Taking photos in London

[james_tigerwoods]

I'm in London for a few days and I think I might head on over to Covent Garden and/or Leceister Square tonight and/or tomorrow night to take some photos (the alternative being holing up in a bar and drinking myself stupid)

Does anyone know of good spots where I can head on over to take photos - or any advice?

One shot I was thinking of trying is going for a stationary person with people moving in the background with still scenery (does that make sense)? Any advice on that one?

Cheers

JTW

[Simpo Two]

Here's one I took for Timberland in Regent Street. All you really need is a tripod

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 20th August 10:07

[james_tigerwoods]

Nice - what settings?

Looks like I'm in Covent Garden tonight - I've got my camera all primed and my stand (the cheap, rubbish one as the big, proper one was too big for my case....) all ready

[Simpo Two]

james_tigerwoods said:

Nice - what settings?

1.6 secs at f16, ISO 100, 18mm, CW metering +1 EV. I took quite a few to get the peope where I wanted them. Normnally you might have one or two looking in the window, but in this case the shop front needed to be clear. The bus was a bonus!

Behind the scenes, it's been double processed to help with high contrast, and corrected for barrel distortion, so more work thn you might imagine!

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 20th August 11:13

[furtive]

This sort of thing?



Taken by a friend of mine in Covent Garden

Settings used can be found here:
http://www.esses.co.uk/london0506/375_7506.htm

Edited by furtive on Wednesday 20th August 11:15

[james_tigerwoods]

Yeh - I like the tie effect - how's he done that?

[furtive]

Chap in the middle is one of those human statue things so he isn't moving. 3 second exposure means that everyone around him who is moving is blurred. Assume his tie had an old coat hanger in it to make it stand up like that

Edited by furtive on Wednesday 20th August 11:17

[james_tigerwoods]

[quote=furtive]Chap in the middle is one of those human statue things so he isn't moving. 3 second exposure means that everyone around him who is moving is blurred. Assume his tie had an old coat hanger in it to make it stand up like that

[quote]

I did suspect that - I might have a go at that tonight and/or tomorrow

[CVP]

The other options that could be quite nice at night:
1. Just near Tower bridge south side looking downstream with Tower bridge above you
2. The Embankment (north side of river) just upstream from embankment tube stop looking across to the Eye
3. South side of the river just across from the Houses of Parliament
4. On waterloo bridge looking downstream into the City
5. By tate modern on south bank looking across the bridge towards St Paul's

have fun it can be a super place at night just take normal big city precautions

Chris

[james_tigerwoods]

I've just been out from my course near King William street (near Monument station) and in the short little walk I've been on, there's nothing of interest

Covent Garden it is.

And I've had to buy a battery charger as I forgot to bring one and, of course, the battery's nearly flat

Of course, being a country boy, I'm always careful

Edited by james_tigerwoods on Wednesday 20th August 13:27

[CVP]

Good man.

For a charger you can try Jessops on New Oxford Street or Jacobs right across the road (my choice), they are only 15 mins walk or so from Covent Garden. If not there is a London Camera Exchange on the Strand towards the Waterloo bridge end, that's right at the edge of Covent garden.

Chris

[james_tigerwoods]

Dammit - my phone battery's flat too....

I used the Jacobs just outside from where I am - £35 Ah well

I used the nice Pasta place just near it too for a lovely takeaway

[CVP]

At least Jacobs prices are always pretty much on the money and most of their staff know their stuff. lack of charger is a hazard of modern travel I guess.

Chris

[davidd]

james_tigerwoods said:

I've just been out from my course near King William street (near Monument station) and in the short little walk I've been on, there's nothing of interest

You are 5 mins walk from leadenhall st market which is a great location, the lloyds building is round the corner, the tower of london is less than 10 mins walk and of course you are near dirty dicks which is a very important place in ph folklaw..

This is also nearby which is quite interesting (although maybe not at night )

http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/st_dunstan_in_th...


D

[james_tigerwoods]

CVP said:

At least Jacobs prices are always pretty much on the money and most of their staff know their stuff. lack of charger is a hazard of modern travel I guess.

Chris

It came with a car charger so that's something - shame it didn't come with a spare battery

davidd said:

james_tigerwoods said:

I've just been out from my course near King William street (near Monument station) and in the short little walk I've been on, there's nothing of interest

You are 5 mins walk from leadenhall st market which is a great location, the lloyds building is round the corner, the tower of london is less than 10 mins walk and of course you are near dirty dicks which is a very important place in ph folklaw..

This is also nearby which is quite interesting (although maybe not at night )

http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/st_dunstan_in_th...

D

I like that Garden though - The course is on King William street, but my hotel's in Kings Cross (lovely) - I'll be heading over to Covent Garden tonight, so that's my starter for 10

[james_tigerwoods]

I came down here with my spare stand (which is smaller and lighter) but turned out to be pretty rubbish so I was pretty limited to what I could to and I could only stand so still....

This was the first underground photo I took and my favourite



This guy was sat for ages, but this was the best one



Just a bit random



Am not too happy with the next two, but this was an effect I was trying - it was also the very last Victoria train that night and I only had a couple of attempts...

[james_tigerwoods]

Forgot to add - the charger was the wrong bloody one

[CVP]

I like your first one and the more abstract stairs one. Are they not a little funny about taking pictures on the Underground?

Chris

[james_tigerwoods]

CVP said:

I like your first one and the more abstract stairs one. Are they not a little funny about taking pictures on the Underground?

Chris

Thanks - I really like the first one and I think I might do some work on that.

And no, apparently not - I was there a good hour taking photos all over (and deleting a LOT) and in full view of everyone (including some people happy to do stupid poses) - Noone said anything at all and I was fully expecting it too.

James

[nick_bbb]

You got lucky....

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/5296.aspx