Want to shoot professional looking photos to capture your London stay? There is beauty around every turn in this magical city. Here’s what you need to know to take photos in London that will fill your Instagram feed with pretty.

1. TIME YOUR TRIP

Late spring or early summer are the best times to visit London. Everything is a lush, rich green and flowers are in bloom. If you can, time your visit with the RHS Chelsea Flower show, or just after. Storefronts are wrapped in blooms making for the most beautiful backdrop.

2. SOURCE IT OUT

If you don’t have an insta-husband (or boyfriend….thank you, Jamie!) willing to snap your pic, it may be worth splurging for a photo shoot. Canada-based vacation photography company, Flytographer, has professional photographers in over 100 cities. They know how to capture beautiful photo memories and have the inside info on where to shoot. On the site, you can browse the portfolio of each photographer in the city you’re visiting and book a session for 30 minutes or more.

3. DO IT YOURSELF

If you are snapping the shots on your own, take time to set up the shot. Vertical lines of buildings should be straight. Be prepared to take a lot of photos and take some time to edit them. There are so many apps that do everything from lighten to remove unwanted elements from pictures. In the shot below on the left, there were a ton of black marks on the white edge of the sidewalk. A little photoshop action, and they’re gone. Again, thanks Jamie!

3. TIME IT RIGHT

London is an incredibly busy city. If you want crowd-free photos of the beautiful architecture or of everyone on your trip, head out early, as in before any stores are open. That’s really the only way to ensure that you get a photo without anyone else in the shot. A slightly cloudy day, or shady spot, is ideal.

4. FIND THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOTS

There are countless spots in London to capture a beautiful photo so a little research ahead of time will help you plan the best location for getting the perfect shot. If you want photos of you and your family, search for a spot near your hotel in case you want to do a wardrobe change. I had so many questions on Instagram asking me if I walked the city in heels. That’s a hard no. I highly recommend wearing flats and bringing heels. Those cobblestones are no joke. These are my tops spots in London to get the perfect pic:

NOTTING HILL

PEGGY PORSCHEN

LIBERTY LONDON

HYDE PARK

CENTRAL LONDON

The views in London inspired me so much that I picked up a paint brush for the first time in years and painted some of my favourite spots. Prints will be available soon in my online shop, Mint House Studio!

If you’d like to see more of our travels to London, come say hi on Instagram. Click on the travel tab at the top of my profile to see behind the scenes fun.

Image Credit: Peggy Porschen