Shadow Play on a Scottish Street

Shadows on a wall as the sun sets in Edinburgh.

I had hoped to go up Calton Hill this evening, but the Beltane fire festival is happening there tonight. I have to be up early in the morning, so I decided not to go, but now I already regret not going! I’d have stayed far too long taking photos and be so tired for my flight in the morning.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length112mm
ISO500
Shutter speed1/500s

Pastel Skies Over Edinburgh

I wasn’t expecting much of a sunset this evening because the sky at the horizon was filled with clouds, but I was proved wrong. The clouds were lit up in a lovely glow by the setting sun.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length166mm
ISO400
Shutter speed1/40s

Edinburgh’s Feathered Monuments

There’s something magical about Edinburgh during the golden hour, when the sun begins its descent and bathes the city in warm amber hues. I was walking along Princes Street with my colleagues after a long day of meetings when this scene stopped me in my tracks.

At first glance, it might seem like just another urban sunset, but nature has a way of adding its own whimsical touches to our carefully constructed world. A pigeon had chosen one of Edinburgh’s grand statues, the statue of King George IV, as its evening perch, creating an unintentionally perfect silhouette against the burning sky. As I framed the shot, I noticed its companion – another bird adorning a statue atop one of the buildings to the right (The Royal Society of Edinburgh, if Google Maps is right), as if they were having a silent conversation across the street.

The Georgian architecture of Hanover Street creates perfect leading lines, drawing your eye down to where the street meets the sky. The passing cars, their tail lights glowing in the dimming light, add a modern contrast to the historical grandeur of the buildings. There’s something deeply satisfying about capturing these moments where the past and present, nature and architecture, all converge in perfect harmony.

I shot this handheld with my camera set to underexpose the scene slightly, letting the buildings fall into shadow while preserving the rich orange tones of the sunset.

I love that there were pigeons sitting on those statues, even if they’re barely visible in the web-sized version here. They’re a reminder that nature finds a way, no matter what we do to tame it!


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length70mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/15s

Selfies and Greetings

Edinburgh Castle in Scotland is a huge attraction for tourists and on the day I was there it was busy. It was a gorgeous day, with the sun beating down.

I really like this photo as I photographed two couples. One couple taking a selfie to remember the day, and in the background an older couple greeting each other and going in for a hug.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length28mm
ISO250
Shutter speed1/500s

Royal Scots Greys Monument

Royal Scots Greys Monument soldier on horseback by William Birnie Rhind, Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

Aperture ƒ/8
Camera ILCE-7M3
Focal length 28mm
ISO 100
Shutter speed 1/5s