Sunset on Leith

This view looks across the tenement rooftops of Leith Walk to the docks and the Firth of Forth beyond. Leith’s working waterfront punctuates the shoreline, the island of Inchkeith sits off shore in Forth, and the distant Fife coastline closes the horizon. Calton Hill’s crowds tend to congregate at the city centre facing Observatory House area looking toward the castle and Old Town, which means the northern facing viewpoints offer more breathing room. This edge of the hill is far more spread out too, so there is plenty of space to take images.

This view is shot at dusk once the sun has dipped below the horizon causing the shadows to disappear and the residual sunset glow cast even light across the scene. Zooming in compresses the frame while still affording depth which is helped by the island and coastline in the distance. A tripod will let you keep the ISO low but there is enough light to ensure that’s not so much of a concern if you don’t have one handy. Note that the shot above was taken hand held.