Help! Surprise trip to London... what to shoot??

[KarenAylwood]

I just found out that my company is sending me to the UK for a whole week coming up in November or December! AH! So I'm taking advantage and spending two days in London while I'm over there.

What are the greatest places to photograph? I need to start planning soon and booking airfare, hotel, things to see, etc. This was a total surprise and I don't have long to plan it. I want to make the most of the two days I'll have.

Anyone been to London? Anything exciting I need to make sure I see/shoot??

 

[GrillMouster]

Get in your major landmarks, like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, London Eye, etc. Those will serve as "establishing shots". If you can, try capturing them in a way you don't often see. Then have fun with detail shots and any little scene or back alley that seems interesting and unique to the city. For me, its those detail shots that really tell the story and give the feel of being there, rather than the touristy shots.

 

[Pugrpooh]

Go to some of the parks, like Regents Park, Hyde Park, St. James Park. We were there over Christmas one year and they had flowers blooming in the parks, mainly primroses I remember. Lots of different kinds of ducks, geese and swans.

Definitely travel via the underground. I've been to London three times, but never with a very good camera. In fact, I had a nice camera on the Christmas trip which I left on the plane when I got off in London. I can imagine some very interesting pictures taken in some of the underground stations. It's not a trip to London without going there.

Don't try to take pictures inside Harrod's. My dad did and he had to give up his film.

Do a lot of walking too. You come across squares and nice churches and buildings that you'd miss otherwise.

I'd love to go back!

 

[alan]

Be prepared for lousy weather... The UK in November and December can be cold, wet and windy, and from what I understand, that's a little different from Virginia!

Also, it gets light quite late and dark quite early by that time (you can have basically lost daylight by around 4pm in December)

So you might want to also research the rules on photography in some of the good indoor locations - the Natural History museum, the British museum, Tate modern and so on. Just in case the weather is against you.

Where will you be for the rest of the time?

regards,
/alan

 

[millys]

Hi Karen

I live just north of London and often travel into the capital for both work and pleasure.
If there are any specific landmarks or areas that you are planning to visit then let me know and I will try to help you out with some information.

We took our 15 year old daughter to a somewhat lesser known attraction last week - Camden Market - a really great place to "people watch" and soak up some of the busy London Street atmosphere. A very trendy place for young people to "hang out" and very diverse. It's a bustling market and is just a short taxi ride (or walk if you are able) from Regents Park and the London Zoo. I say walk if you are able because there are some of the finest examples of regency town houses along this route and its a very photogenic setting.

This website is quite old but is still relevant and is a good starting point for reference - http://photo.net/uk/london

You certainly will not be short of photographic opportunity - but it really depends on your taste and style as to where best to guide you.
December would be a great time to see Regent Street and the Christmas Lights - Carnaby Street is usually a great atmosphere and the big Hamley's Toy Store in Regent Street has some excellent window displays.
The River Thames is a really great place too - Westminster Cathedral, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are all close to each other and if you are adventurous then a trip on the London Eye will offer spectacular panoramas of the city.
Buckingham Palace and The Mall, St Pauls Cathedral, 10 Downing Street......too many places and not enough time really!
If I can help then let me know?

Milly

 

[matthew_hull]

Kew Gardens: http://www.kew.org/

 

[webshark3]

I'm hoping they've relaxed a bit. This is nothing to worry about, but something to keep in the back of your mind. London has had a few high profile incidents of equating photographers with terrorists.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Police-issue-London-photography-guidelines-11823

Just remember that police there may have a few more rights to view or confiscate, than in the U.S. I often forget when I travel to another country, my U.S. rights cease to exist.

http://boingboing.net/2009/01/11/another-london-photo.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/14/photographer_not_terrorist/
And this one really boiled people's blood when it came out. Heaven forbid you have a once of creativity and photograph a interesting sewer pipe. The average person might find that "odd."
http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/counter_terrorism/ct_camera_2008.pdf

Pugr I'm surprised about Harrods. I shot pretty freely in there in 2006. It's such a major tourist attraction. Of course, I didn't use a flash, so maybe I just didn't draw attention. But I did see many others with cameras.

 

[KarenAylwood]

Just bumping because I leave on Saturday

I'm still working out London plans, but I bought the Tokina 11-16 which I'm super excited about bringing with me!! Anymore tips would be helpful- thanks for the Christmas lights tips- I looked a few spots up online and Regent sounds great.

Does anyone know if pictures from the London Eye would be worth it during the day in the winter? I'm so afraid of it being overcast and not being able to see anything!

