Skyline Photo Vantage Points

Hi,

I'm taking pictures of the skyline for a website. I'm trying to get some great shots of the skyline from some fantastic vantage points. Can anybody suggest anywhere simple to get to? I don't want to break any laws or sneak past any security guards.

Here are some places I've shot from so far:

CityPlace Bridge
South of Danforth on Broadview
Leslie Street Spit


Anybody have any suggestions? Preferably somewhere with some moving traffic to get some great light trails.

Thanks.

One of my favourite spots to see the skyline is the top of the Kensington Market parking garage. Certainly you're not breaking any laws by entering a public garage, although they may ask you to leave if you haven't parked a car there. (if they catch you)

The best place for light trails is the top level of the parking garage on the southeast corner of Simcoe and Lakeshore. You get a breathtaking view of the new and under construction Southcore buildings on the east side of the garage, the CN tower/Skydome/roundhouse park on the west side, and the Gardiner right in the middle of it all. Whenever I go to the top level there are no cars at all, and I've noticed the security guards don't seem to care that much about amateur photographers going to the top level to take photos.

Honourable mentions:

- Bathurst street bridge (street view)
- Corktown Common (looking down the new Front street east, view will probably go away once the area develops, street view)
- Chester hill lookout (never been there myself, street view)
- Polson Pier (street view)
- Dufferin St & Gardiner (street view)
- Top of the staircases in George brown college near Sherbourne Common (not too great for photos unfortunately, street view
- Adelaide & Simcoe parking garage (I've gotten asked to leave multiple times, but it's worth a shot, the views along Adelaide looking east are simply awesome for light trails since there's an undeveloped parking lot next door providing you with unobstructed views of a one way street)
- Parking garage south of Scott & The Esplanade (this one's on my to-do list)

I actually wrote an article about just this!

http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2014/04/grab-your-camera-torontos-best-skyline-vantage-points

Scamander24 and someMidTowner:

Thank you so very much for both those amazing lists. I will utilize them fully!

Thanks a lot!!!!

Casa Loma Tower or the top of the steps at Davenport and Spadina.

Panorama Lounge @ the Manulife Centre.

The views from the stack floors of Robarts Library are spectacular, but you have to show a U of T student card to access them.

I enjoy views from the very top of the hill @ Evergreen Brickworks, Snake Island at the Island and Riverdale East Park

The obvious one is the CN Tower.

I would check out pics on flickr that are geotagged to get ideas

scamander24 said:

The best place for light trails is the top level of the parking garage on the southeast corner of Simcoe and Lakeshore. You get a breathtaking view of the new and under construction Southcore buildings on the east side of the garage, the CN tower/Skydome/roundhouse park on the west side, and the Gardiner right in the middle of it all. Whenever I go to the top level there are no cars at all, and I've noticed the security guards don't seem to care that much about amateur photographers going to the top level to take photos.

Click to expand...

I was sent packing there one time in the three that I visited

philmar said:

I was sent packing there one time in the three that I visited

Click to expand...

The security guards are gear-ist. If you have a point and shoot, mirrorless or a bottom end DSLR like a T5i or a D3300 with a cereal box 18-55 lens they don't care at all. Anything full frame or with a long lens or tripod, and they seem to be much less tolerant.