St Giles Cathedral

St Giles’ Cathedral, also known as the High Kirk of Edinburgh, has stood on the Royal Mile as a place of worship since the 14th century. This image captures the cathedral’s ornate Gothic façade and distinctive crown steeple. Located on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, it is almost always busy, so finding the scene with very few people and cars in it is extremely rare.

The cathedral façade faces west, so late morning/early afternoon light onwards (depending on season) illuminates the stonework. A wide-angle lens captures the full sweep of the building and adjacent Signet Library without excessive distortion. As foot traffic is constant, an early morning visit would offer quieter conditions, however you will be shooting into the light which changes the dynamic of the shot. This image was taken from the pavement diagonally opposite the Cathedral.