5 Beautiful Photoshoot Locations in Newtown Johannesburg

Newtown is one of the oldest parts of Johannesburg and is an artists dream . So when Line and JJ contacted me for matric photoshoot in Newtown Johannesburg I jumped at the chance.  newtown embodies a lot of South African history, embraces artistry and creativeness and has an amazing city vibe.

The streets are covered in amazing graffiti works and if you know where to look these can make a beautiful backdrop for any photoshoot. Liné and JJ wanted this unique and colourful look for their photos so this worked perfectly in this instance. So we used several of these photoshoot locations in Newtown to create an awesome matric for them.

Here are some of the top photoshoot locations in Newtown to consider

1. Graffiti wall under the motorway is a definite place for photos in this location. The pillars of the motorway are covered in ever changing graffiti artworks, so no backdrop is ever the same.
2. Walking through the pigeons This is definitely a highlight photo for me in newtown, and for the more adventurous – as long as you arent afraid of birds. There is a statue in newtown where the pigeons get fed and like to roost, creating the perfect opportunity to have them in your photos. Take along a piece of bread to feed them and enjoy a slow walk through as they take flight around you.
3. Miriam Makeba Square –  This iconic landmark gives a beautiful backdrop of Johannesburg city in the background as well as the Museum of Africa with its rainbow coloured steps.(At the time of writing). This was a perfect background for Liné and JJ to use some of their props they brought along including colourful doughnuts which are part of the story of how they met.
4. Nelson Mandela Bridge – This iconic piece of architecture is a great place to take photos – although a little tricky to get to so be prepared for a little walking and know that it is a busy traffic area normally, so its best to try and go on a weekend when traffic is lighter or very early morning. It is definitely worth the effort though, and photos are often accompanied by friendly hoots and shout outs to those being photographed 🙂
5. The Old railway station This is without a doubt one of my favourite places to photograph and this matric photoshoot in Newtown Johannesburg was no exception. The old railway station is a historical venue and the old wrought iron makes for some stunning backgrounds in your photos. Although there is a booking fee and permission needed to take photos here, it is definitely worth it. Aim to have your photos here around sunset and if you are lucky enough and the sun does come through the photos will be spectacular.

as with all locations, there are a few things you should know before you visit them. Here are some of our top tips to prepare for these photoshoot locations in Newtown

How to prepare for these photoshoot locations in Newtown Johannesburg

1. Parking is very limited in Newtown, so it is best to go on a weekend, sundays are the best either early morning or later sunday evening. if you can go in one car with your photographer this is probably best, as you cant walk to all of the locations within an hour or even two hour photoshoot, it will take too much time. But this makes it tricky if you have to find parking for more than one vehicle. The best and easiest place to park is under the motorway, where you can take photos easily with the graffiti, and Miriam Makeba square.
2. The railway station has its own parking, however this is not accessible to the public and a booking(which these days is shared to obtain) is necessary. You will need to pay a fee to have a photoshoot at the old railway station.
3. Nelson Mandela Bridge is the trickiest, and parking is quite a challenge. There is some close to the bridge but you may need to pay for it, and it is not always open. Also bear in mind when you are taking photos on the bridge that there is through traffic all the time, its not closed off. So you have to take photos then wait for traffic to pass, then take again. good flat shoes are recommended.
4. Although these are some really beautiful photoshoot locations in Newtown, Johannesburg and they embody so much history and creativity, you do need to bear in mind that this is downtown Johannesburg. Visiting this area is at your own risk, and you do need to be aware. That said I have never had any issues while walking around here with a camera, and I studied in this area as well.
5. If you are only booking for a one hour shoot, then don’t try to do everything – doing all of these photoshoot locations in Johannesburg requires a 2-3 hour time period ideally, so rather choose the locations that appeal to you the most and communicate this with your photographer so you can plan a route together and avoid wasting too much time and light on the day of your photoshoot.
6. Bear in mind there are no changing facilities or toilets in the area, so its better to keep things simple, don’t try to do outfit changes or do anything to fancy with dress and shoes etc.