My Top 10 London Photo Spots and Exactly Where to Stand

★1 Buckingham Palace from the lake bridge in St. James’s Park

One of the best photos of Buckingham Palace is from the centre of the lake bridge in St. James’s Park. If you position yourself in the right spot then you can get the golden-topped Queen Victoria Memorial in the frame as well.

If you then turn around 180-degrees then you’ll have another fantastic shot of Horse Guards beyond the fountain, and the Disneyland-like turrets of the Royal Horseguards Hotel coming up behind.

★2 Selfie with the Horse Guards on Whitehall (Before 4 PM)

Getting a selfie next to a soldier is another tourist favourite. There are actually a couple of different places you can do it, but the most popular by far is standing in front of the sentry boxes on Whitehall, at the entrance to Horse Guards.

If you arrive before 4 PM then the soldiers will be sitting astride two huge military horses. Tourists take it in turns to tip-toe up to them and hope they don’t lash out (the horses are huge!). If they took a shimmie sideways then they’d probably break your toes, but hey, at least you’ll get a great photo!

If you arrive after the Dismounting Ceremony then the horses will be gone and you’ll have to take it next to a Foot Guard instead.

The other place to get a selfie with a soldier is outside Waterloo Barracks in the Tower of London. The Yeoman Warders (aka Beefeaters) are usually happy to pose for a photo as well.

★3 Tower Bridge with the Drawbridge Up (Best from Butler’s Wharf)

The best time to take a photo at Tower Bridge is when the drawbridge opens up for a boat. On average it opens three times a day, but only a few of those are publicised in advance so you either have to get lucky or check out my page of scheduled lift times.

There are five different places you can stand for a good shot of Tower Bridge: on the riverwalk in front of the Tower of London, on the opposite bank by the old City Hall, on the bank by St. Katharine Dock, or over by Butler’s Wharf. Most tourists will just do it by the Tower of London, but the leafy trees tend to get in the way there. I think the best shot is actually from Butler’s Wharf.

The fifth place you can stand is in the middle of London Bridge. It’s a lot further away, but you get the bonus of having HMS Belfast in the frame as well.

★4 Changing the Guard (Get to the Railings 90 Minutes Early)

When tourists come to London the first thing they want to see is Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace. (There must be a secret law that compels them to march down The Mall as soon as they get off the plane – that might explain why it’s always so packed.)

If you want to get the best photograph of the soldiers then you need to stand right up against the railings. Unfortunately that means you have to get there at least 90 minutes before it starts (and that’s not an exaggeration!). Read my review of the ceremony before you go because I go into detail about the best time to arrive and the best place to stand.

★5 Big Ben from halfway across Westminster Bridge

If tourists were only allowed to take one photograph then it probably be of Big Ben. But where’s the best place to stand? Most people just plump for the simple shot in Parliament Square, but I think the best photo is actually from Westminster Bridge.

Walk halfway across the bridge, or stand over by the Boudicca statue on her chariot, and take it from there. Alternatively you can walk right across the bridge and turn right onto the riverside path (in front of St. Thomas’s Hospital). That will give you a great shot of the Houses of Parliament across the river.

★6 Piccadilly Circus Lights - Best Seen at Night

Piccadilly Circus is one of the busiest tourist spots in the city. People gather here whilst they’re trying to decide what to do with their day. Shall we go down Regent’s Street? Over to Leicester Square? Trafalgar Square? They sit on the steps of the Eros Fountain take photos of the huge lighted advertising signs over the road. If you want the best photograph then try and do it at night.

★7 View of London from the Top of The Shard

The Shard is the highest observation deck in London – 72 floors up. It’s quite scary standing next to the window because the glass goes all the way down to your toes, and you almost feel like you’re leaning over the edge.

It’s so high up that it’s easy to imagine yourself coming in to the city on an airplane – maybe on one of those business jets that fly into London City Airport. You can see all the rooftops and roads and the trains snaking their way along miles of thin little train tracks.

If you’re feeling especially brave then you walk up another level where some of the walls have been left open to the sky. Hearing the roar of the wind and the airplane engines going past is a little bit scary!

★8 London Eye: For The Best View of Big Ben and Parliament

The London Eye is another popular photo spot for tourists. Once your pod arches over the top of the wheel I think you’ll be treated to the best view of Big Ben in the whole of London.

A lot of landmarks are a little bit too far away for a good shot, but it’s interesting to look down upon Horse Guards Parade and see Buckingham Palace nestled behind the trees of St. James’s Park.

★9 St. Paul’s Cathedral from Waterloo Bridge

St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in London, so you’re obviously going to want to take a photograph of it. But where from? The most celebrated shot is from the centre of Waterloo Bridge.

★10 Sitting Astride a Lion at Nelson’s Column

Tourists love climbing on the back of the lions by Nelson’s Column. But be careful – they really are high! The only thing that will cushion your fall is the concrete.

Updated by Craig Cross

on 30 October 2026

Start the discussion

What do you think? Share your thoughts

Be the first to talk about this

Be the first to comment (no need to register)

Forum - Landmarks, Attractions & Events

London Squire book London Squire guidebook – Check out my guidebook available to buy at Amazon, Apple and Kobo. I’ve personally visited 210 London landmarks, attractions and hotels and collected all of my reviews, example itineraries, handy practical info, and advice about using the buses and trains into an eBook, along with 675 original photos