As I’m writing this, I have the windows wide open, enjoying the sounds and smells of a heavy rainfall during a break in a summer heatwave. There’s something special about British weather. Yes, we complain about it constantly. But those cloudy, overcast skies are a lot easier to live with than constant, relentless sunshine. And the rain! British rain can be glorious.

I had this photo in mind for weeks before I got the opportunity to shoot it. A wide-angle shot of Victoria Street,, the cobbles glistening in the rain. When the weather forecast was right, I charged my camera batteries and headed for Victoria Crescent, where a high angle gave me a chance to look down on the scene.

Victoria Street is one of Edinburgh’s crown jewels. Search online, and you’ll find endless photos of people queuing at the Harry Potter shops, the colourful buildings towering over them. Photograph it in black and white, with the rain bringing out the textures of the cobbles and the sandstone tenements, and the effect is quite different.

Cars can’t drive down Victoria Street now as it’s been closed to traffic. A good thing, I think. It’s much nicer as a pedestrianised street. I wonder if that terrible tarmac patch has been repaired yet?