St Stephens Church

St. Stephen’s Church rises at the foot of St. Vincent Street between Stockbridge and the New Town. Designed by famous Scottish architect William Henry Playfair and completed in 1828, the church clock tower stands nearly 50m. Playfair was instrumental in designing many of Edinburgh’s New Town buildings as well as the unfinished National Monument on Calton Hill. This late afternoon shot is taken looking up from a pavement at the end of St. Stephen Street.

An all-season subject, this is best on a clear day when the sky appears darker than the pale stone to help it stand out and have presence in the composition, though this can also work with moody skies, so long as you are not shooting into the light. The curved streets work well to frame the clock tower and balance the frame. A little perspective distortion is expected pointing up, however you can shoot wider and adjust and crop to soften the effects if you feel it is necessary.