drone
Built in 1870 after numerous shipwrecks, Scurdie Ness Lighthouse stands at the mouth of the River South Esk, guiding vessels safely along the east coast of Scotland.
Photographed in freezing conditions, these images show the tower against clear skies, highlighting the engineering that still defines the Montrose shoreline today.
Scotland’s lighthouses remain some of the most practical yet visually striking coastal landmarks. This shoot adds to my ongoing series on maritime structures.
Blackpool Tower has been a landmark on the Lancashire coast since 1894. Photographed at sunrise, the tower rises above the quiet seafront before the town comes to life.
The images show both the tower itself and the open promenade below, with first light adding contrast and atmosphere.
This shoot continues my coastal series, recording familiar landmarks in changing light to highlight their place in the landscape.
Predicting what dawn will bring is part of the job. This time, I cycled to Noord Pier in IJmuiden, raised my drone just before sunrise, and tried to capture how the pier looks when light, weather, and tide conspire. The difference this visit had over previous ones was in the softness of the sky and calm water, which changed how shadows and reflections behaved.
These shots show the pier’s structure against the open sea, the water reflecting the early sky, and the perspective lines of the jetty converging toward the horizon. The clean air and low tide helped turn familiar elements into more dramatic compositions.
The converted water tower at Evertsenstraat in IJmuiden caught my eye during a recent trip — its history, monument status, and architecture combining into something photographically interesting. What used to supply drinking water now stands as residential apartments surrounded by park-like green spaces, and the tower’s shape against sky feels different from every angle.
The complex dates from 1914–1915. Built as a water supply complex, the tower and filter building remain as national monuments. Flying the drone above the Watertorenpark, I aimed to capture both the structure’s form and its setting — the clean lines of the tower, the geometry of the rooftop apartments, the park and landscaping around, and the sense of height.
Great Orton Wind Farm, in Wigton near Carlisle, shows the power of clean energy set against the rural English landscape. These six turbines stand tall at 45 m to the hub (68.5 m to blade tip), and today’s drone shots aim to show not just their scale, but how they sit in place relative to the field, sky, and horizon.
Flying above, I captured compositions where turbine towers puncture the skyline, blades silent but implied in motion. The open land around means little to interfere — just farm tracks, walls, and the occasional tree. Light at this time of day softens the metal surfaces, casts long shadows, and gives contrast between turbine steel and landscape texture.
My ongoing renewables and industrial photography seeks moments where engineering and environment combine. For more drone work in landscapes like this, check out my Drone and Wind Industry galleries.
Golden hour over IJmuiden’s seaport beach gives light a rare softness — when metal, sand, and sea all respond with reflection. These drone shots capture that brief moment when the elements line up at the edge of sunset.
Flying over the beach and port area, I watched how the light changes the textures — wet sand mirrors sky, breakwaters cast long silhouettes, shipping containers and cranes glow faintly in warm tones. Each image is about contrast: structure against horizon; calm water against the industrial edges of the seaport. Golden hour makes everything more dramatic without forcing it.
These images are part of my ongoing exploration of shorelines and port environments. For more coastal and industrial drone work, see my Drone and Wind Industry galleries.
The Stadhuis (City Hall) in IJmuiden stands out among local architecture — its design contrasts sharply with surrounding Dutch styles. Taking these drone shots, I aimed to show that difference: form, angles, and how this building interacts with space around it under open skies.
Flying above, the images capture City Hall’s clean lines, flat roofing, and the mix of materials that make it visually distinct. Shadows fall sharply across facades; geometric shapes play with negative space. Where local architecture tends toward gabled roofs and traditional colour tones, this building’s style emphasises modernism and function. The aerial view lets you see its relationship to nearby streets, plots, and the way light hits its structure from different angles.
Light and weather turn the same pier into a different subject every time. At Zuidpier, IJmuiden, those early-morning skies sharpened the pier’s structure against calm sea, bringing out contrast and texture where grey mornings before felt flat.
These drone images capture the pier extending into the North Sea, boardwalks, railings, and sea walls outlined against reflective water. Light played across metal and concrete surfaces, changing perspective and bringing out details in shadow and form. It shows why revisiting locations matters — the difference between dull and dramatic often comes down to weather and light.
Revisiting sites like this helps me see the same location anew. For coastal structure, reflection, and drone work, see my Places and Drone galleries.
