Top of the close

Top of the close 1/100, f/1.8, ISO400

At the top of Fleshmarket Close, there’s a bit more sky to light the scene – but a well placed street light helps provide some focus.

Light on a Distant Shore

It has been a while since I’ve put a photo up. Other priorities getting in the way.

There was some dark, wet windy weather today in Edinburgh. With gaps in the clouds this can set off some intersting light when the sun breaks through. Cramond was unusually quiet, with most people avoiding the squally showers – but well worth a walk to blow away the cobwebs.

1/100s, f/6.3, ISO100, 50mm lens

Silly Thistle

I love the name of this thistle – it’s what you would be if you sat on it. Silybum. It just appeals to my juvenile sense of humour.

1/250, f14, ISO150. Shot outdoors with flash.

Ginger Lilly

A cold feeling wet day, so a trip to the botanics.

1/250, f/18, ISO100

Taken at the maximum shutter speed for the flash, and a small aperture so that the back ground was blacked out.

 

Sunset Haar

It’s quite unusual to get a sunset haar. It changes the nature of something that is cold and damp and depressingly common on sunny days when the wind comes off the North Sea.

Lighhouse, John Burnside 2002

So let the mist come down, let there be haar,
long afternoons of drizzle, months of fog,
that we might know ourselves
–such as we are–

Adam Black

These old cemetries are the resting palce for the entire social spectrum from a traceless mother with no name and a simple stone, through to this family, whose legacy appears in substantial stonework, the public record and in the history books. In this case, quite literally in ‘history’ books.

1/200, f/5.0, ISO160

Adam Black created a publishing firm A&C Black (now part of Bloomsbury), that in his lifetime published three editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica and Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley Novels. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, twice served as Lord Provost of the city and was it’s MP for nine years. It’s little wonder his grave is marked with somewhat more panache than the unknown mother. But his legacy is perhaps not the most significant of Warriston’s residents. More about who that is in a couple of days.

 

Warriston Cemetry

Tucked between the Water of Leith and Ferry Road is Warriston Cemetry. It is an overgrown cemetry with many ruinous stones and monuments. This was an unusual stone, simply saying “MOTHER” on a plain cross. It long ago had fallen off it’s plinth and is now embedded in the undergrowth, and there were no other clues of who mother was.

1/250, f/5.0, ISO160

Edinburgh has a few overgrown cemetries. A number of cemetries were created under private ownership in the 19th Century. Many of these fell into disrepair during the 70’s and 80’s – all to be compulrsory purchased by the city council in the 90’s.

Allowing these sites and memorials to become so dilapidated is disrespectul, however I find them uniquely contemplative spaces.

Grey tower

The final photo from a walk round the Gyle busines park. I don’t know which building this is. Edinburgh is not a city of tall buildings, so you need to get close to the ground to get any sense of presence from the buildings. I think the guests of the local budget hotel thought I was mad, lying on the ground taking the picture of an office stairwell!

1/100, f/10, ISO160

Blue Sky

Time for a minimalist architecture shot.
1/160, f/10, ISO160

Steampunk Coffee

Stockbridge on a sunny Sunday has a great atmosphere. This Sunday had the first day of spring feel to it. Stockbridge Market takes place in the Jubille Gardens, with some fabulous food, streetfood and crafts. One of my favourite Coffee Shops (Steampunk, from North Berwick) are there with their VeeDub Campervan.

1/125, f/5.0, ISO400