This is the first post of the first day of Lockdown £3. For Lockdown #1, it was new and we all stayed at home. We came out of that Lockdown and summer drove the virus underground but it was still around. Lockdown #3 was called when the devastating extent of the virus re-emergence became known. During Lockdown #2, I was working so I stopped off in the city to do some daily exercise before moving onto Pebble Mill. This time I am not at work for the main part of the week and only do one day. Almost all of my work can be done from home. So in a similar way to Lockdown #1, it is a stay at home except for the one exercise a day.
Black Boy MarinaA picturesque but empty Kings Arms Pub
With this Lockdown #3, I am looking for more imaginative walks from home. This time I walked along the canal down past Knowle locks with several of the boats displaying “stay safe” signs onto two of the canal side pubs, the Kings Arms and the Black Boy. (The latter pub name comes from the appearance of King Charles II who had a dark complexion). Both the pubs were closed and had a very empty look about them. Even in January the car parks would be full and people would be visiting. Nothing was happening.
Empty Black Boy pubEmpty seats
There is a canal Marina between both pubs which was also very quiet. I did have a heron as company which is another story in itself. A strange day with a heavy presence around the canal. A solemn quietness hung in the air as the place seemed to know that this was the start of another Lockdown.
A dramatic scene at Knowle Locks
The tow path was very muddy and difficult to negotiate but the canal boats had their log fires burning. The smell of the wood burning was pleasant to breath in as I returned the way I came and made my way home. When I got to the top lock at Knowle, there was a bright end to the day which lifted the spirits. There are going to be a lot more walks to do before this current Lockdown is over.
Changeable weather with clouds, sunshine and reflectionsThe smell of wood burners as you pass the long boats
Photo tip – Story telling always helps with your photography. This is about the lockdown and it has pictures of the rainbow and stay safe symbol in the window of one of the boats. We move onto the pubs which should have full carparks and people moving around but there is little happening. Therefore the story concentrates on the weather and the muddy journey with lovely skies.
The last day of 2020 was a day of sunshine and I visited Compton Verney with my good friend John Bray. The grounds were open for visiting and the weather was perfect for photography. It was also perfect for having a good chat in the process of taking the pictures. The parkland has a circular route that takes in the North Park and through a small wood up to the Old Town Meadow. We also explored further beyond the Meadow up to Lighthorne Rd at the northern boundary of the park. It was muddy and heavy going in places but the rewards was some spectacular views of the House and the beautiful parkland designed by Capability Brown.
Sphinx on the ornamental bridge approaching the main houseThe Parkland around Compton VerneyBeautiful light and splendid colours in the landscape
The Old Town Meadow had artwork by Krijin de Koning. Green Dwelling is an intriguing collection of various boxes which is used to highlight the history of the land. The collections of multicoloured boxes (mainly green) offer many different interpretations but most of all they are fun to photograph.
Sculpture in the Old Town Meadow with Wreath Window to the Meadow
The land around the house also houses artwork and the present sculpture on view is by Ariel Schlesinger and is named “Ways to say Goodbye”. It is a tree where the branches are carrying shards of broken glass. The tree is cast in aluminium and the shattered glass is in the branches reaching for the sky. It offers different interpretations to the viewer and the photographer.
Aluminium Tree with Shards of glass in the branches
This part of the grounds I love as I could go on and on taking photographs with the trees providing the framing of both the house and the lake. There was also a carpet of yellow flowers around the base of the trees that added a welcome splash of alternative colour to the area. The house had paintings in the windows which were following a Christmas theme. More importantly there was a shed offering coffee and a pastry which was much needed after all the walking.
Yellow path to the HousePicture in the windowChristmas themed picture in the window
Finally we explored the Ice House Coppice area. We bypassed the Ice House and went to the edge of the lake where there was a splendid Christmas tree. I did notice a whicker replica of a heron catching a fish and this had to be taken, It was my last day as a registered dentist and during lockdown I became involved with a Twitter group with the hashtag #dentistswithheron. If you read the article and follow the hashtag, then you may understand what I am talking about.
