Maxine Morse · Jun 23, 2024 · 4 mins

Photographing Saint Paul’s Cathedral Using a Smart Phone

Updated: Jun 23

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Saint Paul’s Cathedral can be tricky to photograph due to its soaring height and sprawling mass. Here are my tips for using the rabbit warren of streets and buildings around the cathedral to obtain an interesting range of photographic angles and back drops.

Photographing Saint Paul's Cathedral. — Photographing Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Saint Paul’s Cathedral Photographic Walking Tours

I went on a guided walk with Alistair Hilton, a professional photographer and used an iPhone 11 with the Snapseed App for filters and special effects.

Saint Paul’s is one of London’s most famous landmarks. It was built by Christopher Wren in 1666 after the Great Fire of London destroyed the previous church. At 366 feet high, it has one of the largest domes in the world. Winston Churchill had a State Funeral here in 1965 and it was the stage for the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to Prince Charles in 1981.

Saint Paul's Cathedral sandwiched between two high rise buildings makes an interesting photograph. — Saint Paul’s Cathedral sandwiched between two high rise buildings makes an interesting photograph.

This image was taken using the panoramic setting on my phone. Start taking the photograph from the top and bring the camera slowly down.

Use the Adjacent Pillars in Paternoster Square to Add Depth to your Photograph of Saint Paul’s Dome

St Paul's Cathedral framed by an historic arch. — St Paul’s Cathedral framed by an historic arch.

Here, I made use of an arch in Paternoster Square to act as a frame for the dome of Saint Paul’sCcathedral.

Using depth and monochrome photographic features to add drama to Saint Paul's Cathedral. — Using depth and monochrome photographic features to add drama to Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

The pillars in the foreground of the photo add depth to the photograph and the black and white setting adds drama.

Photograph People on the West Facade Cathedral Steps

Using the panorama function on the iPhone camera to give scale to the West Facade.

This is the west facade of St Paul’s and I used the panaoramic function. By photographing people on the steps, I was able to give a sense of scale.

Foreground the Many Statues Around Saint Paul’s Cathedral

Statues in the foreground of Saint Paul's Cathedral and trees make for a romantic setting. — Statues in the foreground of Saint Paul’s Cathedral and trees make for a romantic setting.

There are plenty of statues around the building that can show the cathedral in a more romantic context. I think that this photograph looks a bit French like a view of Paris!

Dusk and Christmas lights from the adjacent shopping centre give this photograph of St Paul's Cathedral a Christmassy feel. — Dusk and Christmas lights from the adjacent shopping centre give this photograph of St Paul’s Cathedral a Christmassy feel.

Use the Plate Glass Shop Windows for Interesting Photographic Reflections of Saint Paul’s Cathedral

Opposite, the East Facade of the cathedral there is a new shopping centre with plate glass that provides interesting reflections aided by dusk and twinkling Christmas decorations.

A skyline shot of the cathedral at dusk.

If you are interested in photographing a stunning gold mosaic chapel at the opposite end of the size scale to St Paul’s cathedral check out our post on the Fitzrovia Chapel.

Photograph Saint Paul’s Cathedral at Dusk From the Shopping Centre Rooftop

As the light continued to fall, I took the elevator to the roof of the shopping centre to take some panoramic shots that encapsulated the sky and the church dome.

The spire employing the one third photographic rule.

A shot using interesting cloud formations.

Using the top of wall to ground the shot.

A panoramic shot of St Pauls and the London skyline at dusk.

If you are interested in photography you may want to try your hand at photographing nature at Richmond Park, Kew or Queen Mary’s Rose Garden.

More About London Smart Phone Photography Tours

If you are lucky enough to find a smart phone walking tour, take it!

These courses are nicely paced and a great way of improving your photographic skills while getting some gentle exercise in the company of interesting people.

Look for photographic walks with Alistair Hilton at London Guided Walks, Going Digital and Benson Spiers. You may also see London photography tours advertised on Time Out or Meet Up.

Have fun photographing Saint Pauls Cathedral and we would love it if you showed your results on our Londonology Facebook Page.