River Thames at Low Tide - a view from the foreshore.

One of my favourite places to get original images in London is the River Thames at low tide. It's a dirty, dangerous but amazing and I have been doing shoots there for quite a few years now... You certainly get a different perspective of the city from down on the foreshore. So I thought I would give a little foresight as to what makes shots like the following possible...

Sunset last night from the foreshore of the River Thames looking back at the City of London,
Posted by Ray Wise Photography on Monday, 12 October 2015

The Thames has a massive tidal range - 23 feet! So when the tide goes out which is twice a day / night , it goes out a long way and exposes a lot of the shore. In some area, sand is exposed as well as shingle and rubbish.  The rubbish is obviously dangerous and is less prevalent than it used to be thanks to groups like Thames 21 who clean up our waterways. However - it is wise to keep any water contact away from your mouth or open wounds. There are many access points to the river side you can legally access - and the foreshore itself is a public right of way however, it is illegal to remove anything from it - ie of historical value. Still, this is all about taking photos so best thing to do is a bit of homework first.
As said, the Thames tide rises and falls twice a day - details can be found on the web - always check and know when the tide is coming back in if walking on the beach - it is very dangerous.

Sunrise over the River Thames and the City of London..
Posted by Ray Wise Photography on Monday, 18 August 2014

I now always wear wellies on the foreshore, it can be slippery and you have to be careful, however, rather have dry than wet feet. No lighting exists either so a touch is sometimes useful if you are turning up before the sunrise,

Hammersmith Bridge on a foggy winter morning in West London.
Posted by Ray Wise Photography on Saturday, 10 January 2015

Expect to get muddy also - mud gets everywhere -  trust me!.. So use old clothing or hard wearing. Mud can also get dangerously boggy so be careful in areas that are heavy with mud - especially near Albert Bridge and east near the O2 Centre (the old Millennium Dome). Remember not all point on the foreshore are ea silly accessed and some require you to do a fair bit of hiking to and from your view point. Trips such as these need to be planned very carefully before attempting them- however, there is an easier way and that is sit back and let me do the work for you..

The changing face of Battersea Power Station means this photo can never be re-created.. a shame in one way, but in others a new dawning on the Thames.. Taken back in 2013.
Posted by Ray Wise Photography on Monday, 8 December 2014

Thanks for reading.. Ray Wise.