Edinburgh Old Townscape

[Rob MacKillop]

Sigma DP0, 2017. The lower third, beyond the foreground railing, shows the rooftops of Waverley Station (railways). Beyond that, a good view of the Old Town. The New Town is right behind me.

 

[Brian Moore]

I've seen the rooftops of Waverley on numerous occasions but I've never been inside the station. I like the panoramic look of this image, Rob. Is that the native aspect ratio of the DP0?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Yes, it is/was, Brian. Amazing camera for the right situation. Waverley is a great old station, though they do like to hide its original features with modern shops, but there is still a lot of the original design to see, and I’ve featured it on quite a few photos over the years. If I get the time, I’ll bring a few of them together in one post.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Beautiful image, Rob, I saw it this morning, but I wanted to think about it and now I like it perhaps even more. The backdrop (I call it that because it almost looks like a stage backdrop) is amazing, but it wouldn't be as interesting without the other two planes: the balustrade and the geometric ceilings. It doesn't look like your style to me, but if you have a series you could post it on your site. Long proportions are not my favorite, but in this case they are more than appropriate for the subject.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks once again, Gianluca. You are right, in that it is nothing like my other - ahem - 'work'. Normally there are scores of tourists taking variations on the same shot, quite a lot of them close-up to the balustrade. But just for a few seconds the crowds parted, and I had a wide-angle lens in my hands...It just took four or so seconds. Hard to resist. I could try to sell it to a Post Card company, but as there is no heather or tartan in it, I don't think they'd be interested.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Thanks once again, Gianluca. You are right, in that it is nothing like my other - ahem - 'work'. Normally there are scores of tourists taking variations on the same shot, quite a lot of them close-up to the balustrade. But just for a few seconds the crowds parted, and I had a wide-angle lens in my hands...It just took four or so seconds. Hard to resist. I could try to sell it to a Post Card company, but as there is no heather or tartan in it, I don't think they'd be interested.

On this you and I, Rob, don't get along: you would like every photo to be a vector of meaning, whereas I like even beautiful photos without meaning. And anyway, even a documentary photo can be rich in meaning in a different way. This is a beautiful image that carries the genome of history and is pregnant with important offspring (this could be my definition of "Art", now that I think about it).

 

[Rob MacKillop]

We might differ in our opinions, Gianluca, but I hope we will always get along.

During the four seconds of taking this shot, I do now recall observing the potential for capturing a genome of history, but I missed the pregnant offspring bit. That’s just a product of your dirty mind, Gianluca!

 

[Allan Batchelor]

Nice, stood waitin fir a teain on that bridge a few times lol

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Teain? Oh, train! I was confused for a minute.

 

[Christopher Dubea]

Lovely,

Edinburgh is one of my favorite places.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, Chris. I’m lucky to live in Edinburgh, and I suppose it’s a kind of double-edge sword, in that tourists shots are everywhere, and trying to say something original is a challenge. But I enjoy that challenge.

 

[Christopher Dubea]

I've had the pleasure of visiting your fair city some half a dozen times.

The first time in 1992 was during the festival in the fall and we got to see the Tattoo. That was quite memorable.

The last time was in 2018 with my wife and two kids in March.

On our walk back from dinner at Dishoom it started snowing these gigantic flakes as we crossed the bridge over the train tracks. It was very memorable.

Cheers,

 

[Milan Vjestica]

I was there last year in June. Edinburgh is a great city. I did enjoy walking the old town at 5am (Jet Lag).
The image brings back some pleasant memories. A great opportunistic capture without tourists!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I hope you took some photos, Milan?

Chris - sounds like a walk I’ve experienced many times.

 

[Milan Vjestica]

I did Rob. Just a couple!

 

[Milan Vjestica]

One that proves you can get blue skies in Edinburgh.

https://flic.kr/p/2oSwz1u

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Very good shot, Milan. Yes, I saw a blue sky above Edinburgh once…