London in Xmas Week

I am planning on heading to London on Dec 17th for a week. I was wondering what to expect weather wise in late December in London. I love architecture photography, probably will take my two 5DMk2 bodies and 16-35Mk2 and 24-70.

I may take the train to Paris for couple of days as well.

Any comments on the gear and weather will be greatly appriciated.

Regards.

Britis are nervous about terror.

Make sure you have easily available identification; enough to satisfy a serious British police officer.

Paris has big things, so be prepared to stand back, tilt the camera, and put up with distortion.

I regret not having enough photos of food from both cities.

Learn the sun patterns so you can plan your tours in a way that has the sun shining on what you want to photograph.

Had to laugh a little when I read your question about London weather.... discussing weather is one of the british favourite pass-time

Basically you can expect ANYTHING from clear blue sky days to grey overcast to rain maybe even snow.
In the UK, anything is possible at any time I'd say. You just gotta be lucky...

Oh, and: Always carry an umbrella

Thanks! I am just going there for photography.

Currently 3 degrees celcius and clear. Could be anything from tsunami to arctic to dessert conditions by the time you get here. As the previous poster wrote, t

Four seasons in one day. Though probably not summer. Don't pack shorts or sunscreen!

What people have said about the weather is true but not what BAK has wrote about the police. There are thousands of tourists with cameras every where you go. I have been to London many times with a dslr and have never been approached by the police. You may hear stories occasionaly but if you think of the amount of people visiting with cameras it is very unlikely you will have any problems as long as you're sensible.

BAK said:

Britis are nervous about terror.

Make sure you have easily available identification; enough to satisfy a serious British police officer.

Paris has big things, so be prepared to stand back, tilt the camera, and put up with distortion.

I regret not having enough photos of food from both cities.

Learn the sun patterns so you can plan your tours in a way that has the sun shining on what you want to photograph.

Click to expand...

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http://www.pbase.com/kphphotography
http://www.surreyphoto.co.uk

KPH said:

You may hear stories occasionaly but if you think of the amount of people visiting with cameras it is very unlikely you will have any problems as long as you're sensible.

Click to expand...

I beg to differ, decisively! It all depends on where you're going obviously, but there IS a problem with police for photographers in certain places. Trafalgar Square is alright, surely. But not with a tripod (all depending on the officer's mood... but it's NOT rare). Liverpool Street Station is another 'hottie'.

That said, if you do get approached by a cop, just stay friendly and talk to them. If it's one of those cops that are having a bad day & on a power trip, you can refer to the law and that it IS indeed legal to take pictures in public areas.

Check this page:
http://photographernotaterrorist.org/

You miss the part about two big cameras and two big lenses?

BAK

This is what I'd do: Hope for good weather, never walk around with both bodies visible whilst shooting (in which case I'd leave one body at home to save weight... and make the most of it / enjoy.

"Any comments on the gear and weather will be greatly appriciated."

Gear. Probably not a comment you'll appreciate - but I sold my 5d and six lenses a few months ago to work/walk with a Panasonic G1. I fit the 7-14 for daytime and the 20mm 1.7 for after dark. And I get more 'keepers'.

Two thirds of every day you are in London will be dark at that time of year - hence the value of a really fast lens. And if you have a camera that is too obtrusive to take into the pubs (something unique to GB - more so than the architecture) you'll miss a lot of opportunities.

The weather. Well, be prepared for grey drizzle. Today it is clear blue skies here and 32 degrees F - but we are counting ourselves lucky. This is not the norm.

To elaborate on BAK's comment about security (BAK is a closet Brit living in Canada) it is more about the police being edgy than the public. We have to get on with life. I used to employ one of the youngsters who was sadly killed in the 7/7 incidents on her way to work at my office. I live six miles from Piccadilly Circus but travel into the centre with no thought of 'danger'. On the other hand our police force have taken a real battering this week with students rioting against university fees so no wonder they are a bit hyped up from time to time. Treat them with dignity and accept they have a horrid job to do.

Any help?

Tony
London SW6

Thank you! It is very helpful!

" Brits are nervous about terror. " No we are not. We deal with whatever happens. Our Police Force however are disgracefully paranoid and will threaten someone with a camera with powers that they do not have.

Basic rules in the UK.

If on non-private, ie public property one has the right to shoot whatever one wishes, with the exception of the Military [MoD, RAF, USAF & other well identified places]. There is peculiar law as to the prohibition of photography of Officers of the Law in Pursuit of their Duty. [Basically, if you see blue flashing lights / hear the blues & twos, be very discreet.].

Plods and PSCOs [civilian pretend coppers with no powers what so ever !] are to watch for, be firm within your rights.
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All comments are purely personal and generally based on my experience.
What I state is an opinion; I may well be wrong.

" Brits are nervous about terror. " No we are not. We deal with whatever happens. Our Police Force however are disgracefully paranoid and will threaten someone with a camera with powers that they do not have.

Basic rules in the UK.

If on non-private, ie public property one has the right to shoot whatever one wishes, with the exception of the Military [MoD, RAF, USAF & other well identified places]. There is peculiar law as to the prohibition of photography of Officers of the Law in Pursuit of their Duty. [Basically, if you see blue flashing lights / hear the blues & twos, be very discreet.].

Plods and PSCOs [civilian pretend coppers with no powers what so ever !] are to watch for, be firm within your rights.

I agree, only have one body out at a time.

I was in London yesterday, very cold but sunny and blue sky! Walked around Westminster and there were alot of police about and thosands of tourists with cameras, many with dslrs a few with tripods. Also alot of small film crews wandering about. I think the chances of being stopped by the police is very slim and most are quite friendly as long as you don't look like a student at the moment
Here's one from yesterday.

BSHolland said:

This is what I'd do: Hope for good weather, never walk around with both bodies visible whilst shooting (in which case I'd leave one body at home to save weight... and make the most of it / enjoy.

Click to expand...

--
http://www.pbase.com/kphphotography
http://www.surreyphoto.co.uk