14 Jan 2024. Fujifilm X100V. 1/500s. f4.5. ISO 400

I took this on Cockburn Street in Edinburgh, a tourist Instagram hotspot. It was cold and the light was incredible that morning. I love the warmth of the photo, the long shadows and the way you can see the breath of the subject. It might not be a technically remarkable photo, but I personally love the way it makes me feel, so much so that I had it printed (on Fuji Matt C-type) and framed and put it on the wall at home.

30 Jan 2024. Fujifilm X-S10. Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4R. 1/400s. f1.6. ISO 2000

I hadn't really done street photography at night before, and this was one of the first images I took. It's taken from George IV Bridge in Edinburgh, through the columns (that's not a vignette), looking down at Sneaky Pete's nightclub. I love the glow, the warmth and the mystery of what the couple are talking about.

06 Feb 2024. Fujifilm X-S10. Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4R. 1/300s. f2.0. ISO 3200

George Square is a favourite haunt of mine. I love the brutalist architecture and the directional light at night. I was sat down one evening, playing around with exposures and took this photo of a woman passing through. I love the framing and the light, but also the subject's clothing and expression. It's not going to win awards but it evokes something in me, which for me is what makes a photo good or not.

29 March 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN @ 42mm. 1/500s. f5.6. ISO 1250.

Another photo in George Square (I have a lot). I was on my way home from a photo walk when I took this. The afternoon light was amazing and backlit this guy having a vape perfectly, and I love the lines of the brutalist building as a backdrop. Originally in colour, it's a good example of when black and white adds more to a photo than not.

04 April 2024. iPhone 15 Pro. 1/50s. f1.8. ISO 160.

A snap taken (in RAW) on my iPhone at an Underworld gig. I love the colour and the guy with his hands aloft captures the essence of the show.

24 June 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 23mm F2 R WR. 1/420s. f5.0. ISO 125.

This was one of those candid moments that I happened upon and took a picture because I thought it was rather unusual, kinda strange in fact. The man with the stick was stood on a busy road, trainers undone, staring at me. I put my camera to my eye and took the shot. He didn't move. I like this documentary style of street and would like to do more of it in 2025.

13 July 2024. Fujifilm X100V. 1/200s. f9. ISO 200.

We spent a couple of weeks in Colorado in the summer. I didn't have much time for photography, but I captured this scene in Fort Collins one afternoon. I love classic cars and Americana, so I was delighted to see this guy pull up at the lights and glance at me while I took the shot. You don't drive a car like that and not expect to be photographed.

18 August 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 23mm F2 R WR. 1/240s. f8. ISO 1600.

In a bid to get my work published, I've been taking part in the Framelines magazine competitions. In August the theme was "Red". I came across this scene where a red car was parked across from a red hoarding around a building site. I waited a few minutes and took this shot as the woman glanced over at me. I love its minimalism but I'm still waiting to get published... 😅

06 September 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN. 1/400s. f3.6. ISO 250.

The Edinburgh haar (sea fog) came in thick this particular morning. It was one of the most enjoyable few hours of photography I did all year – the haar makes everything look and feel different, so visiting the same old locations took on a new dimension. I spent a while framing this shot, waiting for some interesting subjects but it was this crow taking off that I liked the most.

27 September 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 50mm F2 R WR. 1/350s. f6.4. ISO 125.

I've taken a lot of photos around the Scottish Parliament (modernist architecture 👌), especially in this particular spot. On this afternoon the light was wonderful and I had a longer lens on (50mm F2, which is a 75mm full frame equivalent), which allowed me to frame the composition better than if I'd had my usual 23mm or 35mm lens on. I love the minimalism, the splash of colour, the light and shadow, and the framing.

27 October 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4 R. 1/320s. f4. ISO 320.

You can often find interesting characters amongst the tourists on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. I spotted this woman standing with her umbrella and loved the strong Mary Poppins vibe. I stood opposite and tried to capture an interesting shot. I think she clocked me then moved the umbrella to cover her face which, for me, totally made the shot. I really love this picture.

09 November 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4 R. 1/120s. f3.2. ISO 1600.

I was hanging around at the top of these stairs waiting for my wife and spotted a composition I liked. The light was streaming through the windows at the top of the stairs and I had a good vantage point with the 35mm (50mm full-frame) lens I had on my camera. I was taking abstract shots without subjects when I spotted this woman heading down the stairs. Her hair and the way she was dressed evokes a time gone by, with her mobile phone giving the game away. I hear people say good street photography should be about 'storytelling' and I think this photo does that to some extent.

28 November 2024. Fujifilm X100V. 1/400s. f5. ISO 1000.

When the weather forecast is confident enough to predict clear blue skies in Edinburgh you know it's going to be a good photo day. On this morning I headed out early and was having a great time playing with light and shadows. I wandered over to West College Street which is a favourite spot and was blown away by the light. I stayed here for around 30 minutes, capturing lots of shots but it was this one that stood out. The subject's clothes, breath visible in the cold air, that light and shadow. It reminded me a lot of the first photo above. The winter light in Edinburgh is something else.

27 December 2024. Fujifilm X-T5. Fujinon XF 27mm F2.8 R WR. 1/220s. f2.8. ISO 3200.

This was the last photo I took in 2024 and it's possibly my favourite. I was walking home with my family, just taking snaps with a new lens I'd bought. A couple walked ahead of us and I was struck by the light from the pubs and restaurants and how it was catching the woman's coat. I got as close as I could and took a few shots. I caught this last frame as she turned, just before the light disappeared. I think it's a really nice composition, however accidental, and I love the cinematic feel. This is the direction I'd like my photography to go in 2025.

KLICK: The magazine for street photographers - by street photographers

I bought a bunch of zines and magazines in 2024. Some were meh but I particularly liked Fuji Love and Framelines, both of which are consistently excellent. I think I can add KLICK to that list in 2025 – it feels fresh compared to a lot of the others.

Behind The Sensor: Eren Sarigul

I'm a big fan of Eren Sarigul as regular readers will know. I enjoyed this interview with him. Just check out his photos – so good! Photo goals.

Alan Schaller – Street Photography in China

Alan Schaller is back! Alan is my favourite photographer YouTuber hands down. He's interesting, takes great photos and actually has a sense of humour (rare in the YouTube photography world - everyone is sooooo serious) which is so refreshing. There's another episode where he visits the Leica factory which is well worth a watch too.

Edinburgh Street Photography Guide is a guide to some of the best spots for street photography in Edinburgh. It features clickable maps, the best coffee shops, and a loads of my photos in much higher resolution than social media!

Tyshawn Sorey Trio – The Susceptible Now

I don’t know a lot about jazz, but I love it when I come across something I like. IYKWIM. I discovered this new album from Tyshawn Sorey from Bandcamp’s best jazz albums of 2024 list and it’s great. I literally can't stop listening to it. You’ll love it too. If you like jazz.