The Art of Shadow Play Wood Print

A shadow cast by the sun may often produce lovely, interesting shapes on the ground or walls.  There is a spot in Birmingham where shadows are created by the tall canal-side lamps that stretch over the towpath along the Birmingham Canal Navigations. The area around Brindley Place offers many opportunities for street photography, urban landscapes, and other candid moments.

I had planned a visit to Oozell’s Square, adjacent to Brindley Place. The blossoms there appear only briefly during March and April, and I arrived early to photograph them.

Being in Brindley Place on a bright early morning was a bonus. The combination of water and the warm red brick of the surrounding buildings create excellent conditions for reflections and shadow play. I spent some time walking along the canals before heading towards Gas Street Basin for yet another photograph of this beautiful area.

I eventually sat on a bench opposite Brindley Place, near the ICC entrance. My attention was drawn to the shadows on the far side of the canal, cast by the canal lamps overlooking the towpath.  The walkway runs beneath the “Black Sabbath” bridge into Gas Street Basin and is a popular place for pedestrians. As people passed by these elongated shadows, there was an opportunity for some interesting street photography. Positioning myself on the other side, I waited for the right moment.

The shadow formed a bold diagonal across the scene, with its far end resembling the outline of a UFO. A steady flow of pedestrians allowed me to capture several images using my Canon R6 Mark II with my 24-70mm EF lens.  When I got home, I was really pleased with the images that I had captured.

One of these photographs was entered into the weekly #ShareMondays2026 competition on BlueSky. I was pleasantly surprised by the response as I recieved many likes and comments. The image proved particularly successful and was selected as the weekly winner of #sharemondays.

I am very pleased with the outcome and hope the photograph continues to resonate with viewers. In the meantime, I shall continue exploring, always looking for compelling scenes to capture and share.

If you want to see how I have researched the area in the past for street photography then take a look at my blog “Walk on by”. As you can see the shadows do create interesting interactions with pedestrians.