Dean River at West End

Along the Water of Leith below the Modern Art Gallery grounds, one of Anthony Gormley’s cast-iron ‘6 Times’ figures stands mid-river, reflected in the glassy water below. This is one of six Gormley sculptures installed between The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and Leith. This lone standing figure is the most photogenic and only one featured in this book. The location is reached on a short walk along the riverside path from Dean Village, or down a stepped pathway from the Modern Art Gallery (Modern One) car park.

Spring, summer and autumn all suit this leafy composition. Long Exposure shot on a tripod and an ND filter allows the water to really appear polished and also helps to create streaks from the leaves slowly drifting across the water surface, however this is not essential. A short telephoto isolates the sculpture against the bank and compresses the reflection. The area is fairly quiet with plenty room to compose your shot and try other angles.