London Photography Trip Completed

Our 3 days in London taking photographs are over and we are driving back up the M1 to Derbyshire.

We covered a lot of ground, walking everywhere. I have lots of shots of places not previously included in my web library. I took 35 rolls (10 shots per film) and will have Ilford Lab Direct process them to save me a day.

Had a bit of rain last night so unsure how pictures will come out. The shots needed the camera lens pointing up as rain was falling so with up to 40 second exposures the image may be soft or distorted. Shame as it was around the striking Gherkin and Lloyds buildings. Also took Leadenhall Market but this should be fine as under cover.

Some shots impossible because of various obstructions like building work in Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Albert Bridge, near Big Ben, the Victoria roundabout outside Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and a host of other places. If they ever finish it I’m sure it will be fine!

Unspectacular lighting today but managed a few new locations. These included Cleopatra’s Needle, Westminster Abbey, Admiralty Arch, Burlington Arcade, Lincolns Inn and some old style phone boxes grouped together.

One thing is for sure, it has become much more difficult taking pictures in London if you intend to try and sell them. You need permission or a permit in so many places. Some of these cost money which a freelance like me can’t afford.

The restrictions also have an impact on the historical record; I’m taking photographs on archival silver gelatin film to make traditional prints that could last for hundreds of years but I haven’t been able to take the shots so the records will have a bias to personal snapshots which are not restricted in these locations, assuming they are archived at all.

The other problem is that it isn’t obvious who to ask for permission even when I want to. At City Hall the very helpful security manager explained that there were 4 or 5 different organisations to ask around there and the boundaries between them all is not obvious.

Take me back to the hills, I mostly know what I can do there!