Black on black for the first half, then a white blazer for the second. This Big Ben photoshoot started by the red phone box in a long coat and heeled boots, walked the river past the London Eye, and finished on Westminster Bridge and the South Bank in leather trousers and white trainers. Two looks, one grey London day, and a lot of black and white.
On this page:
- Look one: the red phone box
- Along the river to the London Eye
- A dip by the tower
- Look two: a white blazer on the bridge
- The South Bank
- How to plan two looks
Look one: the red phone box
The phone boxes on Great George Street, just off Parliament Square, put the clock tower at the end of the street. A long black coat and sheer tights look sharp against the red, and a lifted heel turns an ordinary kiss into the classic London frame. One portrait on her own, leaning on the box, completes the set.
Along the river to the London Eye
On the Westminster side of the Thames the river wall faces the London Eye and County Hall. Walking hand in hand along it gave one of the most natural frames of the day, shown here in colour and in black and white, so you can see how differently the same moment reads.
A few steps further, they sat on the wall. A kiss on the cheek, eyes closed, the wheel making a perfect circle behind them.
A dip by the tower
Near the foot of Elizabeth Tower, with traffic passing and the wind catching her hair, came the most cinematic pose of the session: the dip. In black and white the coats, the stone and the sky become one palette, and all that is left is the movement.
Look two: a white blazer on the bridge
Then the change. A white oversized blazer, black leather trousers and white trainers, and suddenly the same Gothic backdrop looks completely different. On Westminster Bridge the white jacket stands out against the honey-coloured stone of Parliament and the grey sky.
The South Bank
From the river wall on the South Bank they turned their backs to the camera and looked across at the tower, arms around each other.
Under the arch below the bridge the long black coat came back for a silhouette: the brightest part of the frame is the tower, the darkest is the two of them.
Then a forehead kiss by the river wall, and a last kiss sitting on it, with the whole of the Houses of Parliament, the tower and Westminster Bridge lined up behind them.
How to plan two looks for a Big Ben photoshoot
| Look one | Look two | |
|---|---|---|
| Pieces | Long black coat, short black dress, sheer tights | White oversized blazer, black leather trousers |
| Shoes | Heeled ankle boots | White trainers |
| Feels | Classic, dramatic | Relaxed, modern |
| Best spots | Red phone box, the river by the London Eye | Westminster Bridge, the South Bank |
| Works in | Colour and black and white | Colour, where the white stands out |
- Change one big piece, not everything. Swapping the coat for a white blazer changed the whole mood in a minute, with no need to change completely.
- Keep one colour as the thread. Black runs through both looks, so the photos still feel like one story.
- Plan shoes for walking. Heels for the phone box, trainers for the bridge and the riverside, where you walk the most.
- Ask for both colour and black and white. Grey London days are made for monochrome, and some moments look stronger without colour.
Want two looks of your own? The two-hour session (£500) includes two locations and a change of outfit, with 100 to 140 photos. See all prices, or read 12 natural poses for a Big Ben photoshoot.
