Rattray Head Lighthouse at Sunrise – Coastal Photography in Aberdeenshire

Rattray Head Lighthouse sits on a low promontory on the Buchan coast of Aberdeenshire, standing in open water just offshore. Built in 1895 and reaching 120 feet in height, it has guided vessels navigating the treacherous sands around Rattray Head for over 130 years. The area around the head has a long history of shipwrecks, which drove the original decision to build the lighthouse.

These photographs were taken at sunrise, when the first light catches the tower and the surrounding sea is at its calmest. The conditions allowed for clear reflections and strong contrast between the white stonework and the water around the base.

Getting to the lighthouse on foot involves crossing tidal sands, so timing matters — and the reward is a perspective that most visitors to the Aberdeenshire coast never see. The lighthouse is now automated and managed by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

For more coastal and lighthouse photography from Scotland, visit the Places gallery.

Arbroath Pilot Office And Signal Lighthouse.

The Arbroath Pilot Office and Signal Lighthouse stand at the entrance to Arbroath Harbour — two of the most recognisable structures on the town's waterfront. The Signal Lighthouse, with its distinctive white tower, has marked the harbour entrance for vessels approaching along the Angus coast for well over a century.

Arbroath Harbour itself has medieval origins, developed as a working port serving the town and the broader coastal trade of the east coast. The harbour was substantially improved in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the stone quays and piers that define it today largely the product of Victorian-era construction.

These photographs focus on the character of the harbour buildings rather than the wider harbour activity — the texture of the stonework, the lighthouse structure, and the way the buildings sit in relation to the water and the sky. The conditions at the time of shooting gave strong contrast and clean light across the stone.

For more photography from Arbroath and the Angus coast, explore the Places gallery and the Arbroath tag in the blog.