could be chilly, but wasn't all that rainy. Will watch for the parade. We're going to be there early in the month, am hoping to miss the wedding chaos. Loved the shot of the Eye - what PP did you do? Good idea on the bus, too. I'm getting an Oyster Card, assume it's good on those. And we're so lucky, the firm put us in a hotel near Covent Garden, right in the middle of everything. Kew Gardens is on the if-we-have-time list, will try to work in a market or two. I thought maybe Hampton Court Palace instead of the Tower? H.C.P.'s attitude seems to be "photograph anything that's not on loan, and feel free to use a flash", while the Tower has a lot off limits. And I do want to see Regent's Park, especially Queen Mary's Garden. Maybe a visit to Camden Market, then a walk down the canal. Do people at Camden Market get upset about being photographed? Soho was pretty kinky 30 years ago, can't imagine what it's like now. Should I be tipping any street performer I photograph, and if so how much? Only seems fair.

My shot isn't of the Eye, but rather from it! Not much PP other than contrast adjustment and darkening the sky a bit.

Just some notes:

• Oyster Cards won't work on the open-top tourist buses, only on the regular transport (big red) buses.
• You don't have to tip the street performers, although they always have a hat out for change - a couple of quid should do it.
• Unless you're shooting the Camden folk from afar without their knowledge, a close up shot might be worth asking permission for - as you would any other stranger, really.
• As far as I remember, the Tower of London are OK for you to take photos (though no tripod and probably no flash), except for the Crown Jewels, for obvious reasons. You can get plenty of shots of the buildings, the Beefeaters and the Ravens though!
• Something that might be worth doing - I did this for the first time in December - get a Thames Clipper boat from Embankment to Greenwich. It's a great way to see the city from a different point of view and the views, particularly of Canary Wharf and the Old Royal Naval College are stunning. It costs about £7.