When the horizon is calm and dawn breaks over the water, familiar structures take on new form. The North Pier in IJmuiden at early sunrise offered one of those moments — air cool, light soft, reflections still. Riding a bike before the workday started to catch that transition from darkness to colour made all the difference.
These images came from a session where outcomes were uncertain — sky, tide, cloud cover all played their parts. Walking or cycling toward the pier meant seeing small changes in light on railings, weathered timber, and pier surfaces. The drone lifts you above the scene: boardwalks become lines, the sea becomes a mirror, and the horizon becomes a soft gradient. Even when the result isn’t what I originally planned, I enjoy what emerges — shapes, tones, mood.
Montrose Quay lights up quietly in the early morning. The vessels, equipment, and waterfront infrastructure are still moving, but softer light and calm seas lend contrast and detail to a place that in daylight is loud and full.
Ports like Montrose show how industrial activity, marine life, and structure blend. For more harbour or industrial photography, see my Places and Wind Industry galleries.
Good morning.
I like to share some images of Blackpool front.
Blackpool’s sea front, with its dazzling lights and timeless charm, has been a beloved destination for generations. Stretching along the Fylde Coast, Blackpool’s sea front is famous for its piers, the iconic Blackpool Tower, and a lively promenade filled with attractions.
Standing tall since 1894, Blackpool Tower is an enduring symbol of the city’s heritage. As the sun sets, the tower lights up, creating a spectacular sight against the evening sky.
Have you explored Blackpool Sea Front? Share your favorite photos and experiences in the comments on Instagram @lee_ramsden.
Thanks,
Lee
Hello,
Today id like to show a couple of recent drone images taken at night.
I hope that you are well.
Lee
Hello,
Today is a quick one of an image of Blackpool Tower at sunrise.
I hope that you enjoy.
Lee
Hello,
Today id like to share an image of the Friarton Bridge in Scotland.
With me working in Aberdeen and travelling the 350 miles each weekend home, i have driven over the bridge numerous times and the scale over the amazing Scottish landscape has always been a nice part pf the journey.
Friarton Bridge Is a steel box girder bridge with a concrete deck, across the River Tay on the southeastern outskirts of Perth, Scotland. The bridge was designed by Freeman Fox and Partners with the team being led by Dr Oleg Kerensky. The bridge was a pair of steel box girders (one under each carriage way) 4.3 m wide overlaid by a lightweight concrete deck. It forms part of the eastern spur of the M90 between junctions 10 (Craigend) and 11 (Broxden), the most northerly motorway junction in the UK. It also forms part of the important east coast road corridor from Edinburgh through to Dundee and Aberdeen. It was the first large box girder bridge to be built to the Merrison Rules which were introduced in 1973 after the collapse during construction of three box girder bridges during the 1970s. The bridge was strengthened during the 2000s to cope with modern traffic loadings.
Have a good weekend.
If you have not yet subscribed to my monthly news letter, it would be good to keep in touch.
Lee
Hello,
I hope that you have had a good week.
I want to share with you an image of the One O’clock gun at Edinburgh Castle.
What is the One o’Clock gun?
The firing of the gun dates back to 1861, when businessman John Hewitt brought the idea to Edinburgh from Paris. It’s now an Edinburgh tradition, but the one o’clock gun originally came into being out of necessity over 150 years ago. It has been 158 years since the first audible indication of the time was made during bad weather at Edinburgh Castle. The citizens of Edinburgh, as well as the ships docked in the ports of Leith and Firth of Forth over two miles away, were able to hear the signal, quickly making it a curious visitor attraction. With an electric cable stretching over 4,000 feet from the rear of the gun to the Royal Observatory on Calton Hill, the original 18-pound gun was operated via a mechanical trigger at precisely 1pm each day apart from Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day. The 94-pound artillery weapon was provided by the Royal Artillery. The weapon of choice is now a L118 Light Gun. This particular weapon has been in service approximately 15 years, and is traditionally fired by a volunteer District Gunner from the 105th Regiment Royal Artillery.
Have a good weekend.
Lee
Hello,
This is the Lecropt Kirk Parish, Church of Scotland 🏴.
What an Amazing building, and interesting contrast between the old and modern.
It was built in 1825 now with the M9 adjacent.
Bonus random fact for you, the founder of the special air service (SAS) Major David Stirling was from Lecropt.
Have a great weekend
Lee