London locations
Permits, light and what to expect on the day.
Murals, brick, fire escapes and markets. That is what brings people to Shoreditch with a camera.
| Shoreditch | |
|---|---|
| Who controls it | Hackney runs its own film office, Screen Hackney. |
| Good for | Murals, brick, fire escapes and markets. |
| Light | The light is broken up by tall buildings, so look for the gaps rather than a time of day. |
| Busiest | Murals change constantly. |
Hackney runs its own film office, Screen Hackney. Shooting on street or on council land needs permission, and fees and lead times are set by the office.
Checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the authority before the shoot.
The light is broken up by tall buildings, so look for the gaps rather than a time of day.
Murals change constantly. A wall you scouted in spring may be painted over by summer, so check it the week of the shoot.
Shoreditch High Street and Old Street.
Fast glass. The streets are narrow and the light drops between buildings.
Shooting a mural without checking it is still there.
| Who controls it | Borough film office, run by FilmFixer |
| Permit needed | Depends on the borough land, equipment and disruption |
| Notice to allow | Several days, longer with parking |
| Insurance | Ask the film office |
| Worth knowing | Charges depend on disruption |
| Nearest stations | Shoreditch High Street and Old Street. |
| What to carry | Fast glass. The streets are narrow and the light drops between buildings. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hanbury Street | Large-scale murals | Midday, because the walls need light |
| Redchurch Street | Shopfronts and brick | Late afternoon |
| Columbia Road | Flower market frontage | Early Sunday or any weekday |
A location is a corner at an hour, not a postcode. Pick one of these and build the session around it.
An hour in Shoreditch is three stops, not one.
We start at Hanbury Street, because it is the frame most people came for and it is quietest first.
Then Redchurch Street, which changes the background without changing the light.
We finish at Columbia Road, which gives a different scale and a different mood.
Any season. The background is paint and brick, so weather matters more than the month.
Sunday is the flower market, which is either the point or the problem.
Winter evenings come early, and the neon starts to work.
Strong, simple colour blocks stand up to a busy wall.
Black works everywhere here.
Avoid patterns near a mural: two loud things cancel each other.
Old Spitalfields Market is covered and five minutes away.
The arches under the railway give shelter and a hard, graphic background.
The borough film office is run by FilmFixer, which handles permits for council land and the public highway.
You apply through their system with the location, the date, the crew size and the equipment.
Charges depend on the location and on how much disruption the shoot causes, so a handheld portrait session is treated differently from a lighting setup.
Parking suspensions and road closures are arranged through the same office and need longer notice.
The painted walls are the reason most people come here, and they belong to the buildings rather than to the street.
Some owners ask for a credit, some ask for a fee, and some painters object to their work selling a product.
For a personal portrait nobody minds. For a brand campaign, find out who owns the wall.
The markets add a second layer. Brick Lane and Columbia Road are at their best early, before the stalls are surrounded.
Nearby, with different rules and a different look: Soho, Kensington and Greenwich.
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.