Christmas tree with house in the backgroundHeron catching a fish!
John and I ventured onto the main road so we could take a picture from the bridge looking onto the lake and the house. We captured some excellent views of the property and the lakes beyond Compton Verney.
View from the bridge and ferry on the main RoadView of the house over the Compton poolLovely reflections over the pool
To end a successful visit one of the pictures that I took was featured by Shefali Oza on BBC Midlands Today weather picture.
My picture featured on the BBC Midlands Today weather bulletin
The visit to the house and gardens made for ad fantastic end to a stressful and difficult 2020, here is hoping that 2021 will be a great year.
Tie a red ribbon around a tree (as you normally do!)
If you want to learn more about Compton Verney then please visit their web site that gives you all the information about visiting this beautiful property in the Warwickshire country side – Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park
Tractors. Lots of tractors! Whilst we were visiting Burton Dassett Hills, over a dozen tractors appeared and parked on the side of Magpie Hill. It appeared to be a tractor rally and although I do not know my tractors, they looked a formidable set of beasts. The owners got out and stood around chatting. I am not a brave soul on asking what was happening but I did have my camera and started snapping. I could have done so much more photography but time was not on my side as the family were ready to leave and the hills were getting very busy as it approached midday. The results of a few quick pictures are for viewing. All taken with my Fujifilm x100v except one iPhone camera picture.
Tractor with door openDiscussing the Machinery
Anatomy of a tractor
One man and his tractorsA dog rounding up the tractors
Photographic tips – Quickly seize the opportunity that presents itself. I was shy and did not engage the people and concentrated on the tractors which don’t need talking to. There were some good pictures of wheels, machinary and landscape pictures of the vehicle group I wish I had more time to spend looking around but i was under pressure as the family were leaving to go home!
Another visit to Burton Dassett during December gave me the chance to explore new parts of the park and rediscover new views of familiar landmarks. I was here with my grandchildren and they were very adventurous climbing both Windmill and Magpie Hills. I went up the steeper incline of Harts Hill to get beautiful panoramic views of the area. I paid the price for clambering up the hill as I slipped on the muddy incline on the way down and was rewarded with a muddy backside.
Lily and Chloe look out from the top of Magpie HillMagpie Hill, Burton Dassett, WarwickshireLong shadows on Windmill HillThe view of the Warwickshire countryside
My new explore with the family was Fox Covert a walk through a small wood. The path is just over a mile long and was not too muddy. The afternoon light was streaming in through the branches onto the path providing many different patterns on the forrest floor. In the hollow was a picturesque brook which was spoilt by a car tyre sitting in the water. How it had got there is anyone’s guess. There was a beautiful patch of trees that was lit up by the sun. Try as I could, my pictures just did not work out the way I wanted them to. Frustrating that I could visualise the scene but not capture it to my satisfaction. 🙁
Fox Covert with the sunlight streaming throughA stream in the hollow (with discarded tyre)Fox Covert woods
On the way up from the hollow, the path meandered slightly and then the sun caught the trees and cast long shadows. I took the picture and it looked almost how I wanted it to. Post processing in black and white gave me the result I wanted. The monochrome treatment provided a beautiful rendition of the light that I saw. It was pleasing to find this small (undiscovered by me) part of Burton Dassett. I will be back in the spring to rediscover Fox Covert when spring is in full swing. These pictures were taken with my Fujifilm x100v.
The afternoon winter sun shinning through the wood
Photographic tip – Follow the light and look around for interesting scenes. I like shooting into the light but be careful and don’t look directly at the sun. I got hung up on one particular spot which did not produce many pictures. A few steps away was a really spectacular scene, so keep moving and be ready for all eventualities. Also processing the pictures interested me. I choose black and white processing, Why? It just seemed to look better for some of the scenes.
There are many lovely Christmas trees around Birmingham this year in spite of the Pandemic and Covid-19. The trees are more prominent as they are not competing with other decorations or events where there are crowds of people such as the German Market. However, they do look lonely as the numbers of people in the City centre are down and the Christmas trees are left to look after themselves. I have taken pictures of those trees I have seen on my travels including the one in Knowle where I live. Merry Christmas Everyone and hope you have a lovely time over the next few days.
