Photo Backdrops / Locations in London

[AdrianD]

I'm working in London over the next couple of days so while I'm there i thought it would be rude not to take the camera up. I'd like to get some night time shots of the RS4 utilising some of London's backdrops, be it iconic buildings or just some unusual surroundings.

Can anyone recommend anywhere? It'll be late at night, probably around midnight'ish so i'm hoping the roads wont be silly busy...

To give you an idea of what i'm hoping to achieve here's some i took of my 911 last year in my local town...

This was taken under a railway bridge



And this one was in a multi story car park

[bam_bam]

- Shoreditch tube station underpass (from the Commercial road side).
- The Spitalfeilds wrought iron side gates, either parked in Gunn street or Brushfield street or Lamb street (watch out for the street walkin' whores).
- The Llyod's building, Leadenhall market or the Gherkin (corny but worth a look).
- You could park on one of the bridges (legal parking), get a backdrop of the city skyline at night (St. Paul's etc).
- There are some low lying roads on the north bank just past Parliament that you could get a backdrop of lit bridges and the London Eye. Bit further up you might be able to get a shot of the Battersea Powerstation (my favourite London building).
- London Bridge / Borough area has some great railway arches. The Borough Market painted high gates are awesome too.
- The south side of Smithfeild meat market is a cool back drop but it's rammed with trucks quiet often late at night and early morning. Some great old-school all-night greasy spoons around the meat market with radioactive light, you could get some motion-blur inside the cafe and some good reflections on the car. There's an all-nighter just next to the Bishop's Finger (*snigger*) pub on Long Lane in Smithfield's.
- There's a New York style bar/cafe on Kingsland Road at the rail bridge, Hoxton end. It usually has a New York yellow cab parked upfront, could be an interesting shot. There's also an old cobbled London lane directly opposite with warehouses either side, and an old iron gated courtyard. Lighting isn't great at night but the scene is spot on.
- Beech street underpass tunnel in Baribican has very industrial strip lighting, good echo for a quick blatt too.

There are loads more but these are the one's I've considered or noticed.

[Mr V10]

Very informative BamBam, I'm taking note as would do this someday too.

Adrian - Your 996 looks brilliant, great shots too. Your obviously not a rookie, are you going to get some shots of your B7 too?

[sonny]

Bam Bam knows all the dingy back street haunts. Im impressed Sir.

[bam_bam]

Bam Bam knows all the dingy back street haunts. Im impressed Sir.

I like how you said impressed, instead of surprised. I've been walking, cycling or driving around London all-hours after dark for more than 11 years. I still see new stuff all the time but it seems my eye is cast lower and attracted to the seedier, darkside of London compared to most others. No surprises there huh? I London, mostly.

"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
— Samuel Johnson

[AdrianD]

- Shoreditch tube station underpass (from the Commercial road side).
- The Spitalfeilds wrought iron side gates, either parked in Gunn street or Brushfield street or Lamb street (watch out for the street walkin' whores).
- The Llyod's building, Leadenhall market or the Gherkin (corny but worth a look).
- You could park on one of the bridges (legal parking), get a backdrop of the city skyline at night (St. Paul's etc).
- There are some low lying roads on the north bank just past Parliament that you could get a backdrop of lit bridges and the London Eye. Bit further up you might be able to get a shot of the Battersea Powerstation (my favourite London building).
- London Bridge / Borough area has some great railway arches. The Borough Market painted high gates are awesome too.
- The south side of Smithfeild meat market is a cool back drop but it's rammed with trucks quiet often late at night and early morning. Some great old-school all-night greasy spoons around the meat market with radioactive light, you could get some motion-blur inside the cafe and some good reflections on the car. There's an all-nighter just next to the Bishop's Finger (*snigger*) pub on Long Lane in Smithfield's.
- There's a New York style bar/cafe on Kingsland Road at the rail bridge, Hoxton end. It usually has a New York yellow cab parked upfront, could be an interesting shot. There's also an old cobbled London lane directly opposite with warehouses either side, and an old iron gated courtyard. Lighting isn't great at night but the scene is spot on.
- Beech street underpass tunnel in Baribican has very industrial strip lighting, good echo for a quick blatt too.

There are loads more but these are the one's I've considered or noticed.

Wow, bloody glad i asked now, thats fantastic mate... no idea where most of them are but i'll be googling and street mapping them tonight

[AdrianD]

Adrian - Your 996 looks brilliant, great shots too. Your obviously not a rookie, are you going to get some shots of your B7 too?

Thanks bud, yeah these will be of the RS4... Not a rookie of taking photos but i am when it comes to cars, they're harder than people to get right lol