Royal Yacht Britannia

Berthed at Leith’s Ocean Terminal, the former Royal Yacht Britannia is now a popular Edinburgh visitor attraction. Britannia served the Royal Family for over forty years and sailed more than a million nautical miles before being decommissioned in 1997. As a visitor attraction there is an admission charge to board the vessel and note that it is consistently busy with visitors, but you are free to take a self-guided tour of the ship at your leisure, and there are lots of interesting elements to photograph throughout. Parking is free at Ocean Terminal.

As an interior shot, light is constant throughout the year and the seasons matter little. A super-wide lens is handy to get a feeling of space on board a ship if you have one. A higher ISO and lower aperture are the compromise for hand held shooting in what is essentially a low-light environment. Permission to use a tripod may be required which you will have to check with staff. When shooting symmetrical shots like this, always be careful to ensure you are dead-centre in the frame, as being even slightly to the left or right can result in dramatic changes that you may not notice until you are inspecting the shots later.