Sky Garden view of The Gherkin, Scalpel & Willis Towers Watson

The image was taken on the terrace of the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie building with a north-facing view of The Gherkin, Scalpel and the Willis Towers Watson. Tickets to the Sky Garden are free, but you must book in advance in order to gain entry. Check out the website for more information on booking: https://skygarden.london/booking. When you get to the front of the building, walk through the main entrance where you'll be greeted by staff and asked to go through a quick airport-style security check in. Then, you'll be escorted into one of two elevators that will take you to The Sky Garden. To your right you'll find St Pauls, to your left the Tower of London and behind you up the stairs is where this shot was taken with a view of the city looking north. By London Underground: - Closest station: Monument Station (via Circle or District line) - Head east on Eastcheap/A1213 toward Gracechurch St - Turn left onto Philpot Ln and the destination will be on your right Address: Sky Garden 20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AF, UK

Without any foliage in your shot, the view of The Gherkin, Scalpel and Willis Towers Watson can be photographed all year from Sky Garden. I prefer to go during the winter months when you can catch some pretty colors just after sunrise.

The best time to visit is during the early morning because you'll pretty much have the entire space to yourself. You can also find similar lighting conditions during the mid-day and late-afternoon. Sunset is also great and you'll have access to the open air balcony with a view on The Shard. Night time is also awesome — but don't forget you can't use a tripod!

Please note that tripods are not allowed and the security guards can ask you to leave if you have one.

I recommend using a wider lens and to trying to get as close to the glass window as possible.

To avoid any reflection as you photograph through glass, use a lens skirt, which is a very useful piece of gear you should add to your camera bag.

Experiment with different perspectives of the iconic buildings all around you.

I recommend checking out the nice little cafe inside the garden where you can grab food and drinks, which is a perfect treat after taking photos.