Outdoor meeting points
A few outfit ideas are suggested below for each spot, based on what genuinely suits the space, but none of it is locked in. If something else in the outfit guide speaks to you more, go with that instead.
Shoreditch
Brick walls, iron railings, and industrial shutters sit right up against glass-fronted offices and independent boutiques, the area's whole identity built on that contrast, East End warehouse turned creative hub, market stalls and startups sharing the same block. Street art shifts from wall to wall, sometimes week to week, meeting at Shoreditch High Street Station. It's a place that rewards a bit of edge and doesn't ask permission first.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Barbican Estate
Raw brutalist concrete, covered walkways, and geometric shadows dominate at street level, meeting from Barbican Underground Station, but the estate is really a maze underneath that first impression, elevated highwalks, quiet internal courtyards, and multi-level car parks most people walking past never notice. That layered, slightly hidden quality suits something with real texture or a genuine clash of colour against all that grey.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Shad Thames / London Bridge
Victorian iron bridges, cobbled lanes, and old spice warehouse brick, once the working edge of the docks, now converted into some of the most atmospheric streets in London, meeting at Potter's Field Park on the Queen's Walk. Direct access onto the river itself puts Tower Bridge low in frame from the water's edge, a genuinely different angle on it than the usual postcard view. Somewhere between undone and considered suits this one, lived-in rather than polished.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →St Paul's
St Paul's Cathedral itself anchors this one, Wren's dome rising over a modern colonnaded plaza at Paternoster Square, centuries-old stone set directly against contemporary architecture. It's grand without trying, serious in a way that doesn't need decoration. Dark, considered pieces hold their own here rather than compete with it.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Covent Garden / Soho
Stone columns and an arched market hall open onto Covent Garden's piazza, street performers and market stalls keeping it genuinely alive rather than just pretty, meeting from Covent Garden Station. Beyond the piazza itself, a real network of narrow passages threads through into Soho, and Oxford Street's busier energy is close enough to lean on if a shoot wants that backdrop instead. It's a place that can go quietly elegant or properly dressed up, depending which direction you take it.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Westminster / St James
Grand government buildings and wide, ceremonial pavements meeting from the Duke of York Column, one of the most recognisably formal stretches of London, St James's Park just beside it softening the edges. Everything about the scale here reads establishment, deliberate, considered, built to be looked at. It calls for something equally put together, not necessarily loud, but never careless.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Notting Hill
Coloured mews houses and cobblestone streets meeting from Notting Hill Gate Station, Portobello Road's market energy just around the corner if you want it, quieter garden squares just off it if you don't. The pastel doors and townhouse fronts are the real draw here, genuinely one of the few spots in London where colour is the backdrop rather than something you bring yourself. Worth leaning into that rather than fighting it.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Bank
Pale stone facades, grand columns, and wide marble steps on Threadneedle Street, right at the historic heart of the City, the Bank of England and the Royal Exchange both within sight of where you'd stand. It's a place built entirely around the idea of permanence and weight, everything about it says money and history at once. Sharp, deliberate pieces suit it best, nothing that looks like it happened by accident.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Gloucester Road
Quieter, Chelsea-adjacent streets meeting from Gloucester Road Station, white stucco terraces and wrought iron balconies giving it a softer, more residential feel than most of the other spots on this list. It sits close enough to South Kensington's museum district to borrow some of that same refinement without the crowds. Suits something with a bit of colour or shine to it, since the backdrop itself stays gentle.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →South Kensington
Classic stucco terraces and cobbled roads meeting from South Kensington Station on Thurloe Street, right in the middle of the museum district, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum all within a short walk. It carries a kind of academic, old-money polish that most of London doesn't have, elegant without being showy about it. Genuinely flexible for that reason, classic pieces sit naturally here either way.
Metty's Suggestions
Open in Google Maps →Studio
Silver Space Studios
A professional studio space with controlled lighting, clean white and textured backdrops, and room to change between looks. Best suited to beauty headshots, dark glamour, white on white, and structured pieces like corsetry.
Open in Google Maps →A few questions
What's the difference between a studio and an outdoor photoshoot?
A studio gives controlled lighting, clean backdrops, and room to change between looks without weather or passers-by to think about, it suits beauty headshots, structured pieces, and anything that benefits from a clean, consistent background. Outdoor locations bring real texture, architecture, and light that shifts through the session, better suited to editorial and lifestyle-style images with a genuine sense of place behind you. Neither is better, they're different tools for different kinds of images, and a mixed portfolio benefits from having both.
Are outdoor modelling shoots safe?
Yes. Every outdoor location used here is a genuine public space, not somewhere private or isolated, and sessions run at normal daytime hours. Bringing a friend or chaperone is always welcome, just worth mentioning in advance so the day can be planned around it.
What should I expect at an outdoor location shoot?
A specific meeting point, confirmed once your slot is booked, real public surroundings rather than a closed set, and a session that moves around a bit as the light and background change. It's a more spontaneous, collaborative pace than a studio, working with what the location actually offers rather than a fully controlled setup.
What locations work best for a modelling portfolio in London?
It depends on the look you're going for. Brutalist architecture and industrial texture suit something with edge or a genuine clash of colour, grand, classic architecture suits tailored or formal pieces, and colourful residential streets or boutique areas suit something softer or more editorial. The booking page shows a few style suggestions for each specific spot.
How do I prepare for a location-based photoshoot?
Check the weather and dress with layers if it's cold, since you'll be outdoors for the session rather than in a heated studio. Bring your outfits ready to go rather than needing to change on the day, and keep valuables secured on you, since a public location doesn't have anywhere private to store belongings. Everything else, the exact meeting point and any specific directions, comes through in your confirmation email.
What happens if it rains on the day of an outdoor shoot?
Genuinely bad weather usually means rescheduling to a different day rather than pushing ahead, that gets sorted directly by email once it's clear the forecast is a real problem, not just overcast skies. Light cloud cover is often fine, even preferable, it gives soft, even light without harsh shadows.
Can I choose or suggest my own photoshoot location?
The locations listed here are the ones already scouted and confirmed to work well, so booking is generally through these. If there's somewhere specific in mind, it's always worth mentioning, genuinely new locations do get added to this list from time to time.
Do you need permission to shoot in public locations in London?
Every outdoor location used here is a genuine public space, and standard editorial and portfolio photography in public areas like this doesn't require special permission the way a large commercial production with equipment and crew would.
How does the location affect what I should wear?
Colour, texture, and formality all read differently depending on the background, a look that feels right against brutalist concrete can feel completely different against grand, classic architecture or a colourful residential street. The booking page shows a few outfit suggestions tailored to whichever location is selected, entirely optional, just a starting point if it's useful.
Questions first? Reach out at contact@mettyunuabona.com