 

[Chikabowa]

I LOVE London. One of my favorite places in the world. The vibe there just gets me.

You'll have so much fun - I just had to post that I'm jealous and I hope you'll share your pics when you are back!

 

[manning]

I don't know what camera equipment you have.

The first thing you want to do before you leave the states is register your camera equipment with U.S. Customs in case they question whether you have to pay duty on it.

The law is anything made outside the U.S. is subject to duty. If you bring that camera into the U.S. 20 times you are subject to paying duty 20 times on that camera unless you can prove duty has already been paid. Obviously when you leave the states with it duty has already been paid. You have to prove it.

To do that you take the camera and other equipment to customs and fill out a form listing the items with serial numbers (there has to be a serial number on the item in order to do it). It is either CBP Form 4455 or CBP Form 4457.

You can do this at the custom office located at the airport.

You present the filled out form and equipment to an agent for his inspection. He will then sign the form.

I was challenged once but I also had about six lenses and an SLR. All I did was show the form and everything was fine.

When you re-enter the States and a custom agent wants to charge you duty you then show him/her the form.

 

[KarenAylwood]

I don't know what camera equipment you have.

The first thing you want to do before you leave the states is register your camera equipment with U.S. Customs in case they question whether you have to pay duty on it.

The law is anything made outside the U.S. is subject to duty. If you bring that camera into the U.S. 20 times you are subject to paying duty 20 times on that camera unless you can prove duty has already been paid. Obviously when you leave the states with it duty has already been paid. You have to prove it.

To do that you take the camera and other equipment to customs and fill out a form listing the items with serial numbers (there has to be a serial number on the item in order to do it). It is either CBP Form 4455 or CBP Form 4457.

You can do this at the custom office located at the airport.

You present the filled out form and equipment to an agent for his inspection. He will then sign the form.

I was challenged once but I also had about six lenses and an SLR. All I did was show the form and everything was fine.

When you re-enter the States and a custom agent wants to charge you duty you then show him/her the form.

Oh wow I didn't know any of that. I'm taking a flight to Newark from here and then going to Manchester from there, so I'd just do it when I get to Newark? Would I have to do this with a laptop too? I'm travelling with one on business. I asked my coworker who went last June and she wasn't questioned at all about her laptop.

I've got a Canon XSi w/ the 18-200mm, Tokina 11-16mm, Sigma 30mm and was thinking of throwing my kit lens in my suitcase as a backup for the 18-200. Do I have to have all of them in my carryon? I don't much care about the kit, and have travelled with it in my suitcase before.

 

[manning]

Oh wow I didn't know any of that. I'm taking a flight to Newark from here and then going to Manchester from there, so I'd just do it when I get to Newark? Would I have to do this with a laptop too? I'm travelling with one on business. I asked my coworker who went last June and she wasn't questioned at all about her laptop.

I've got a Canon XSi w/ the 18-200mm, Tokina 11-16mm, Sigma 30mm and was thinking of throwing my kit lens in my suitcase as a backup for the 18-200. Do I have to have all of them in my carryon? I don't much care about the kit, and have travelled with it in my suitcase before.

If there is a custom office there, yes. If international flights arrive there, there will be a custome office there. Anything that is foreign made it applies to. Another way is if you have your purchase receipts showing you purchased them here would, I believe, be enough. However the custom form would be the best way to go. More than likely they would be more interested in the photo eqiuipment over the laptop. There are a lot of business travellers with them today. If you have a lot of info on it they would be inclined to say ok. However a clean hard drive may cause them to question you. One of my jobs when I worked for a major company was handling custom matters. I have long been retired before laptops became common.

Chances are you may not be challenged. You don't know what the orders for the day are or the attitude of the agent on duty. Also those agents know how to read people and know how to key in on those who are trying to pull something.

One time coming back from Canada by car with my wife they asked where you were born. She is a naturalized citizen. She had her papers and because I was born here didn't have any. He asked me all sorts of questions. Later I found out he was listening for an accent and how I was acting.

It doesn't matter where it is packed. You will have all your luggage with you when you go thru customs. They will either check all your luggage, pick what they want to look at or not look at anything. Just make sure you list everything you bought on the declaration form you will be asked to fill out while on the flight. If you realize you forgot something to list while in line just point it out to the agent before they go thru your luggage. The key is you tell them before they see it.

Don't worry about anything. If you can go over to customs before your flight and register them, including the laptop, do it. It just makes things easier. If you can't, don't worry about it. The key to going thru custom is to be nice and polite.

That form is good anytime you enter the states. As long you don't have more or different items to add you don't have to register them every time you travel. Just have the form with you.



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