Christmas Tree – Victoria Square – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Paul’s Church – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Great Western Arcade – BirminghamChristmas Tree – The Bullring – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Phillip’s Square – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Phillip’s Cathedral – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Mailbox – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Mailbox – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Knowle – Birmingham
The days before Christmas are a time of waiting and getting ready. It is a strange time this year and the weather is not helping the mood much either. Whilst the rain has left the ground waterlogged, it has led to some lovely puddles lying around. These provide excellent reflections when I am out and about with my camera. This series of photographs are from my visit to Umberslade Park. There is a dramatic tree lined drive that provides varied opportunities for pictures. It was very wet and there were some rather large puddles which led to some good reflections in the water.
Reflections in the waterBlack and white tree line
It is possible to get some nice symmetrical views with the trees lined up down into a hollow. There is a bridge where the Stratford upon Avon train line sits. It is possible with timing to frame the picture so that there are people standing underneath the bridge, whilst looking down into the hollow.
Umberslade Park – trees and railway bridgeLooking up at the tree line
My recent upgrade of the Dxo Nik processing software allows me to play with Silver Efex Pro. Therefore many of these photographs have been processed into black and white which fits the sombre weather of the day. The walk is nice and easy as you can park at the Tanworth in Arden village entrance and then walk down towards the bridge then onto the Children’s farm. After passing the farm, I walked straight up the hill to the fringes of the Umberslade Park.
Up the hill at Umberslade Park
This part I had not discovered before and there are two pillars which are possible remnants of gates. From here there are good views of the Warwickshire countryside from the elevated part of the park.
Views of the Warwickshire countryside
Walking back, I decided to vary the pictures by using my Lensball. It worked well in all the puddles and gave some interesting views. Hope you enjoy the pictures and I will return when the leaves are back on the trees. I suspect it will also be a good place to visit when there is fog and mist around.
Lensball reflections at UmbersladeUnder the bridge with a selfie in a Lensball.
Coombe Abbey Country Park is to the east of Coventry and both the gardens and lake featuring designs by Capability Brown make this a must visit attraction. Even though this is on my doorstep, it is nearly 10 years since I lasted visited on the occasion of a wedding. The family decided this was the place to visit on a Saturday afternoon in December. I got my camera gear ready. I am now well practised at taking photographs under family pressure. Those lovely views by the lakes are only available for a few minutes as I am asked to hurry up and stay in touch with the family walk. In some ways that makes it fun as you have to get your settings right and take the picture quickly.
View of Coombe Abbey from the top pool bridge
The park is picturesque and lends itself to photographs. The downside is that even on a late Sunday afternoon, there is a lot of people around. Making sure that they do not feature in the photographs is difficult as well. My tips are to look for different views of the well known pictures that are taken. Coombe Abbey Country Park is photographed so often that it is difficult to find that different view.
The endless lake of Coombe Abbey Country ParkPaths through the woods
One tip is the timing. The family decided to visit after 2pm on a December afternoon. The weather was good and the sun was starting to come out. The Golden Hour beckoned. There were some delays along the way when we got there. The birds had to be fed by the grandchildren and other small holdups, such as splashing in every puddle that we saw, made the walk slow. In many ways that was an advantage as it gave an opportunity to take a few more pictures.
Entertaining the GrandchildrenPlaces to runPuddles to splash inBuildings to see at Coombe AbbeyTwo swans in the top pool
Finally on the way back the sun started to set very low and it lit up the classic view of the Coombe Abbey Hotel from the footbridge that separates the main lake, Coombe Pool, and the smaller Top Pool. There is a lot more to see and when Covid-19 restrictions are finished then there will be a return visit to the park. Meanwhile enjoy the pictures!
Sunset at Coombe Abbey
Do you want to know more about Coombe Abbey Country Park? Then visit the Coventry City Council website which will get you started Coombe Abbey Country Park
There is also the City of Coventry nearby if you want to make a weekend of a visit to the area with your camera Send me to the City of Coventry
Forestry England have a number of woodlands located across the West Midlands and my closest one, Hay Wood, is located near Baddesley Clinton. I have been a number of times and always found it a wonderful place to visit. It is best described as a peaceful ancient woodland site with a great diversity of wildlife. Usually I have walked around or cycled into the Wood via bike.
