For stills and video shooters from newcomers to pros, The Photography & Video Show is the must-attend event of 2025.
It takes place at Excel London in Custom House, in East London, England – and if you bring your camera (or pick one up in one of the exclusive show deals) I thought I'd round up some of the sights to visit and photograph in the immediate area and beyond.
East London Skyline at Night
This snap was taken toward Canary Wharf, looking out from the river by the Cutty Sark. Getting this perspective is only a short swim from the Excel, but wiser transport options are available (we'll get to that)!
It's an easy shot to get: the camera does all the work for you. The fence there is wide enough to rest a camera on, then I just set the aperture nice and small so you barely need to worry about focus and (if you're in aperture priority) the camera picks a long exposure (a few seconds at least).
Ideally use the timer to start it, so when you press the shutter you don’t wobble the camera – and that’s it. The fact that the water can’t sit still the whole time the little hole is open creates a blurry reflection for you!
Upton Park, Brick Lane and Shoreditch
There's a beautiful mural of the Bollywood actress, Rekha, near Upton Park tube station. Upton Park is the most ethnically diverse part of the UK: 42.5% of the population are Asian and 69% in total are people of color. Green Street, the road the station is on, is a fascinating place where you can get any kind of sari, shalwar kameez, bling, exotic fruit and veg, or curry (try Shinde's Pure Veg).
Equally vibrant and thriving are Brick Lane and Shoreditch, the former full of diverse eateries, the latter full of cool sights to snap, including endless fashionistas and artistic graffiti.
The IFS Cloud Cable Cars (if you're feeling brave)
If you don't have an impressive collection of anxiety disorders like me, you can enjoy what Transport for London describes as "a unique experience 15 minutes from central London on the UK's first and only urban cable car." You'll soar a whopping 90 meters above the ground, where you'll get great views of St Paul's Cathedral, The Gherkin, The Thames Barrier, Maritime Greenwich and Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Alternatively, you can just take photos of them like I did. As I say, I haven't actually been in a cable car as I'm a total wuss – but I would imagine you can take decent photos from inside them through the glass.
Docklands during the day
Docklands and its many iconic cranes are quite atmospheric. No tips on how to take this photo – just point and shoot. However, remember to make sure that you get all of the cranes in shot – don't crop them, or they look really weird.
Finish with a coffee in a London bus
If, like me, you decide not to get on the cable car to the O2 (anyone still call it Millennium Dome?) you can pop into a less mobile means of transport for some people-watching – and one where you needn't worry about layers of curved glass affecting your optics, if you're into a bit of street photography.
The Heroica Lounge is a converted London Bus that's a popular spot for pizza, watching cable car arrivals and Instagramming. It is far from the only means of transport that's been repurposed nearby. Look out for hotels on boats, too!
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