A Digbeth sunset followed by the blue hour

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.

I love January days when there is a clear blue sky and the weather is dry and crisp. We have had a few cold days like these, which have also featured bright sunrises and warm sunsets.  January is also a great time to photograph the streets of Digbeth. Warm colours are created as the sun sets, highlighting the character of the old industrial brick buildings of the area. The brickwork soaks up the light and emits a deep warm glow. Checking my TPE, I found that the setting sun aligns along Floodgate Street during the golden hour.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
Long shadows starting to form along Floodgate Street.
https://www.instagram.com/dammodammo
The Moon above Spiderman at Luna Springs

Wrapping up warm with plenty of layers of clothing, I arrived at Moor Street Station. My route to Digbeth took me past the old Typhoo tea factory, which is under renovation and will soon become the new Midlands headquarters for the BBC. Along the way, I met fellow photographer Simon MacCreedy, who was out with his trusty Pentax. We caught up on the latest news and talked about our photography. Simon specialises in black and white photography, and his work is worth exploring, especially on his @Macindigbeth Instagram account.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
Striding towards with ambition.

After saying our goodbyes, I headed to Little Ann Street. The sun was low, and only the tops of buildings were still bathed in light. Shadows crept across the street but had not yet obscured the words “Striving forward with ambition,” painted on the side of the Performers and Screen and Film School building, part of the BIMM Music Institute group. The sign was created by FokaWolf, a subversive street artist known for parody and satire.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
Adam and his mate flagged me down and asked for a picture of them in their car. They had heard of @dammodammo.
https://www.instagram.com/dammodammo
Long shadows in the sunset.
https://www.instagram.com/dammodammo
A billboard with a message seen on the High Street.

On Floodgate Street, long shadows stretched behind pedestrians walking along the pavements. Having taking a few pictures, I walked over the canal to Montague street to visit the Digbeth Loc. Studios  where the filming of the forthcoming “Peaky Blinders” movie is taking place.  The film studios were established by Steven Knight and he commissioned Mr Murals to paint a mural  the building of the iconic Peaky Blinders characters. The hand-painted street art features the characters, Thomas Shelby, Ada Shelby, and Alfie Solomons, with a scene of Birmingham from the past behind Thomas Shelby. It is a fantastic piece of art, though not the easiest building to photograph.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
Part of the Peaky Blinder mural on Montague Street.
Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
The eyes have it, Alfie, Ada and Thomas.

Back on Gibb Street and Floodgate Street, the sun had almost set. I lingered, taking pictures, and noticed the sky beginning to change colour as the blue hour approached. Standing at the entrance to Gibb Street, I saw the city’s high-rise buildings silhouetted against the deepening blue sky. Searching for the best view, I crossed over the high street to the newly laid tram tracks.  Standing on the tracks I saw classic leading lines that conveniently pointed back towards the city. I know that his would be a good picture.  After activating the RAW function on my iPhone for the most detailed information, I captured several shots and was very pleased with the resulting pictures.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
The tracks of the city.

The temperature was dropping fast, but I was determined to photograph more of Digbeth during the blue hour. The contrast between the warm streetlights and the cool blue sky created vibrant, colourful scenes. Eventually, the cold won, and I retreated to the warm carriages of a train back to Olton for dinner at my daughter’s house. Reflecting on the day, the two to three hours spent in Digbeth were worthwhile and added another chapter to my photographic diary of this dynamic area of Birmingham.

Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
The yellows and blues along Floodgate Street.
Sunset and blue hour, Digbeth, Birmingham, January, 2025.
The classic view of Gibb Street.
https://www.instagram.com/dammodammo
Yo Birmingham

I have done many visits to Digbeth and I am spoilt for choice. I have narrowed down my selection of my two more popular blogs on Digbeth. I hope you enjoy reading them. My first choice is a visit to Digbeth in January 2024 but the setting is in the morning. My second is a study of the street art and the pictures were taken during the day in July 2020. Enjoy!


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