A beautiful day in Hay Wood
When walking, I have usually stayed around the front part of the forest near to the road as it is a bit of a hike into the far end of the wood. This time I wanted to delve deeper into the wood and therefore walked up to he end of the central road and instead of going left or right at the end, heading into the deeps of the wood. It had been raining heavily the night before and I started to regret my decision as the going was very soft and wet. There were old tractor grooves which allowed you to walk on the ridge away from the water.
Sunlight streams down
Deeper into the forrest the light became more interesting. The sun came out and there were small pockets of light that managed to get through the trees. I encountered a young conifer and it was bathed in light which made for a good photograph. The dying ferns had turned a yellow orange colour and added an interesting layer to the forrest floor. It appeared to be a carpet of colour.
A new hope in the Forrest
It was very difficult moving through this part of the wood and after a while I made my way to the roads where it was obviously much easier to move around. I took a selection of pictures and they show the light and colour of the forest.
Sunlight above, water below
The web site encourages you to escape to Hay Wood for your next forest adventure. Whether walking or riding, Hay Wood is the perfect place to get away from it all and relax. I could not agree more.
Paths in the WoodlandMos growing on logs of woodHay Wood Colours
As you will have seen I have been stopping off in Birmingham on my way to work and taking pictures of the City. There is a real opportunity to get some pictures of the place and often highlight the lockdown with the lack of people. Most of the pictures shown have one or two people in them. They are also bleak. A solitary Christmas tree stands where the German market used to be. A lone masked figure walks through China Town. Sunrises on the roof of deserted car parks. As you look through the places then they will throw up different emotions and thoughts. It has been difficult for many people and we will remember what this year is like for many years to come. Meanwhile I sometimes feel guilty being a voyeur using the camera as an indiscrete people watcher. Recording the events for my own pleasure. Take a look through these pictures and see what you think.
I will be covering – Central business District / Snow Hill Tram station, – New Street Station/Grand Central – Roof of Snow Hill station – The Arcadian/China Town
Central business District / Snow Hill Tram station
Cornwall street Lockdown#2Church Square Lockdown#2 Lockdown#2
What is eerie about the Lockdown#2 is the lack of people commuting into the city. This is most evident in the business district. There are few people on the streets and the offices are empty except for the security people on the front desk. On a busy morning prelockdown, there would be people striding around the pavements goint to their office workplace. Coffee shops would be busy, and the train and buses would stop and have to wait for some time to disgorge their passengers. Now it is much quieter. I have my iPhone and Canon 5D. With the latter, it is big and therefore difficult to hide. A man with a big camera, is a phrase someone said about me. I do worry about being mugged for the camera.. The iPhone is fine, but it does try and correct low light settings and I like the control the manual settings give me. Therefore it is often a mixture of both.
New Street Station/Grand Central
Welcome to New StreetNew Street looking emptyAround New Street and. feel sorry for the taxi driversAnnatomix art work graces the entrance to Grand CentralA more colourful approach Lockdown#2New Street Station looking empty.
The station opens many opportunities for photographs but when there are few people around then it is difficult to be inconspicuous with your camera. Therefore, in the station, I used by iPhone whilst outside my camera felt more comfortable. The steps up to the station with the mirrored ceiling always create wonderful reflections. There was a network rail person working occasionally looking out of a small window at the foot of the stairs. I caught a picture of him although he is a little out of focus. My nerves on taking the picture! Hope you enjoy the pictures especially those of my favourite street artist, Annatomix. A fellow photographer Elliot brown had passed by the day before, so I retraced his steps and found the place deserted. Pictures that normally had people distracting you were possible. So taking pictures of Birmingham have been easier under lockdown.
