Everyone reading this will know all too well that right now there is a global virus pandemic. In one way or another, it's had a direct effect on everyone- perhaps you've been furloughed from work and are sat at home twiddling your thumbs. If that's the case, hopefully this blog will distract you for even a few minutes. You may be wondering why, in the current situation, I decided to go to London? Well, I have always wanted to drive in Central London, and now seemed like a better time than any to head down there and experience driving on some of the most iconic streets in the country. It's worth noting that at the time of my visit, lockdown had not yet been imposed in the UK. I also took extra care to socially distance myself and I didn't even touch any surfaces outside of my car during the whole day! My intention for the day was to head into the city centre and photograph my MG TF at various well known landmarks and locations. Some landmarks would prove challenging due to parking regulations and so on that would prevent me from stopping anywhere such as the London Eye and Big Ben, so I gave these a miss. But other locations such as Harrods' famous department store and the financial district of Canary Wharf would be much more feasible. After cruising down the road-work-laiden M1 motorway, my first stop was a small street in Mayfair, one that I have taken photos at before- just not of my own car! Photographers often choose this location for car shoots because of it's unique brickwork and bright surroundings.
If you're familiar with my portfolio work published here on this site then you may recognise the location from the 'Soft-top Showdown' collection where I shot two stunning Porsche Boxsters. Next I headed on a short drive to Harrods- a journey that on an ordinary day in London would usually take around 30 minutes. But, thanks to the pre-lockdown quietness was only a 10 minute trip. I took a quick detour past Buckingham Palace and along The Mall first though...would have been rude not to! Having been outside Harrods previously when it is very busy, today offered huge contrast compared to usual. Sure, there were still some people kicking around- but the department store itself closed the day before my trip until further notice, meaning that I was able to pull up right outside and snap a few photos of the MG TF where it would usually be bustling with people.
One location that I was particularly looking forward to visiting was Canary Wharf and, after driving right through the centre of these intimidatingly tall buildings, taking a tunnel under the river, I found myself parked outside the O2 Arena on a small side street overlooking the whole of Canary Wharf. The ideal location for some more photos! This journey right through the centre of London to Canary Wharf would ordinarily be a long and tiresome affair due to congestion, but today it was almost pleasant as I cruised along the quiet streets, some of which were near deserted!
At this point in the day I had been using Maps on my phone all day- so my battery level had run alarmingly low- especially considering that I was relying fully on that to get me all the way out of London to the M1! I made a dash for home, bravely making a very quick stop at 'The Gherkin' for some final photos. I made it back to the M1 with 2% of battery life left...