Top 10 Edinburgh Photography Locations

Calton Hill

One of the obvious ones and one of the clichés but no list like this would be complete without the views from Calton Hill. A short walk up from Princes Street, Calton Hill is ideally located for city-centre photography. With multiple ‘classic’ views including the view down Princes Street, the view looking towards the Castle with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground, photos of the National Monument and more… Calton Hill is hard to beat.

The Vennel

One of my other favourite spots to photograph the Castle. When you get the right lighting and weather conditions photos from here just work. Some of the favourite photos I’ve taken of Edinburgh have been from here. Perhaps a lesser known view of the Castle, the small path that connects the Grassmarket to Lauriston Place is a superb spot for photography.

The Bridges

What was once one bridge and later two bridges is very quickly becoming three. With the new Queensferry Crossing under construction this is a ‘Watch this space’ for more photo viewpoints. However, the existing two bridges already make for stunning photos when the conditions are right, particularly the unique Forth (Rail) Bridge!

Victoria Street

Victoria Street is one of the more unusual and photogenic streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town. With a grand curving terrace high above the road below, photographers have a few interesting viewpoints to capture one of Edinburgh’s most recognisable streets.

The Crags and the Radical Road

If you’ve ever visited Edinburgh, you’ll know how Arthur’s Seat and the Crags loom over the city providing a great vantage point for views in all directions. I find that the Crags or Radical Road are best for photos in the direction of the city centre/ Calton Hill or the Castle (and also requires less effort than getting to the top of Arthur’s Seat)! Well worth a visit when the weather is nice and it looks like a colourful sunset is on the cards!

Duddingston

As well as centuries of history, Duddingston Village not only makes for an enjoyable walk for a photographer with a number of photo opportunities, especially of the old Kirk on the shores of Duddingston Loch.

Princes Street Gardens

Whether it’s a shot of the “gingerbread house” (Gardener’s Cottage), the Scott Monument, the Castle or something else entirely, there’s plenty to keep a photographer busy in the Gardens. If you’re looking for a way to spend a couple of hours on a sunny afternoon then you could do worse!

Dean Village

Perhaps you don’t expect to find an attractive wee village in the centre of Edinburgh but if not then prepare to be pleasantly surprised! One of the most interesting things about Edinburgh as a city (and particularly for photographers) is that there are so many of these unexpected finds. Dean Village is one of these; just a short walk from Edinburgh’s West End, Dean Village is a delightful combination of old stone houses including the unique Well Court with the Water of Leith cutting through the centre of the Village.

The Royal Mile

As one of Edinburgh’s most popular tourist streets (if not perhaps THE most popular!), you need to be up early (or very late) if you want to get a shot of the Mile when clear of people! It’s however also a good spot if you want to do some street photography, particularly during the Festival in August. It’s pretty much impossible to miss the Mile when visiting Edinburgh and you’re bound to walk down at least some of the Mile while visiting some of the other spots included on this list.

The Old Town Closes

There are countless ‘closes’ in Edinburgh, the most famous ones coming off the sides of the Royal Mile. A ‘close’ is a small street or alley that runs between buildings and Edinburgh certainly has quite a few! There are a number of very recognisable ones including White Horse Close, Barrie’s Close, Milne’s Court but every one offers some sort of photographic opportunity and they’re well worth investigating!

That’s all for now! Let me know what you think of the list I’ve put together and whether you’d disagree with any of my choices! What’s your favourite spot in Edinburgh for photos? Let me know in the comments below!