Roof of Snow Hill station
Sunrise roof of Snow Hill Car ParkThe view over Snow Hill platformReflections in a puddle of the BT towerThe moon still over St Paul’s ChurchLooking down Cornwall StreetLight Trails down Edmund Street
An old favourite – if the weather is good and for this particular morning a great sunrise was on its way. There was one car parked and the whole place deserted. The skyscrapers of Snow Hill 1, 2 and 3 lean in over the car park. It had been raining the night before and there were plenty of puddles for reflections. It was dawn so you could look down Cornwall street with the pretty lights or down or do the light trials down Edmund street. Both favourite locations for Birmingham Photographers since the car park was open. A check on the BT Tower and yes St Paul’s Spire is still there with a full moon overlooking it. The trains from Kidderminster arrive on their way to London and the Trams move by the Show hill office blocks.
The Arcadian/China Town
Hurst Street on a rainy morningStreetphotography in ChinatownLooking up Hurst StreetA wet day in ChinatownThese mopeds get everywhere
The last morning of Lockdown#2 was a trip to the Arcadian Centre. I did want to see the Christmas tree that had a small cycling tunnel though its centre. When I made my way to the tree which is outside the Hippodrome, I saw that someone was sleeping underneath the tree. Not only that on closer inspection as my pictures show it was a homeless person dependent upon a wheel chair to get around. This shocked me and you may say this is a now a normal occurrence yet when you stumble across it, it still has the power to shock. I moved onto the Arcadian centre and the rain was persistent. The place was very quiet with few people moving around. I knelt down to do some puddle reflection pictures and happened to catch a young lad walking through the Chinatown passageway. The iPhone was all I used as it was so wet. A miserable end to Lockdown#2 but then again what do you expect from the year of 2020.
Surprisingly I have never been inside Sutton Park. Why not I ask myself, having lived in Birmingham and Solihull for over 35 years. I have been to Sutton Coldfield many times but not to the park. With some meetings cancelled, I planned a visit and got there around 45 minutes before the sun was to set. I timed my walk to be at Bracebridge pool when the sunset was due to take place.
Bracebridge Pool at Sunset
It was muddy on the trails and I did get distracted by Blackroot pool on the way as the tree lined avenue next to the train line was glowing in the setting sun. Eventually I arrived on the shore of Bracebridge and I sat down to admire the colours of the sunset. I had debated whether to bring my tripod with me and I therefore played around with the ISO and left it at 400. The colours were beautiful, and I lingered a long time around the pool.
The shore at Bracebridge PoolReflections in the waterA bench with a view of the sunset
It was dark getting back and the prospect of negotiating the woods alone but luckily I met a couple who were disorientated and wanted to get back to the same car park. The park does get very quiet when the sun goes down. I came back and processed my pictures.
Blackroot pool in Sutton Park
There was one I was particularly proud about and I received some interesting comments on it from Ewen in the British Tech Network Slackroom.
Sunset glow over the water
“So at that distance F10 to F8 is zero noticeable difference and F10 to F5.6 would have been a small enough amount for sharpening to reduce the difference. Handheld I expect myself to be able to shoot successfully at 1/15th There are trees there to brace against or you take off your shoe laces and tie them around the camera and hold the other end under you feet to get a taught line to pull against. All of these give you extra stops back to reduce the ISO. My first choice is always to maintain the lowest ISO and highest image quality as possible. Zooming in you already have excess grain in the water through the higher ISO and lower light level. Secondly, when adjusting the RAW file, use of ‘highlight’ slider to reduce the glare form the sun is the starting point as you need to get the ambient light on the rest of the image up. Your job is to balance the colours AND the textures. You’d nailed the textures but lost the awesome colours in everything but the clouds around the sun. Your next question is ‘what looks natural’ and when looking towards the Sun, your natural vision is ‘blown out’ in order to see the other details, so its ok to burn out the clouds around the sun a little more than you feel the histogram is telling you to. In that way you see more of the great detail in the trees and lake and you still get great colours in the clouds…just a little further away from the sun.”
Always good to get such advice and thanks Ewen.
If you are thinking about visiting Sutton Park then there is a good website from Birmingham City Council which has maps and information. Sutton Park, Birmingham City Council
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