TEN EASY WAYS TO GET GREAT SHOTS OF UK LANDMARKS
Professional photographer Daniel Lewis and Premier Inn have teamed up to provide some useful advice and insights, so here is a selection of tips for dear old Blighty’s most popular structures, landmarks and beauty spots.
1) The London Eye
Don’t have a wide enough lens to capture all of it? Shots of the London Eye don’t need to include the entire wheel, but can be a lot more effective when they partner the architecture of the city, with the glass capsules of the Eye. Head to the Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall for this photo of London both new and old.
2) Buckingham Palace
Head to The Mall to get that iconic, tree lined shot of the Queen Victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace in the distance. The Mall is pedestrianised apart from for Royal occasions, so you’ll be sure to get a great photo whether you’re close up or far away. As with many of the other landmarks, veering away from a traditional head on shot can add atmosphere and perspective, as shown in this image of Buckingham Palace in the evening. The reflections on the pond in St. James Park add depth, and the clever positioning also captures the Queen Victoria Memorial through the trees.
3) Tower Bridge
The banks of the Thames offer multiple opportunities to photograph Tower Bridge but the view from Butler’s Wharf is a winner for many reasons, as you can frame the likes of the Gherkin behind Tower Bridge, while also bringing in the likes of an anchor and chains into the foreground.
5) Durdle Dor, Dorset
What landscape photographer in the south of England hasn’t had a stab at the ‘Dor? The problem is, you can end with very generic shots. The majority of Durdle Door shots are from the bay, pinpointing the famous Jurassic cove, but actually stepping back up the steps and framing the shot with them leads the eye down and makes the most of the full bay and the archway, too.
6) Stonehenge. Wiltshire
The closest you can get to this ancient monument in public opening hours is around 10 yards away, but special access visits outside these hours allow you to get that all-important inner circle photo. As with other large sites surrounded by land, gaining some perspective by including people (yes, that means other visitors) within the shot is a good idea. Part of Stonehenge’s charm is the mystery surrounding how the stones were gathered with no engineering help, so a size comparison helps to illustrate this.
7) Hadrian’s Wall, Carlisle
This 73-mile wall stretches from the east to the west coast of England and would take over a week to walk. But with some inspiring points along the way you can focus on a small area to get the perfect shot without having to tackle the whole distance. Stepping back to include as much of Hadrian’s Wall as possible definitely yields the best shots. Taking a photo from the House stead Roman Fort (the best-preserved fort in the country) allows the frame to show the winding wall as well as its untouched surroundings. Utilising the signage around Hadrian’s Wall also creates an ideal focal point and gives the wall an interesting perspective. This image leads the eye off into the distance and beyond the blue sky.
