London locations
Permits, light and what to expect on the day.
Colonnades, the river, the observatory hill and long views back to the city. That is what brings people to Greenwich with a camera.
| Greenwich | |
|---|---|
| Who controls it | Greenwich Park is a Royal Park, so the portrait permit above applies. |
| Good for | Colonnades, the river, the observatory hill and long views back to the city. |
| Light | The view from the hill works in the evening when the city towers light up behind the subject. |
| Busiest | The park and the town are two different permissions. |
Greenwich Park is a Royal Park, so the portrait permit above applies. The streets and the riverside are the borough, where FilmFixer runs the film office.
Checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the authority before the shoot.
The view from the hill works in the evening when the city towers light up behind the subject.
The park and the town are two different permissions. Plan the shoot on one side or allow time to move between them.
Cutty Sark on the DLR, or the river boat from central London.
Comfortable shoes for the hill and a long lens for the view from the top.
Booking an hour and spending most of it walking up to the observatory.
| Who controls it | More than one authority |
| Permit needed | Yes, from each authority involved |
| Notice to allow | Take the longest notice period |
| Insurance | Ask each one |
| Worth knowing | Confirm which ground you stand on |
| Nearest stations | Cutty Sark on the DLR, or the river boat from central London. |
| What to carry | Comfortable shoes for the hill and a long lens for the view from the top. |
Rules and fees change. Confirm with the authority named above before the shoot, and treat this table as a starting point rather than a permission.
| Where | What it gives you | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| The colonnades at the Old Royal Naval College | Repeating columns | Morning |
| The hill below the Observatory | The skyline behind the subject | Evening |
| Greenwich Market | Covered, timber, warm | Any time, useful in rain |
A location is a corner at an hour, not a postcode. Pick one of these and build the session around it.
An hour in Greenwich is three stops, not one.
We start at The colonnades at the Old Royal Naval College, because it is the frame most people came for and it is quietest first.
Then The hill below the Observatory, which changes the background without changing the light.
We finish at Greenwich Market, which gives a different scale and a different mood.
Autumn, for low light across the park and colour in the trees.
Winter evenings, when the towers across the river light up early.
Summer weekends are very busy with visitors.
Classic shapes suit the architecture.
Long coats work well on the hill, where there is usually wind.
Flat shoes for the climb, which is steeper than it looks.
The covered market.
The Painted Hall and the college buildings, which have their own rules and their own charges.
More than one authority covers this location, so establish which ground your camera stands on before you apply.
A park, a street and a private estate can meet within a hundred metres here.
Apply to each one that applies, and allow the longest of their notice periods.
If the shoot moves during the session, that is more than one permission.
Nearby, with different rules and a different look: Richmond Park, Soho and Hampstead Heath.
The full list of occasions is on event photography in London.
Next step
Send the date and intended use; the current permission route can then be checked before the location is promised.
Send the date, location and what you need photographed.