With it now being dark by four in the afternoon, I tend to take a lot more night photography around this time of year, which is something I have always liked doing since I was a kid with my first cameras. There’s something about the way the camera sees a city at night, drinking in the available light on a long exposure to show more than the naked eye sees, the way the long exposure turns passing people into translucent blurs, like ghosts walking past your lens.

Victoria Street is one of the prettiest in Edinburgh, which is saying something in this remarkable city. It curves steeply up from the Grassmarket, below the Castle, to George IV Bridge above, and along the way it showcases the many levels the tall, old, historic buildings of the Old Town are contructed on as they descend the steep, volcanic slopes of the ridge they are based on, running down either side of the famous Royal Mile.

The Grassmarket on a winter evening, taken with the wee, mini-tripod (just 3 inches high, bendy legs, small enough to go in my satchel) to steady the camera. Situated on an open square right below the Castle, at the bottom of the Old Town, this area contains many old pubs, most of which were old even when Robert Burns stayed in them, and started off as coaching inns centuries ago (a couple still have the larger entrance next to them for carriages to go round the back for the night).

Steam rising from hot food on a cold night at the festive market

Christmas tree in the handsome quadrangle of the Old College building

Biblos cafe, bar and restaurant at night, Southbridge

Bento noodle shack after dark (above), Southbridge at night (below)

Pizza or noodles???

Beautiful Cockburn Street with its festive lights – this street curves down from the Royal Mile to Waverley Bridge and the railway station below.