London locations
Permits, light and what to expect on the day.
Neon, narrow streets, doorways and late-night colour. That is what brings people to Soho with a camera.
| Soho | |
|---|---|
| Who controls it | Westminster City Council runs its own film and photography service. |
| Good for | Neon, narrow streets, doorways and late-night colour. |
| Light | Soho is a night location. |
| Busiest | Streets here are narrow and busy. |
Westminster City Council runs its own film and photography service. Fees cover the application, the administration and any consultation before it. The film office answers on eventsandfilming@westminster.gov.uk and 020 7641 2390.
Checked on 4 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the authority before the shoot.
Soho is a night location. The mixed light after dark is the point, and it needs a fast lens rather than a bigger crew.
Streets here are narrow and busy. Westminster lists the Soho streets it covers, and a permit is expected for anything beyond a handheld camera.
Tottenham Court Road, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square.
A fast lens and a high ISO body. Lighting a Soho street needs a permit and a crew.
Blocking a doorway. Every door here is somebody's business entrance.
| Who controls it | Westminster City Council film service |
| Permit needed | Yes |
| Notice to allow | Several days |
| Insurance | Ask the film office |
| Worth knowing | Application, administration and consultation fees |
| Nearest stations | Tottenham Court Road, Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. |
| What to carry | A fast lens and a high ISO body. Lighting a Soho street needs a permit and a crew. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Berwick Street | Record shops and signage | Evening |
| Chinatown gates | Red, gold and lanterns | Blue hour |
| Meard Street | Narrow, Georgian, quiet | Any time, it is always shaded |
A location is a corner at an hour, not a postcode. Pick one of these and build the session around it.
An hour in Soho is three stops, not one.
We start at Berwick Street, because it is the frame most people came for and it is quietest first.
Then Chinatown gates, which changes the background without changing the light.
We finish at Meard Street, which gives a different scale and a different mood.
Autumn and winter, because the dark arrives early and Soho is a night location.
Summer evenings work after nine.
December adds street lights and window displays.
Anything with a sheen, which picks up mixed light.
Strong colour under neon reads better than neutrals.
Comfortable shoes: the good frames are spread across many short streets.
Covered passages off Berwick Street.
A pub interior, with the landlord's permission, which is usually given early.
Westminster City Council runs its own filming and photography service.
Fees cover the application itself, the administration of it, and any consultation before you apply.
The film office answers on eventsandfilming@westminster.gov.uk and 020 7641 2390, Monday to Friday.
Westminster publishes the streets it covers, which is worth checking, because a few metres can move you into another authority.
Nearby, with different rules and a different look: Greenwich, Shoreditch and Richmond Park.
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.
For wardrobe-led work, start with the fashion portfolio and editorial service. Compare studio options if the brief needs controlled lighting rather than a street background.
The cost calculator separates photography, wardrobe, studio and travel. There is no location charge from Mariya for the street itself. Send the preferred date, intended use and reference photographs through the enquiry form or WhatsApp Mariya.
Send the date, location and what you need photographed.